Be spoiled in this large stone house, with sumptuous bedrooms, thoughtful breakfasts and a verdant garden, just minutes from the city

Anouk & Gilles have fine-tuned their welcome. Lounge by the pool and dine exquisitely within their landscaped park

Bright, cosy cottage in a quiet Devon village – 4 miles from Totnes – with 2 good pubs nearby and an en-suite ground-floor bedroom

A joyful, inviting house on a 15 acre smallholding in Devon. Super food, gracious hosts, delightful bedrooms - leave feeling nourished

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

A magnificent medieval tower in the grounds of an 18th-century château sitting in a dreamy valley. Come for superb gardens and architecture

Lovingly renovated farmhouse amid vines and sunflowers, deep in the Charente countryside - small pool in garden, beaches 45 minutes away.

Come to restore your soul, be immersed in nature, wander paths in the lovely grounds and make memories with family or friends

Countryside and seaside all in one go – what could be more inspiring? Lovely Louisa lives down the road, on hand if you need her

Unwind in a hammock, in the pool, in a balconied rose-coloured bedroom – meander local markets, pick a pepper, cook up a feast and have fun

A grand yet very homely place with tasty home cooking and 200 acres to explore. Play golf, sail, cycle – wonderfully informal

A self-catering apartment in the wing of a traditional Burgundian winemaker's house in a tiny hamlet, surrounded by fields of vines

Wonky floors and handmade beds in a restored coaching inn for 4, 6 or 8 - sociable evenings round the farmhouse table, walks from the door

Sun-soaked stillness, saltwater dips and garden scents of fig and rosemary - slow days unfold between olive trees and a sky full of stars

A converted 19th-century church in the Northumberland National Park with beautiful stained-glass windows and a restored tower

A light larch-clad space for lovers, or a retreat for walkers and writers in pretty Orford, once a medieval sea port but now on the river

Characterful house in a sociable village near Frome; wander to the pub, explore Nunney Castle, relax in the garden. Breakfasts are delicious

A truly delightful place to eat and stay with gorgeous bedrooms and good food, in a village with Tudor houses and ancient church towers