A big, comfortable house with heated outdoor pool in 17 acres of gardens. Mountains, river swimming, hiking nearby; coast within the hour

Taste the wine, plunge into the granite pool, play billiards in the library, linger outdoors as swallows swoop – eat delicious local dishes

A 1750 one-storey former farm building, beautifully converted into a lovely hideaway for walkers, nature lovers and peace seekers

Come for a quiet, spoiling B&B, delicious breakfasts, delightful wines and a stunning garden with pool in the heart of southern Burgundy

Perfect for families - a glorious farmhouse surrounded by lavender fields. Rooms are huge and children can roam free in the vast gardens

Play boules in the garden, swim in the natural pool and enjoy Monica’s wonderful cooking served with local wines at this village farmhouse

A fine old stone mill, the river rushing by, kingfishers, kayaking, swimming: it’s a dream place with Provence and the Cévennes at the door

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

A sweet bolthole around a courtyard on a smallholding, extremely comfortable, bright and spacious inside and with a communal garden

High in the Tuscan hills, at the end of an avenue of cypresses, surrounded by parkland and acres of olives... a 13th-century dream

A beautiful rural escape for couples or families with the delights of the Cotswolds all around. Dogs very welcome too

A modern take on an Iron Age roundhouse with stunning sea views in Scotland’s wild west, perfect for couples

Encircled by wild dales and rugged fells, this spoiling cottage cocoons you in countryside peace with the added fun of a sauna in the garden

Dine on wholesome farmhouse food, explore the lovely garden or catch up on your sleep in generous king-size beds. Pretty Cadaqués is close

An authentic, charming and spacious home with garden, pool and lake, deep in the Dordogne valley and decorated with uncluttered elegance

A beautiful cream stone building in the grounds of a grand château, with a large and view-filled outdoor terrace for peaceful dawdling

An absolute peach of an apartment on the first floor of this iconic building with stunning views over the harbour and St Michael's Mount

An expansive and generous 13th-century Catalan farmhouse, restored with verve and colour in the Pyrenees - a wonderful spot for groups