Hospitable Jorge and Clotilde love nothing more than sharing their colourful, chaotic old house with guests. The farm produce is fabulous

Blissful tranquillity - yet an easy drive from St Paul de Vence (legendary haunt of Matisse and Picasso) and 10km from the Riviera

A luxurious springboard for the wineries, villages and treasures of south Tuscany in the magical Orcia valley - if you can bear to leave it!

A sustainably run 1902 farmhouse and a cottage in countryside close to a wonderfully wild stretch of the North Devon coast

An ancient coaching inn opposite the church in the prettiest village – just the ticket for weary travellers who deserve nurturing

Gather family in this big, beautiful barn for treks on hidden trails and picnics in the wildflower meadow. Set your watch by the wildlife

An 18th-century townhouse restored with flair by former restauranteurs: come for colour, comfort and sublime dining

Head inland for grand walking or to the glorious coast from this very pretty cottage with a private garden, suitable and safe for dogs

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

Come for windswept beauty, wonderful sea views and swims, hearty walks and good vegetarian food at this island hideaway and spa

An immaculately restored 1500s palazzo, filled with history, art, antiques and books in the buzzing heart of a charming town

A sparkling restaurant with stylish rooms well placed for exploring Pembrokeshire’s hills, coastal path and sandy beaches

One of Scotland’s coolest hotels waits at the end of a four-mile track - you find loch, mountain and sky, and Tom’s fabulous food

A rustic and elegant farmhouse retreat in Provence with a pool, vineyards and wildlife-filled pond – a launchpad for the Luberon

A sturdy, spacious house with stunning views over the garden and ocean, originally built in the 1800s as one of a row of Coastguard cottages

If you need a great place in which to relax and don’t want to pay too much for it, try these excellent suites, which spoil you all the way

Romantics will love this small converted hut-on-a-hillside surrounded by pines and olives with stunning views over the old town and the sea

A lovely, spacious 1830s house in the heart of arty Westport with nearly an acre of garden, an apple orchard and the river running past