Mont Blanc looms large over this alpine chalet in quiet Les Tines, a stone’s throw from Chamonix and miles of mountain trails

An architect-designed bolthole with two art galleries, a restaurant, studios and a paper mill by the seaside - a Sawday’s Community Champion

Crackling fires in winter, croquet in the summer. Life ticks by peacefully - rooms are engagingly old-fashioned, the garden is much-loved

An attractive collection of mellow stone buildings with wonderful views over Monte Amiata and the Val d'Orcia for restful stays

Two cottages for couples: one more traditional, the other fresh and modern, both comfortable and romantic and there's a good pub next door

Enter through an impressive stone arch to discover this 16th-century fortified manor house with a gorgeous communal dining and seating area

Treat yourselves to a stay in the gloriously comfortable Astor Wing with private terrace and views to Hever Castle and the Tudor Garden

One of four wooden-clad off-grid cottages, sleek and calm indoors, high up in the Cheviot Hills and with stunning views over the valley

Elegant country château with a family feel, for big groups with or without children, and those who seek inspiration

A restored Dordogne farmhouse with a dash of Scandi flair - heated pool, bucolic views, and beautifully designed bedrooms

Generous, fun house, perfect for family gatherings. Head down the hill for sandy beaches or let kids and dogs run wild on the Purbeck coast

An immaculately restored old inn with generous bedrooms, great food, ale and wine. Locals love it as much as those who make it a destination

Come for good architecture, thoughtful design and much space for relaxing: swimming, massages, hammam and sauna, beautiful bedrooms

Swings, a terrace and pool in 2 acres ringed by fields and tranquility, and lakes and vineyards beyond. Family bliss in Quercy

A grand, 16th-century Breton château complete with dovecote, turret and chapel surrounded by 50 acres of parkland, woods and small lake

B&B in the heart of Totnes with bright bedrooms and a sitting room, plus an enchanting garden with ponds and wildflower beds

In pretty Vernon, a peaceful and comfortably large townhouse with roses rambling around the door