Near lively Lyon, this handsome family house is perfect for a Zen-like escape with delicious vegetarian meals and well-travelled hosts

Within the city walls and right next to the Minster, this super-smart hotel gives you gorgeous bedrooms and delicious food

A lovely honey-coloured stone cottage with private walled garden, large terrace and pool, outdoor bath and pergola-covered terrace

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

A heartwarming 250-year-old pub with roaring fires in the flagged bar, attractive bedrooms and a special welcome for children and dogs

Come to stay in a fine old townhouse with elegant proportions, high ceilings and a rambling, English-style garden close to Mont Saint-Michel

Drink a toast to your good fortune as you gaze across to Elba from a vast free-standing bath. You breakfast on the view-filled terrace

You’ll fall in love with this ancient mas in a corner of paradise… climbing roses scent the air, chic open spaces are flooded with light

An artistic escape with a stunning kitchen in sleepy, gastronomic Lot – stroll to the village market and feast on local produce

This 300-year-old Cotswold pub, the hub of picture-book Sapperton from which there are glorious walks, is a superb place to eat and stay

Charming 15th-century farmhouse near Montrésor and Loches with immense lawns, orchards and a fabulous pool

A niftily converted barn with high vaulted ceiling sitting on a hill with wonderful views over a newly-created lake and the Stour Valley

Wrapped in fields and woods, this big traditional house has crisply furnished interiors and plenty of gadgets. Terraced gardens and pool too

Hilltop farmhouse converted into a light and spacious, contemporary country house where vintage and modern happily mix. Stunning views, too

A big, rambling inn – welcoming and unpretentious with deep sofas, eclectic artwork, tasty food and exceedingly comfortable bedrooms

Stow yourselves away in the west wing of this glorious house, once home to Ambrose Congreve and steeped in history, with lovely gardens

This elegantly restored house with stunning views to snow-capped peaks is a testament to the owners' love of art and antiques

A beautiful little house in a corner of the garden: walk for miles or just to the local pub, barbecue on the deck with its rural views