Gloriously cool in summer, cosy in winter, a 365-day-a-year retreat. Just a 10-minute promenade along the beach into the fun heart of town

A taste of old Italy in this off-the-beaten-track rustic house on three levels, exquisitely restored and with elegant designer furnishings

This shuttered, stone maison in Gascony on the Santiago de Compostela pilgrims' route is a joy for families to spend time together

Hideaway in the hills complete with private pool and outdoor kitchen. Spend days hiking or on a sun lounger - perfect for families

Two lovely old cottages, part of the 1700 stable block on the St Giles estate, with 5,000 acres to roam, for walkers and peace seekers

Unwind and feel part of the family in beautiful rural Yorkshire. The farmhouse is rambling and peaceful, rooms are comfy, breakfast generous

Surrounded by wildlife and water, this ultra-modern house has huge windows, white walls and designer furnishings. Blissfully remote

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

Escape your cares here, move from terrace to terrace tracking the sun's progress and dive into the sea from your own swimming platform

On a magical peninsular in west Galloway, land of sea and cows, 2 stylish cottages & a farmhouse perfect for nature-loving families...

Spread out in much style with friends or family in a beautifully renovated Victorian farmhouse at the foot of the Howgill fells

Rolling lawns, Georgian glamour and countryside views – gather the gang for slow days, wild walks and starry Northumberland skies

Chocolate-box cottages in deepest Normandy, owned by bright young things with a passion for organic cuisine and the good life

A cosy cottage on a farm down a long winding track, wonderfully rural with footpaths across fields or along the canal

A gorgeous big old house on a farm in a very quiet part of Wiltshire - the undiscovered North Wessex Downs, filled with wildlife and an AONB

Delightful almshouse, steeped in history, in a peaceful churchyard setting with far-reaching countryside views

In wild Jura, surrounded by fields and heather-covered hills, a secluded farmhouse with cosy rooms and sublime views of Small Isles Bay

Rooms are good value, breakfast is taken overlooking the garden and there's superb veggie food next door - a Sawday's Community Champion