Old beams and rich history: a dramatic setting for fireside chats, superb breakfasts (home-reared, baked, grown) - and Midsomer Murders

History, elegance and art combine in this special spot near the Louvre. Wonderful staff too. Relax - take breakfast in bed

20 minutes’ walk from Gordes and a hop from Aix, find grownup peace and minimalism for lovers of modern style and timeless Provence

Two comfortably converted farm buildings, with a shared pool on a gentle south-east sloping vineyard with wonderful views

A 1980s Catalan mas built in a traditional style, with garden and pool, surrounded by olive trees and vineyards near the Spanish border

Well-positioned winery for the whole of the Bordeaux region. Or stay put and learn about the Duhamels’ super organic Cotes de Bourg wines

Lodge and gardens – superbly designed, immaculate, fresh, eco friendly – rest in unspoilt Picardy. Anglo-French hosts take turns to cook

A light and bright converted milking parlour in a rural idyll with a barbecue hut, a spa overlooked by horses and a shared hot tub

Up a narrow lane this dreamy pub with rooms has views to the South Downs. Stay for supper, let the kids run free in the garden playground

Quirky, rustic cabin nuzzled by vines and greenery – perfect for lovers, writers and peace-seekers. Take long walks, stroll to the pub

Starry skies, wild beauty and total peace are yours in these sustainable, solar-powered eco-lodges

Deep in the Wye Valley you’ll find wild swimming, kayaking and down-time. This cottage is a spacious yet cosy base for any adventure

Come to be looked after with delicious food and spoiling bedrooms in this mini stately home set in gorgeous parkland near Ludlow

Bright, cosy cottage in a quiet Devon village, four miles from Totnes, with two good pubs nearby and an en suite ground-floor bedroom

Wisteria, clematis and roses clamber up this pretty stone barn conversion with its own big garden surrounded by mature trees and many birds

A restored Grade II listed flint barn with roots in the 13th century, a serene lily pond and mesmerising views over the South Downs

Fall asleep to the sound of the sea in your dreamy thatched cottage, one of 6, right on the beach for those head-clearing walks...