A sweet cottage on the estate of celebrated artist Sir Sidney Nolan's former home with 250 acres to explore - a Sawday's Community Champion

A three storey house and garden with sea glimpses in the 'vieux village' named for the Mimosa trees which flower in profusion in winter

After a day touring châteaux, return to this pretty, very comfortable cottage with private terrace and a garden filled with birdsong

Sumptuous and pampering with monogrammed sheets and frescoed walls.More for honeymooners and couples than lolly-licking tots

Blissful views to vineyards and mountains from this faithful reproduction of a 16th-century manor. Eat well, hike, bike, sauna and swim

Close to Saint-Jean-d'Angély, an elegant and spacious manor house with unfussy, comfortable interiors, bucolic views, big garden and pool

Explore the coastal paths on foot or by bike, or simply sunbathe next to the pool... Leafy gardens, comfortable rooms and excellent dinners

Wild Northumberland awaits beyond your garden at this eco-friendly cottage on a beautiful organic farm where you’re encouraged to explore

Charming half-timbered house at the start of the Alsace wine route, with spacious rooms, tempting breakfast and a swimming pool

Rambling casitas in a mountain hamlet, with a rustic bar, big shared pool and golf course, surrounded by birds, bougainvillea and views

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

Restored stone barn on a farm in the Lake District National Park, with views of fields and woods and an excellent pub nearby

Three immaculate rooms in a 17th-century building; step out onto winding streets lined with trattorias, boutiques, fountains and monuments

There's a pared-back unforced elegance to this stone barn sitting quietly in its own grounds beside a cobbled courtyard awash with roses

Families can unwind at this lovely old higgledy-piggledy farmhouse in typical southern Algarve style, with a big pool and lush greenery

A clutch of airy properties, most with their own jasmine-scented terraces arranged around a funky pool

An adorable whitewashed crofter's cottage on the Wern Estate with pretty gardens, a bird-filled woodland and glorious walks from the door

Beautiful views over Bantry Bay from this thoughtfully restored house with stylish rooms, gardens and woodland – a wonderful escape