A really friendly French family home, steeped in history and tradition with delicious home-grown food, a lovely garden and peaceful pool

Wild Northumberland awaits beyond your garden at this eco-friendly cottage on a beautiful organic farm where you’re encouraged to explore

An historic, moated manor house dating from the 16th-century, fully restored and with all mod cons, including an indoor heated pool

A rural farmhouse B&B with view-filled bedrooms, hearty breakfasts and walks from the door. The Dowies are generous hosts

Welcome to a dreamy fortified castle, once owned by French royalty, the perfect place to stay for history lovers and comfort seekers

An 18th-century stone cottage sitting in the glorious Yorkshire Dales. Nature-lovers and walkers will be well pleased and so will their dog

A large, light-filled house sitting very much on its own in the middle of the peaceful Eden Valley with masses of space inside and out

A privilege to be able to stay within the famous gardens of magnificent Château de Courances. The painter's village of Barbizon is nearby

A stunner of a setting for this restored croft house with long views to a sparkling loch and a lively village nearby. Good beaches too

Wooded, lakeside retreat for 1 or 2 – big windows, huge terrace, wood-burner, wide screen. The Jurassic coast a cross-country walk away

A cosy, beautifully refurbished flat in a Georgian house bang in the middle of the unspoilt town with its pretty streets and houses

Airy interiors, good local food and a blissful rural setting for this refurbished inn, popular with locals and with a happy, bustling vibe

A beautiful old mill straddling the river Wensum, now a peaceful inn with tasty local and seasonal food, a lovely garden and comfy rooms

A harmonious B&B in Chinon wine country. Home-cooked food, comfortable beds, easy conservations with your host and starry skies at night

A rural idyll with a hot tub under starlit skies and surrounded by gorgeous countryside in the South Lakes within a hop of vibrant Cartmel

Vast house on an ancient Roman site with big terraced garden and pool. Grand yet homely, with air-con, spa and only 8 km to the city

Charming trulli apartments promise rustic comfort and panoramic views (horses too). Perfectly placed for exploring the area

Near vibrant market towns, this lovely cottage on a rural estate with views of Pen y Fan is a delicious escape from the hurly burly