Cosied up by the fire in your farmhouse high on the moor you’ll feel miles from civilisation, while Chatsworth is just minutes away

A tranquil cabin for two in rural countryside near arty Totnes: there are walks from the door and all of Devon is yours to explore

Coffee served in silver cups & cakes are homemade in this duke’s palace, a throwback to the Moorish kingdom - a Sawday's Community Champion

Converted stables in the grounds of a manor house in a peaceful village just outside Banbury with lovely walking in the Cherwell Valley

Gite retreats in château grounds - welcoming and wonderful for young families. Build castles in the sandpit, make friends around the pool

A comfy cottage for two in the quiet, leafy outskirts of Aix with easy access to the city and a kind, attentive owner nearby

Come to this cosy barn down a winding lane for a back-to-nature escape: hike the Black Mountains, splash in the stream, gaze at the views

Small country hotel in a riverside setting near Giverny, with a superb restaurant and a charming village a few minutes’ walk away

Explore country markets, churches and châteaux - return to a gite in private parkland with an artist's studio on site, and a blissful pool

Fragrant gardens full of fruit trees, a lovingly renovated house just a few minutes’ walk from the village, and excellent breakfasts

A rural farmhouse B&B with view-filled bedrooms, hearty breakfasts and walks from the door. The Dowies are generous hosts

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

A romantic retreat with a pool in the heart of the wild and wonderful Lot valley - come for bracing hikes, river swims and stunning views

A cosy, courteous, family-run hotel with ‘chocolatines’ and cherry jams at breakfast, Basque dishes at dinner, and gorgeous rolling views

A bright and prettily beamed barn with very comfortable interiors, private outdoor seating and a shared courtyard for barbecues and games

Come on down to this working farm for delicious organic food, an on-site sourdough bakery and crisp bedrooms in a pretty farmhouse

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