Escape your cares here, move from terrace to terrace tracking the sun's progress and dive into the sea from your own swimming platform

What a setting! Gentle terraces, gardens, meadows and jaw-dropping views of Mont Blanc - just metres from Courmayeur

An important spot for this grand 19th-century château on the banks of the Loire, steeped in history and with kind, erudite owners

Be spoiled in this large stone house, with sumptuous bedrooms, thoughtful breakfasts and a verdant garden, just minutes from the city

Magnificent house with old-fashioned charm and gardens leading down to the Beaulieu River – take the footpath to Beaulieu or Bucklers Hard

Gently undulating countryside surrounds you at this Burgundy B&B with fresh, modern bedrooms and delicious dinners prepared by the owner

A gem of a château in the wilds of Limousin with kind and thoughtful owners who are thoroughly immersed in this tranquil area

Feel right at home in a thatched farmhouse on South Pool Creek, with cottage garden views, great breakfasts and a good local pub

Starry skies, wild beauty and total peace are yours in these sustainable, solar-powered eco-lodges

A very romantic and peaceful Umbrian hideaway just for two with delicious breakfasts and wonderful views from house and pool

This stately-looking former manor house set back from the road in acres of gardens serves very good food and has rustic-chic bedrooms

Remote three-bedroom cottage in Northumberland National Park, with far-reaching views over hills and valleys and walks in all directions

An 1820s beach house just 50 metres from the pretty sands and a first-floor deck for al fresco meals with stunning views over the water

An old farm worker's cottage, niftily done up and nicely remote, with walking and fishing on the doorstep, four miles from Hadrian's Wall

This hidden valley is the dreamiest part of South Devon. Catch the ferry across the Dart; gaze on the hills; snuggle up by the wood-burner

Tradition and comfort on the border with Wales, a welcoming country-house hotel with warm rooms, pretty gardens and delicious food

Scandi-Scottish cabin with views across the Kyle of Lochalsh, within walking distance of a cracking pub - a Sawday's Community Champion

An elegant 18th-century manor in the market town of Malesherbes, sitting behind its own walls and with mature gardens for a peaceful retreat