A privilege to be able to stay within the famous gardens of magnificent Château de Courances. The painter's village of Barbizon is nearby

A fine old 1890 homestead in the colonial style on a large estate, with a lovely pool, two lakes and delicious Portuguese food

Come for sea air, independent shops, great places to eat and this quirky cottage with plenty of room and a sunny walled garden

An airy Estate Manager's House set in pretty grounds with a pool, orchard, barbecue and private terrace for long lazy days in the sun

The holiday starts on the bumpy track along to this Arts & Crafts style modern house with plenty of space and a wrap-around garden

Superb rural views, excellent hiking and generous bedrooms. Cristina and Alec take good care of guests - the food is delicious

An unbelievably stunning setting for this renovated 15th-century villa with garden on a hillside overlooking the famed Florence skyline

An impressive manor house set in gentle rolling countryside ten miles from Oxford with a delightful garden, warm hosts and organic breakfast

A Georgian townhouse full of character for an epic family and friend get-together. The best of Hay is a stroll away

A confident style for this mid-19th-century house, with a Mediterranean garden, elegant terrace and pool, a stroll from the historic centre

Spread out in much style with friends or family in a beautifully renovated Victorian farmhouse at the foot of the Howgill fells

Two charming cottages a stroll from the Coast Path, surf school, shop, pub and restaurant. Take both cottages for a big family get-together

Breakfast on homemade ricotta, bask on a cool white lounger, swim in the cove below. We love this young, friendly, rustic B&B

A new-build in local stone with vast windows gazing out at the meeting place of three beautiful lochs, surrounded by 12 acres of croft land

A Grade II listed 1669 ex-Almshouse in a row of three in walking distance of the historic town centre of Ashbourne and the Tissington Trail

A boutique hotel on the edge of Arcachon Bay. A natural pool, zen gardens, contemporary Eastern-style interiors, and good food await

3 lovely cottages in the heart of Cognac vines for cosy nights by the fire and summer barbecues by the pool

Rare as a bird, a proper old fashioned French inn on the side of the road in a sleepy village, a restoration project for the new owners