Gloriously green rural self-catering apartments with pool and lovely, friendly owners

A lovely old traditional mas, built around a courtyard with lots of outdoor space and rambling gardens for happy gatherings, and sunny days

Gardeners will be very happy staying in this generous, comfortable B&B surrounded by stunning gardens with year-round interest

Gather the clans and just come. It's lovely here among acres of wildlife-filled grounds – a Sawday's Community Champion

A lovely, long barn-style conversion with much space, stunning views across the spectacular bay and a secret beach to stroll to

The inn is the hub of this thriving village in 'the blue remembered hills' with great food and super rooms - a Sawday's Community Champion

Rural peace just an hour from London in your own gorgeous converted hay barn, ten minutes from Alton

Come for a bright, roomy, uber-green and accessible larch-clad space with garden and pond in pretty countryside

Food grown, foraged and prepared with care, a carefully curated wine list, roaring fires and very comfortable bedrooms to sink into

Smart, spacious house for 12 with great views over the family vineyard - arrange a tasting, walk the Cotswold Way, cycle the canal towpath

Elegance and ease mark this gentle group of Loire-Valley buildings, with soft-textured interiors and the owners’ fine hospitality and food

A very pretty old converted cart shed at the end of a track on an organic farm, surrounded by wildlife, birds and animals in the fields

A babbling brook, the sound of birdsong and centuries of history steeped into the walls of this medieval barn, plus a heated indoor pool

Surrounded by delightful gardens, these gîtes are serene retreats from which you can discover the Dordogne, or gently unwind

Technically in Florence yet immersed in the Tuscan hills: easy comfort, country character, warm wonderful hosts, heavenly views

Be inspired by owner Oriane's interiors, explore the region’s famous markets, and soak up the charm of the Perche countryside

Proper village pub with much-praised food and cosy rooms; country walks lead from the door and Oxford is half an hour away

Leave the car, everything is walkable & buses are practically free. Visit restaurants, vineyards & markets from your lofty village bolthole