Light-filled gites share a lovely pool, with pétanque, ping-pong and bikes to borrow – bring friends and take all three

2 super family apartments in the unspoilt Serre Chevalier valley, with a private chef if you’d like one, and delightful Pippa to welcome you

'Tout confort' in the heart of Reims, 2 steps from the cathedral. Lofty ceilings, marble fireplaces, polished floorboards, spa & sauna

For families and friends, foodies, surfers and lovers of southern Spain’s historic, vibrant Costa de la Luz

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

A lovely big house with huge riverside gardens and an easy-going charm – a 15-minute walk from bookish Hay-on-Wye

Cosy hideaway for two surrounded by woods and wildflower meadows. Stroll to shops and pubs, explore historic Border towns or the coast

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

Two lovely cottages with a fresh, modern style, private terrace, tranquil communal gardens with an orchard and pool

A delight to stay in this 1880s croft house on the quieter west coast - fabulous vegetarian and vegan food, thoughtful rooms, lovely owners

An exquisite Provençal home for a large party, hidden behind grand gates in a small village surrounded by the pine-scented Alpilles

Enjoy southern life in a charming palazzo in Trapani. Come for coastal drives and baroque basilica, hand-twirled pasta and fresh calamari

A clutch of airy properties, most with their own jasmine-scented terraces arranged around a funky pool

A magnificent Victorian clock tower on a peaceful, bird-filled estate with a garden, gorgeous views across the park and activities to join

A small hotel with gorgeous interiors, friendly staff, spacious rooms, a proper library, pretty garden and a relaxed, homely feel

Former blacksmith’s workshop in a chocolate-box corner of the New Forest, where clematis climbs the trellis and all you hear are the birds

B&B rooms, some with kitchenettes, in a lush garden setting with a river running behind. The pretty village is on your doorstep

Historic buildings by a turreted manor house, beautifully renovated to welcome large parties with grounds to roam and dreamy river views