A really friendly French family home, steeped in history and tradition with delicious home-grown food, a lovely garden and peaceful pool

A peaceful cottage for 2-4 between the Dales and the Moors, with swallows in the barn, an idyllic village, and a garden to explore

Sweep through vast wrought iron gates to this elegant Grade I listed Georgian country house with a swimming lake, yoga studio and sauna

A warm family and starlit suppers in a grand estate by Soller, near wildflower walks and beaches. Citrus mingles with exotic fragrances

Homely furnishings and 17th-century charm at this estate on the Severn, whose owners are mad about horses and give you fine home produce

A striking modern villa tucked away off a small road above the Serchio valley with sparkling pool, gardens and Apuan mountain views

Charming 15th-century farmhouse near Montrésor and Loches with immense lawns, orchards and a fabulous pool

A light-filled, modern house with wonderful sea views through vast picture windows stretching all the way to St Kilda on clear days

A lovely little bolthole to return to after days out exploring pretty Cotswold villages and walking in an AONB straight from the door

A stunner of a setting for this restored croft house with long views to a sparkling loch and a lively village nearby. Good beaches too

A historical building in the heart of town, now a small hotel with swimming pool, delicious breakfasts, smart bedrooms and helpful staff

An authentic, charming and spacious home with garden, pool and lake, deep in the Dordogne valley and decorated with uncluttered elegance

A period manor and pretty rooms in old stables: a quiet base for Pas-de-Calais and Picardie. Madame loves the house, animals, story-telling

Rustic charm meets modern comfort in peaceful Devon hideaway set in acres of wild meadows and ancient orchards, with glorious swimming pool

A lovely old house and rambling garden in a medieval village with a monumental château, 12th-century church and a good local restaurant

Magical for nature lovers, with wraparound views to the coastline of Skye. Inside: warmth, luxury and not a whisper from the wildest gale

A 17th-century traditional Welsh longhouse in a very sheltered spot facing south and with a pretty garden surrounded by fields and meadows

A light, airy and comfortable barn conversion on a farm with stunning views over the Dorset/Devon border just five miles to the sea