Come for huge skies, birds and wildlife, rare flora and fauna, precious pingo ponds and a comforting retreat from the hectic whirl

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

Comfortable redbrick cottage with views on the Heydon Hall estate. It’s delightfully rural, yet close to Reepham for pubs and shops

Come for the space and silence, the birds and the beach; soak up wild vistas, warm yourself by the fire pit - a Sawday's Community Champion

Laid-back hosts, delicious breakfasts and a staggering sense of history in peaceful Welsh countryside - magical place for a special occasion

A stylish timber frame eco build, clad with recycled steel and with an upstairs living space to make the most of the glorious sunsets

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

A 18th-century house with pool in a small town with friendly owners and a tropical garden of banana, fig and, of course, frangipani

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

A listed townhouse with 16th-century roots in lovely little Wells with a pretty garden, just a short walk to the magnificent cathedral

An elegant manor house with pretty bedrooms, pool and large grounds. Nathalie looks after you with ease and sets you up with big breakfasts

Inside, a grand cathedral ceiling, outside, wisteria-covered terrace and pretty pool. Atlantic sands, Cognac and La Rochelle are in reach

A relaxed hilltop escape with good food, a pretty garden and fine views of the Dales and the river Wharfe – bring your dog too

Charming cottage in a vast garden with a swimming pool and boule; walk to the nearest village, drive to Côte d'Azur in less than an hour

Escape to a rural idyll on a working olive and citrus farm in the toe of Italy. Attentive hosts, good for kids and great food!

An enchanting escape immersed in nature yet only 40 minutes by train into the Eternal City for art and history-filled days

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