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

On the outskirts of Marazion, this timber clad house perched above the sea is a super pad for romantic couples

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 grand, 16th-century Breton château complete with dovecote, turret and chapel surrounded by 50 acres of parkland, woods and small lake

The central part of a much larger building in a 17th-century hamlet with bright, spacious rooms, shared pool and glorious private gardens

Encircled by wild dales and rugged fells, this spoiling cottage cocoons you in countryside peace with the added fun of a sauna in the garden

Leave crowds behind for this charming stone farmhouse in the olive groves of rural Umbria – bring friends and have it all to yourselves

A cottage for two on a wonderfully eco wine school and vineyard. Gaze at magnificent views from your terrace

A wall of glass frames the sea view - take drinks on the waterfront lawn in summer, or by the crackling fire in winter

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

Sheep's Head Way is reputedly one of the best walks in Ireland. Come back to roaring fires, a Rayburn, art and style – terrific restorations

A heated pool, charming B&B rooms and acres of beautiful grounds beside the Adour River - Bayonne and Biarritz are close

Come to this delightful house, a marriage of old stones and modern furniture, for pure remote air, great outdoor sports and fine dining

Something to astound at every turn where the traditional and downright quirky collide to stunning effect. Friendly, flexible hosts too

Gather family or friends and take both villa and cottage. The terraces and gardens have long views, the pool is roomy and the peace palpable

For wine lovers and foodies discovering the 'Tuscany of Bordeaux'. Elegance, serenity, history, and a delightfully epicurean hostess

Comfortable, big family home with sparkling sea views over the Adriatic: discover the coast, explore Ancona and Loreto, enjoy the garden

Taste the wine, plunge into the granite pool, play billiards in the library, linger outdoors as swallows swoop – eat delicious local dishes