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

Stay just minutes from the sea in colourful Donaghadee for wild swims, island visits, bird watching and coastal walks

A large handsome 1800s manor, now a peaceful haven for free-range families and creative types on the edge of vibrant Richelieu in the Loire

Independence at one end of the house with your own sitting room opening onto a courtyard garden. Good pub for food a few minutes' walk away

An open-plan kitchen, sunny terrace and fruitful gardens shine at this private hillside villa. From here, it's easy to ski, swim or sunbathe

A heavenly setting for this very well-hidden cottage with its own small pool, amazing views and delightful pebble beach below

An 18th-century stone cottage sitting in the glorious Yorkshire Dales. Nature-lovers and walkers will be well pleased and so will their dog

A true country classic set beside the road in a quiet spot with stunning views to the South Downs, great food and very comfortable bedrooms

Settle in, relax, enjoy the local food - walk the dramatically beautiful coast path, explore rich West Wales from this handsome old house

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

Stylish seaside inn with stunning salt marsh views from a decked terrace, delicious food, wine and ales and sea-breezy modern bedrooms

An exquisite Provençal home for a large party, hidden behind grand gates in a small village surrounded by the pine-scented Alpilles

Hidden in a beautiful, timeless valley with gorgeous gardens, mellow stone bridge, views and rushing river, is a very special place to stay

Fragrant gardens full of fruit trees, a lovingly renovated house just a few minutes’ walk from the village, and excellent breakfasts

Straight out of a fairy tale, a rustic cottage by a babbling brook: a magical escape for couples, the craggy coast in easy reach

Light and sunny annexe with your own entrance in the centre of vibrant Buckfastleigh with lovely gardens, for couples plus a child or two

Come to this cosy barn down a winding lane for a back-to-nature escape: hike the Black Mountains, splash in the stream, gaze at the views

Cosy 17th-century cottage in a village inland from Wells-next-the-Sea and with easy access to north Norfolk's main attractions