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

Painting courses on request, gardens full of roses, a parasol’d terrace, a seductive pool… we love this welcoming, traditional hotel

Laid-back hosts, delicious breakfasts and a staggering sense of history in peaceful Welsh countryside - magical place for a special occasion

Come for the utter silence and the rare beauty of this far north-westerly landscape, teeming with wildlife. An antidote to city life

Artists, poets, nature lovers, walkers and dreamers will be happy in this simple, airy suite surrounded by a fecund garden and much peace

A big friendly farmhouse basking in light, with terraces, vineyards, pool and views to several horizons, good for family gatherings

An enchanting Belle Epoque villa with a terraced garden and superb views across palm trees and vines to Mont Saint-Michel

A lovely 1650 Welsh longhouse, beamed and flagstoned with a verdant garden in a totally unspoilt spot in the Snowdonia National Park

Gorgeously restored villas with breathtaking views. Chill out on the terrace, sample the owner’s homemade wine, and the wood-fired pizza!

A wisteria-laden pergola shades the sunny side of the farmhouse - in gentle olive country near the Sibillini Park, not far from the Adriatic

A magical medieval castello, gloriously gothic with tower, moat and ghost, fit for a Shakespearian play.

In an outstanding area for lovers of food and wine, here are 3 beautiful boltholes in the Alto Douro, the oldest wine region in the world

Deep in Calvados near vibrant Caen, a cider barn with stylish bedrooms, quirky objets, a bar in the salon. Charming hosts welcome families

Explore country markets, churches and châteaux - return to a gite in private parkland with an artist's studio on site, and a blissful pool

Three lovely places to stay - come for much charm, peace, sunsets, infinity pool, sauna and gym in this history-steeped countryside retreat

A sophisticated and friendly Basque beauty overlooking the Bay of Biscay, in Txakoli vineyard country – prepare to be thoroughly spoilt

A rural idyll with a hot tub under starlit skies and surrounded by gorgeous countryside in the South Lakes within a hop of vibrant Cartmel

Come to slow down and be well fed at this beautiful 14th-century manor with 60 acres of grounds and views across the Cotswolds