An elegant 18th-century manor in the market town of Malesherbes, sitting behind its own walls and with mature gardens for a peaceful retreat

Simple but stylishly furnished village house, terrific hill-top views, low-impact design, organic cooking and a hot tub; utterly peaceful

Simple and rustic, this early 1700s farmhouse has warmth and charm, surrounded by countryside in the Perche

A lovely 1650 Welsh longhouse, beamed and flagstoned with a verdant garden in a totally unspoilt spot in the Snowdonia National Park

This stately-looking former manor house set back from the road in acres of gardens serves very good food and has rustic-chic bedrooms

Your own private suite in the wing of a traditional Burgundian winemaker's house in a tiny hamlet, surrounded by fields of vines

Big house in peaceful lush oasis among the bananas, vines and aloe vera, a 20-minute walk down into Funchal

An elegant solution to a hotel - no rooms, but 13 charming villas in the heart of the maquis, nearly all with a private pool

A treat in any season, a place to stir your soul, yield to nature and learn how to play again - with a pretty fine roost to come home to

A pool, pines, and hosts that give you figs from their garden! Stroll to a pizzeria through the olive groves, return to 2 lovely apartments

Two riverside properties with incredible views, for walkers, sailors, dogs... and self-caterers who aim to be spoiled rotten

A trulli hamlet immersed in nature, on the wilder side of Puglia with visits to white-washed hilltop towns and cooking with Nonna Maria

Step through a door in an old wooden gate to discover a courtyard garden on the edge of town close to golden sands

A new-build in local stone with vast windows gazing out at the meeting place of three beautiful lochs, surrounded by 12 acres of croft land

Three beautiful apartments (one with a pool) within a stunning Tavira townhouse, designed by Manuel Aires Mateus and with gorgeous landscaping

Close to the honeypots of Domme and Sarlat, a hideaway for 2 in an ancient French hamlet. The apartment is serene, the views are glorious

A delightfully Lilliputian Georgian cottage with all mod cons at the end of a terrace just a short walk to shops, cafés and the beach