Come for a huge dollop of peace and quiet in gorgeous countryside. Take long walks, enjoy the views, return to much comfort and space

Independence at one end of the house with your own sitting room opening onto a courtyard garden. Good pub for food a few minutes' walk away

A gracious 17th-century manor house and a pretty Grange hidden down a tree-lined drive and with stunning views over woodlands

A family retreat high above the river Dordogne and deep in woodland - with heated pool, games room and village restaurants a stroll away

Château apartments with a heated pool, parkland and a menagerie - Gold Beach and the British Normandy Memorial are on the doorstep

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

Medieval manor house and busy farm. A welcoming atmosphere, big bedrooms, breakfast in the baronial great hall by the cosy log fire

An elegant hotel that feels like a well-kept secret, with charming staff, understated rooms and great restaurants a short walk away

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

Serious art, lovely lighting, great sound system and a fat wood-burner belting out the heat at this super place for families or friends

An alpine hotel connected to nature with spa, sauna and swimming pool fed from a natural spring; mountains & lakes to explore, yoga classes, & more

A gem of a château in the wilds of Limousin with kind and thoughtful owners who are thoroughly immersed in this tranquil area

Hike the Wild Boar Fells, get cosy at home with books, games and DVDs, and meet the farm’s hens, cows and sheep

Citrus scents the air, loungers flank a spakling pool. Light, cool, simple rooms, vibrant hosts, garden and olive groves - divine food

A 1980s Catalan mas built in a traditional style, with garden and pool, surrounded by olive trees and vineyards near the Spanish border

Few inns can rival the scale or history of this one. Dogs doze by the inglenook, food is sourced from local suppliers, bedrooms are gorgeous

Inspiring scenery for this lavender farm near a Provençal village. Rustic eco-friendly cottages, a hump-backed bridge, a hammock by the pool

Wonderful views of the Cantabrian Sea, locally sourced food and fine bedrooms at a boutique hotel on the Asturian coast