Simple country cottage living on a working organic farm. Bring your hiking boots or bikes, stride out from the door

Tranquillity and comfort in a guesthouse in the Marche countryside - airy rooms for couples with huge windows onto good views

Enfolded in gentle Dorset hills and surrounded by trees, a perfect wooden hut for 2 near beaches, River Cottage HQ and many beautiful walks

Kate makes you feel at home the moment you enter her great big beloved house - full of books, guitars and a piano, antiques and huge spaces

Stylishly simple cottage in the heart of the old fishing port of Méze, within easy stroll of seafood restaurants and sandy beaches

Peaceful escape for couples in the grounds of a stately Tudor manor house; watch the wildlife from your garden, explore the nearby coast

This architect-designed passive style house sits just behind the sand dunes at Waxham beach, one of Norfolk’s most lovely beaches

A peaceful spot for this beautifully restored old barn surrounded by lovely gardens and a sparkling pool on the banks of the Dordogne river

A truly cosy cottage in a superb setting for happy holidays, with dogs welcome, beaches nearby and wonderful walking all around

Brilliant birdwatching, heavenly countryside, a generous welcome and lovely furnishings... A place to linger as long as you can

A charming transformation of a once boarded-up pub in a pretty village setting, beside the river Wye in the heart of the Peak District

Eat in the sheltered, quirky, outdoor dining area, enjoy Madame's colourful garden in its village setting - ideal for those on a budget

Swim with frogs in the freshwater pool, breakfast in the sunshine, play boules by moonlight. Châteaux don't get much more rural

Great taste – in decor and food – and a delicious heated pool. Views swoop over field and valley; trails, villages, wineries tempt

A hop to Montpellier, but deep in the countryside: a romantic pad, with Moroccan rugs, ochre-limed walls and bikes to ride into the country

Spacious bedrooms, friendly hosts and a classic English country house in a peaceful hamlet with walks from the doorstep

Former pear-press cellar, now a swish bolthole with magical mountain views. In the village centre, 15-minutes’ drive to the Paradiski slopes

A lovely old cottage in the cliffside village of St Lawrence. Watch boats sail by from the terrace, soak in an antique bath with sea views…