Authenticity and originality combine at this family chateau with its panelled rooms, theatrical flourishes and charming candlelit dinners

Homely furnishings and 17th-century charm at this estate on the Severn, whose owners are mad about horses and give you fine home produce

A big, homely farmhouse on the Umbria/Tuscany border for family holidays filled with sunshine, outdoor frolics and good food

With breathtaking views of the hills above Nice, a splendid villa with big bedrooms, shimmering infinity pool, and generous, fun owners

At the end of a long drive, a converted stable building on a private estate sits among Madiran's vineyards with the Pyrenees not far away

Two grand stone houses in tranquil parkland with a heated pool, potager and plenty of space for groups. Chickens and charm included

Fabulous Drôme gîtes: contemporary in old stone buildings, uncluttered, fresh. Take all 5 for a party, laze by pool, doze in lavender

Very relaxed B&B at this 17th-century country house just 5 minutes from the perched village of St-Paul-de-Vence and 10 from the sea

A charming gite tucked into acres of ancient parkland, with an outdoor kitchen and deer wandering by at dusk

Utter peace in a simple, beautiful space with a sculpture garden to wander, an art studio to visit and walking and cycling on Dartmoor

A small and stylish townhouse retreat in leafy Folkestone with excellent bedrooms and a terrace for breakfast in summer

Come for big skies, grand walking and hilly cycling. Style and comfort abound in this cottage set on the hillside with views to North Uist

Overlooking Menton and the Mediterranean, this lofty apartment in a grand Belle Époque palace is perfectly placed to explore the Riviera

An 18th-century beamed inn with tasty food, pretty bedrooms and a large garden just a ten-minute drive from Chichester

Choose one of six uncluttered, beautiful spaces within this elegant Georgian coach house on the Denton estate, for restorative country stays

Sweet Grade II listed fisherman's terrace cottage for 4 (+ 1) close to the centre of bustling St Ives; a place to escape to year-round

Lodge and gardens – superbly designed, immaculate, fresh, eco friendly – rest in unspoilt Picardy. Anglo-French hosts take turns to cook

Nestled next to the main house, this feels part cottage and part townhouse, making a cosy retreat just a couple of miles from the coast