Two family-friendly gites (big groups can take both) with beautiful gardens, sparkling pool, activities for children and peace for parents

An exquisitely restored 500-year-old inn, where the accent is very much on food, reared and grown nearby and with very comfortable rooms

Five beautiful and fully accessible cottages on an organic farm for restful retreats with family or friends – a Sawday's Community Champion

In château parkland, 10 minutes from Chinon, find books, beams and open spaces for three renovated houses, a delight for families

A lovely old stone cottage in a group round a pretty courtyard, with your own private patio and seating area, on the Pink Granite Coast

A true gem - sleep in a small hillside castle, share delicious communal meals, walk or cycle to the beautiful waterfalls nearby

Smart, spacious house for 12 with great views over the family vineyard - arrange a tasting, walk the Cotswold Way, cycle the canal towpath

A botanical beauty deep in the Loire Valley, this elegant house has history and heart in abundance

Come for a spot of indulgence, with seriously good food and wine, oodles to do in the courtyard, great bedrooms and a cool spa for a splurge

Something to astound at every turn where the traditional and downright quirky collide to stunning effect. Friendly, flexible hosts too

A slice of rural heaven close to the Pembrokeshire coast - good rooms, hearty food, wonderful walks and beautiful beaches wait

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

Chat long with gentle hosts over home-grown dinners; see stars above, walks, rivers and wildlife all around. Rustic comfort in rural Burgos

An old pub with a new lease of life: smart buzzy eatery downstairs and two bright, spacious apartments upstairs - just minutes from the Heath

Chocolate-box cottages in deepest Normandy, owned by bright young things with a passion for organic cuisine and the good life

A magical chateau set in the forested hills of Burgundy with lovely rooms, peaceful walks, home cooking and a merry welcome

Lovingly renovated farmhouse amid vines and sunflowers, deep in the Charente countryside - small pool in garden, beaches 45 minutes away.