It's quiet among the lavender plants... bees humming, sun shining. Splash in the shared pool, visit lovely villages, taste local wines

Provençale-meets-English country house to great effect – cycle Mont Ventoux, walk to the monastery, visit Roman towns and vineyards

In a quaint village with a bakery, brasserie and shops, a handsome gîte with a wonderful pool and fashion museum

Food grown, foraged and prepared with care, a carefully curated wine list, roaring fires and very comfortable bedrooms to sink into

A big old house with a lovely pool, surrounded by ancient olives just 3kms from the sea and deep in the heart of Bandol wine country

In the National Park with all its glories (Ashbourne for antiques, Chatsworth for history, Bakewell for its market), a sweet village cottage

Leave crowds behind for this charming stone farmhouse in the olive groves of rural Umbria – bring friends and have it all to yourselves

A beautifully renovated lighthouse with stunning views from the lantern room. Pretty bedrooms, great walking and fabulous breakfasts

By a bubbling brook in the Mendips, close to Bath and Bristol, a wonderfully revived and welcoming inn with smart rooms and scrumptious food

A gorgeous house with oodles of original features, a lovely garden and the owners' pub, farm shop, brewery and spa a short walk

Chichester, blessed with a stunning natural setting, is great for a city break - and this Georgian coach house the perfect bolthole for 2

Simple rooms on a spotless farm, delightful hosts, delicious fruit tarts at breakfast on Sundays. The perfect stopover en route to Calais

Wonderful hosts at this traditional, upbeat B&B, where imaginative breakfasts set you up for glorious hikes in Eyri (Snowdonia)

A charming transformation of a once boarded-up pub in a pretty village setting, beside the river Wye in the heart of the Peak District

A very pretty old converted cart shed at the end of a track on an organic farm, surrounded by wildlife, birds and animals in the fields

Gather your favourites for a getaway in deepest France. Bike the countryside, dip in the heated pool and sprawl out in this inviting space

A mix of bold colours, modern art and vintage finds give this classic French mansion bags of personality

Sun-dappled walks along the romantic avenues, big bedrooms, breakfasts inside or out, a laid-back atmosphere and great markets nearby