Gite retreats in château grounds - welcoming and wonderful for young families. Build castles in the sandpit, make friends around the pool

A comfy cottage for two in the quiet, leafy outskirts of Aix with easy access to the city and a kind, attentive owner nearby

A converted chapel - cosy and creative - right on the beach. Wander the Cornish coast, explore small towns and retreat from the everyday

A beautifully restored townhouse in the heart of Amboise, steps from Leonardo da Vinci's last home and the great Château Royal

Traditional Provencal farmhouse with a large garden and a swimming pool. Historic villages with markets and great restaurants close by

High on a hill in the Tyne Valley, undisturbed except by birds singing and the wind whistling; views swoop down to a magical landscape

There’s a calm feel to this three-storey cottage, close to the centre of Bridport and the beach. Great for families, walkers and dogs

A working farm with well renovated ancient buildings among 200 acres of pastures and forest. It's quiet here in the glorious Périgord

A three storey house and garden with sea glimpses in the 'vieux village' named for the Mimosa trees which flower in profusion in winter

In a small town in Salento is a cool southern house of elegant simplicity, ideal for a large family, near to beaches & 45 minutes from Lecce

Spread out in much style with friends or family in a beautifully renovated Victorian farmhouse at the foot of the Howgill fells

Come to be thoroughly cosseted and nurtured in this ancient Presbytery surrounded by rolling countryside with views of the Dordogne river

Cottages, rooms and apartments on an historic 18th-century family estate with gorgeous gardens, a shared pool and a view-filled terrace

A beautifully-restored Devon bank barn at the end of a quiet lane in the glorious South Hams, just right for a couple or small family

A warm, inviting boutique hotel in Shrewsbury’s historic centre; potter about the medieval streets, relax in a sun-catching courtyard

Wake to ocean views, breakfast overlooking the sea and a beach stroll in the afternoon from this smart lodge on the Dunskey Estate

Tranquil manor house deep in Bordeaux wine region with six acres of grounds, a tennis court and swimming pool

Quirky townhouse on the edge of the Peak District, with country walks from the door, plus shops, cinema, heritage centre, bistros and pubs