A village setting for this family-friendly cottage-in-a-row with private garden next to the owners' pretty 17th-century thatched house

A light, bright Georgian townhouse in a residential street directly opposite the lovely Lido and restaurant, near Clifton Village

A cluster of traditional farm buildings making up three holiday cottages in very attractive grounds with fruit trees, meadows and woodland

A dear little gingerbread-style house in the prettiest part of the estate with your own pontoon and boat on the edge of a shimmering lake

Enjoy warmth, comfort and some jolly good food at this family-run village inn with inviting bedrooms – a haven for weary walkers

A calm, leafy bolthole in one of Paris' most elegant districts. Step out to stylish boutiques, good bakeries – and the Eiffel Tower

Old meets new seamlessly here: ancient stone, lofty beams, good comfort, wood-burner, Jacuzzi/spa and space to relax in the designer garden

The smallest of three secluded cottages that share a gravel courtyard and a beautiful garden with cathedral views

Three simple, traditional apartments in an ancient convent building with a beautiful botanical garden in the heart of the historic centre

This is Somerset at its most quintessential: a thatched roofed, honey-coloured Hamstone cottage with a pretty courtyard garden; sleeps four

At these small hilltop apartments and studios near Cádiz, find history to delight you, massages to soothe you

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

Between Florence and Siena, stay in one of five stylish apartments on a family-run agriturismo; they delight in sharing this slice of heaven

Cross an ancient stone bridge to a 1790s estate cottage, completely on its own down a little-used green lane and with the river rushing by

This deeply peaceful retreat will soothe the soul; come to walk, bike, sail then back to a roaring fire and good book. A sublime spot

A spacious, luxurious family retreat, remote but close to Audierne. Watch surfers shoot the waves as seagulls wheel above

A family-run, environmentally friendly bistro with rooms near Grasmere: climb to the nearest viewing spot. Dogs welcome too

Stay in the very first holiday let in the history of this lovely little hamlet of nine houses, with a superb sailing club and a decent pub