A grand old chartreuse, dating from 1649, with terrace, garden and pool surrounded by tranquil countryside and near a pretty village

Once a lofty edifice for music recitals, now an original place to stay - with stained-glass windows, a bed on a stage and wild gardens

Laze in the pool, nibble olives from the market, gaze over Provence. Inside, English meets classic French. Fabulous for families

A fortified castle in parkland, built mostly in the 1300s on the Montbazens plateau, near to the stunning Averyon gorges

This grand house on the river Derwent oozes old-fashioned comfort – find traditional bedrooms, delicious food and an open fire

Three spacious manor apartments with views for big gatherings of family or friends. Walk to the beach or the pub, play tennis and croquet

Vineyards, fruit trees and immaculate gardens, amazing food and wine, a sense of seclusion and sweeping views of the Tuscan hills

A small, rural cottage high in the wooded hills with long views, your own private pool, utter peace and quiet and a superb restaurant nearby

A lovely 19th-century stone mas with south-facing terrace, garden and pool for relaxed family holidays, just off the D99 in a small hamlet

A charming white-washed house with a pool & lovely hillside views from the terrace: sleep out here under a star-studded sky on warm evenings

You have your own entrance to a private wing with a garden and an elegant sitting room. Bedrooms are beautiful and breakfast scrumptious

A big, comfortable house with heated outdoor pool in 17 acres of gardens. Mountains, river swimming, hiking nearby; coast within the hour

Near vibrant market towns, this lovely cottage on a rural estate with views of Pen y Fan is a delicious escape from the hurly burly

Live in the lap of luxury in a 600-year-old regenerated farmhouse, enjoy fine fittings, great lighting, games, castle view and infinity pool

Three luxurious apartments sleeping up to 10 people altogether, set within an elegant Georgian manor house in the Wye Valley AONB

Comfortable apartment steeped in Breton history, in a beautifully renovated gabarier’s house overlooking the marine estuary

Painting courses on request, gardens full of roses, a parasol’d terrace, a seductive pool… we love this welcoming, traditional hotel

Elegant house with sprawling gardens and space for family and friends, within walking distance of the coast