A heavenly setting for this very well-hidden cottage with its own small pool, amazing views and delightful pebble beach below

A neat, recently restored townhouse inside Panicale's medieval walls with plenty of space and everything within walking distance

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

A scented garden, delicious local delicacies and those coastal landscapes. This place is a sensory feast

A beautiful house with Pyrenean views, generous hosts and wonderful hiking, biking and skiing nearby. A rare pearl

A magical medieval castello, gloriously gothic with tower, moat and ghost, fit for a Shakespearian play.

Citrus scents the air, loungers flank a spakling pool. Light, cool, simple rooms, vibrant hosts, garden and olive groves - divine food

A 1750s farmhouse with a comfortable, informal feel resting in woodland. You're near to iconic tourist spots but hiding in the quiet woods

Stay in a lovely 18th-century townhouse in one of the prettiest villages on the Loire surrounded by unspoilt countryside

Grand and old and filled with history, the estate and such a pretty house are a tonic, as are the well-tended grounds and parkland

Deep in Burgundy's wine country, an elegant maison de maître sits in acres of gloriously private parkland

Pretty, thatched, perfectly round: a romantic village bolthole with retro touches. Grab flip-flops, leads and run the dogs on Pendower beach

Lovely views from this converted farmhouse in peaceful Lot countryside, with terrace, sheltered pool and nine acres of grounds to explore

An 18th-century beamed inn with tasty food, pretty bedrooms and a large garden just a ten-minute drive from Chichester

Near lively Lyon, this handsome family house is perfect for a Zen-like escape with delicious vegetarian meals and well-travelled hosts

Treat yourselves to a seamless stay in this 255-year-old manor house with dreamy gardens, sumptuous bedrooms, sparkling pool and spa

Come to be wrapped by wind and waves from this unique nest with an outdoor bath facing west - nature lovers and adventurers will be seduced