A seamless blend of ancient and modern in this architect-designed villa with infinity pool and veranda for admiring the wonderful views

A large and light house sitting by itself in lovely countryside with a big pool, maturing gardens and superb views up to Saignon on the hill

A clutch of airy properties, most with their own jasmine-scented terraces arranged around a funky pool

Hike the Wild Boar Fells, get cosy at home with books, games and DVDs, and meet the farm’s hens, cows and sheep

A Victorian house on a 5000 acre estate, snazzily renovated and tucked down a track with a private lake, in the quieter part of Cumbria

A stylish mountain chalet under the watchful gaze of Mont Blanc, with a private chef, hot tub and sauna

Simple country cottage living on a working organic farm. Bring your hiking boots or bikes, stride out from the door

A traditional Welsh cottage perfect for a nature loving pair – stunning coastal walks, hidden coves, birdwatching and a crackling fire

Elegant farmhouse B&B. Drawing room with a log fire, generous breakfasts with home produce, cookery courses and friendly welcoming hosts

A peaceful, romantic village escape for couples, plus a babe-in-arms, attached to the welcoming owners' home in the Scottish Borders

Glorious views across Northumberland countryside from this peaceful and comfortable cottage with almost an acre of garden

Airy, spacious, sunny. This Lot gîte is a delight: linen curtains, oak stair, sunny pool. Sarlat and painted caves are an easy venture away

A rustic-chic bolthole with bird's eye views to gaze at from your bedroom and the beautiful garden, tucked in a quaint hamlet in Maremma

Old beams and rich history: a dramatic setting for fireside chats, superb breakfasts (home-reared, baked, grown) - and Midsomer Murders

Lovely owners have created this quirky space on their farm; side-by-side al fresco baths make it romantic for two

A deceptively roomy 300-year-old stone cottage, with front-facing windows overlooking the harbour - just a short walk up to town

Come for a bright, roomy, uber-green and accessible larch-clad space with garden and pond in pretty countryside

A comfortably stylish renovation of a 19th-century farmhouse, perfect for big groups & multi-generation families to reconnect in rural peace