An enviable hideaway on a cobbled street high on a hill, with stunning views next to Galileo's house, the Villa Bardini and gardens

Spacious rooms with lovely linen, plus top-notch food in a wonderful setting, this is the best A303 stopover for miles

A beautifully renovated lighthouse with stunning views from the lantern room. Pretty bedrooms, great walking and fabulous breakfasts

Small country hotel in a riverside setting near Giverny, with a superb restaurant and a charming village a few minutes’ walk away

An ancient stone cottage on an organic winery with vines as far as the eye can see, chickens wandering, horses grazing and huge open skies

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

Good food draws the crowds at this smart bar & restaurant with rooms in a quiet village sandwiched between Cornwall’s north and south coasts

A recently renovated and very comfortable stand-alone limestone cottage with fabulous views on the edge of the Easton Walled Gardens

Come for fine food and drink, sumptuous bedrooms and a relaxed, informal atmosphere at this gorgeous Cotswold manor house with ancient roots

A beautifully restored townhouse in the heart of Amboise, steps from Leonardo da Vinci's last home and the great Château Royal

A sweet bolthole for two and a babe-in-arms or pooch in friendly, foodie Ramsbottom with walks straight into woods and moors

Converted stables in the grounds of a manor house in a peaceful village just outside Banbury with lovely walking in the Cherwell Valley

Be inspired by owner Oriane's interiors, explore the region’s famous markets, and soak up the charm of the Perche countryside

Stay in the grounds of a 19th-century château turned family home, where 500-year-old oak trees shade a glorious garden

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

A romantic retreat with a pool in the heart of the wild and wonderful Lot valley - come for bracing hikes, river swims and stunning views

High-up, simple apartments, pools with fabulous views; kids play-things and donkeys, the glittering coast, Rapallo and Portofino down below

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