An ancient farmstead in the Lombard style with up-to-date B&B rooms plus a garden, lake and museum all surrounded by quiet countryside

Stunning views from sunny bedrooms. Delightful lively hosts, good breakfasts with homemade jams, colour galore in the acre of garden

Gather your loved ones and come for colourful, exuberant interiors, an absolutely gorgeous covered veranda and a pool with moveable floor

You get the best of all worlds here. Delicious beds, Provençal soaps, vineyard views, fresh croissants a stroll away…

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

A beautifully restored building in a vast, open space dotted with olive trees and fragrant citrus - unwind in the calming atmosphere

Glorious airy living space in this superbly restored barn, a terrace with long views and a pool across the garden - bikes to borrow too

Up in the Cévennes, this big, beautiful family house has superb views, a fine kitchen, lots of space and masses to do and see

Four gîtes in the château’s vast barn, one in the tower. Magnificent mountain and valley views, and Sandrine’s regionally inspired meals

Fabulous bakes and hot waffles at breakfast, green fields all around and Normandy steeped in history. Great for foodies and historians

Glorious views of Derwentwater and Skiddaw from this comfortable house. Art dotted about, a big table for chatty meals and a pretty garden

Secluded place with home-grown food, much peace and walks by the river for a couple (or small family). Courses and solo retreats too

Art-inspired B&B in a former silkworm factory. Swim in the eco-pool, feast on delicious food, explore Avignon, Arles and Roman ruins

Climb Snowdon - or take the train. Swim, cycle, visit Nat Trust houses. A deliciously quirky retreat for 2 (and babe-in-arms) near Anglesey

By a lake, enclosed by woodland - a contemporary house and barn, full of handmade furniture – laze in a hammock, walk the Jurassic Coast

Three tranquil apartments in the Ria Formosa nature reserve with a stunning natural pool, near to a village and sandy beaches

A wisteria-laden pergola shades the sunny side of the farmhouse - in gentle olive country near the Sibillini Park, not far from the Adriatic

In peaceful Burgundy countryside, a beautifully-restored farmhouse with B&B rooms, delicious regional food and an inviting pool