Come for the great outdoors. Return to your base - one of two independent cottages secluded in softly rolling Breton countryside

Charming B&B with lovely hosts, beautiful food, and hiking and cycling routes galore – plus balloon rides over stunning volcanic scenery

Big house with bags of character and easy access to beaches, cafés and cobbled streets, coastal paths and hidden coves

This famous old country house might not come cheap, but where else can you splash out in such decadent style for life’s big celebrations?

Georgian country house with rustic charm and a home-from-home feel. In the heart of Wiltshire just outside historic town Bradford-on-Avon

In the heart of beautiful Siena, it's just like staying with a friend, as hostess Paola chats whilst preparing local produce for breakfast

A wisteria-laden pergola shades the sunny side of the farmhouse - in gentle olive country near the Sibillini Park, not far from the Adriatic

Cosy apartment for two in a cluster of farm buildings near Hawkshead, surrounded by countryside and with a good pub a stroll away

A niftily converted old cricket pavilion on the Norfolk/Suffolk border surrounded by a garden and mature trees, now a romantic retreat

Near Southwold beach, bird reserves and Suffolk castles, a peaceful getaway with orchard, views and generous breakfasts. Good value

10 minutes from La Rochelle, a place of peace and style. From scrumptious breakfasts to a splash in the pool, your hosts are eager to please

A beguiling retreat for a couple or a family of four – feel cosy and secluded in a thatched cottage close to the coast

An elegant hotel with wellness area, gym, gourmet restaurant, bar, bistro and 15 contemporary bedrooms decorated with Sicilian flair

Come for glorious walking countryside and warm fuss-free Sally, who gives you freshly baked scones when you arrive and beautiful bedrooms

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

A lovely old cottage in the grounds of a Provençal mas with a delightful private courtyard, use of a large pool and a magnificent garden

A beautifully restored 1700s coach house for 2-4 in deepest Derbyshire. Feed the animals, ramble to pubs, take in the rural views

Ease yourself into a rather more gracious lifestyle from this sweet retreat on a historic estate with gorgeous walled gardens