Hike down secret paths and along the Suffolk coast before a superb lunch or supper at this friendly inn; sweet bedrooms too

Drink a toast to your good fortune as you gaze across to Elba from a vast free-standing bath. You breakfast on the view-filled terrace

An island of oyster farms, salt pans and white beaches, woolly donkeys, countless push-bikes and the odd celeb – we love the Ile de Ré!

A thoughtfully renovated cottage in a small hamlet with garden, courtyard and pool. The peace is palpable but you're near to bustling Tusson

Off the beaten track and into the hills – this remote, unknown bird-filled region is faultless for outdoorsy people

A countryside escape for 2 near Chepstow with traditional interiors and cheery wood-burner. Not suitable for children but dogs very welcome

Up in the hills, with Hay Bluff towering beside, this old stone house is sheltered in the valley with the brook rushing past to a waterfall

A fuss-free, informal place to stay with family - your own entrance straight from the garden and tasty breakfasts set up in a summer house

Pluck grapes, splash in the child-shallow pool and explore the ‘Yorkshire of Italy’ with rolling green hills and conical trulli

Treat yourselves to some downtime at this lush, semi-tropical hideaway with big pool, delicious breakfasts and charmingly rustic bedrooms

A taste of old Italy in this off-the-beaten-track rustic house on three levels, exquisitely restored and with elegant designer furnishings

An 18th-century converted barn with lofty beamed ceilings, exposed stonework, handmade oak windows and much art – pretty garden too

A thatched farmhouse only just over the channel near Rouen that’s well hidden in lush gardens, but worth finding for the gourmet food alone

Chatty Madame is a superb cook, and her pretty house and garden in a quiet Yvelines village are equally delicious. Zip to Paris by train

On the banks of the river Avon, a handy Park & Ride from Georgian Bath, this charming pub is hugely popular, and rightly so!

A romantic and very comfortable retreat in a smartly converted dairy with a pretty garden, close to the South Downs

A vibrant open-plan space with a wild garden, river for swimming, splashing or fishing and the chance to spot kingfishers and red squirrels

A gorgeous old gardener's house in grand Belle Epoque style, filled with every comfort and sitting in the grounds of a magnificent château