Up the drive flanked by grazing horses, to a warm welcome from the housekeeper and a great fire in the hall. Perfect for family gatherings

You'll feel at home in this immaculate yet cosy 1800s brick and pantile cottage with a pretty patio and stunning views across the Lincolnshire Wolds

A light-filled, modern house with wonderful sea views through vast picture windows stretching all the way to St Kilda on clear days

A vine-clad stone house hideaway for lovers, walkers, artists and hermits with a sweet veranda overlooking woodland down to the river

Château apartments with a heated pool, parkland and a menagerie - Gold Beach and the British Normandy Memorial are on the doorstep

If houses could smile, this 1850 townhouse would be beaming - grand for groups, with four terraces, two living rooms and a plunge pool

A smart B&B in the heart of Beaune sitting quietly in half a hectare of gorgeous gardens; you're well looked after by your charming hosts

An 18th-century townhouse on a quiet Arles street with a traditional feel and kind hosts - you'll be the only guests at this Provençal home

Escape to this contemporary barn on a friendly farmstead with fern-fringed cliffs and walks galore on your door. Ask about ferry discounts

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

Friendly Maki and Clive's higgledy-piggledy home is a charming, special place. Rooms are cosy, Clive's cookery courses are fun and delicious

Immerse yourself in rural Lot at this eco retreat – hiking and cycling from the door, a natural swimming pool and serene gardens

Wisteria, clematis and roses clamber up this pretty stone barn conversion with its own big garden surrounded by mature trees and many birds

A family retreat high above the river Dordogne and deep in woodland - with heated pool, games room and village restaurants a stroll away

On the site of an old sawmill in the mountains of the Jura, a guesthouse of warmth and charm - with table d'hôtes, a pool and a spa

Green and serene, a striking array of eco cottages on a family farm where style and comfort reign, close to the coast but far from the crowd

Former pear-press cellar, now a swish bolthole with magical mountain views. In the village centre, 15-minutes’ drive to the Paradiski slopes

A sweet retreat for a nature-loving couple, with soul-searching views and the smell of the sea. Logs and Breton cider are on the house...