Swim with frogs in the freshwater pool, breakfast in the sunshine, play boules by moonlight. Châteaux don't get much more rural

A lovingly restored 19th-century farmhouse sitting between the Galtees and Ballyhouras, with a hot tub waiting at day's end

A majestic renovation of a Victorian 'model' farm with underfloor heating, open plan design, light bright lines and not a whiff of IKEA

Stay in a celebrated French author’s holiday home, beautifully restored and tucked among pines next to one of Brittany's loveliest bays

A cosy cottage on a farm down a long winding track, wonderfully rural with footpaths across fields or along the canal

A quirky, colourful house with views to the Aveyron river, green forests and stunning cliffs across the valley. A short stroll into town

A beautifully restored listed barn of Westmorland stone sitting in a conservation area village in spectacular walking country, near Appleby

Good old-fashioned service, fresh and gleaming surroundings, great food and very comfortable rooms at this rejuvenated roadside inn

Cosy cottage on a working farm just ten miles from Edinburgh with spectacular views, walks from the door and a wood-fired sauna

A striking modern villa tucked away off a small road above the Serchio valley with sparkling pool, gardens and Apuan mountain views

Easy-going, stylish rooms, a lovely, relaxing garden with natural pool - 1hr north of Lisbon and close to some of the world’s best beaches

Deep in undulating countryside, three pretty stone cottages with a shared, family-friendly saltwater pool and charming, generous owners

A pretty cottage in the grounds of an 18th-century house in the heart of southern Burgundy, with stunning gardens and a shared pool

Fringing Tuscany countryside and fun Montone, an authentic Umbrian mansion with Slow Food, lavender fields, apartments and pool. Pure Italy

A Cotswolds hideaway in a cottage on a farm, with space to roam for children, and glorious valley views

Come to this delightful house, a marriage of old stones and modern furniture, for pure remote air, great outdoor sports and fine dining

The living is easy here: laze in the subtropical garden, float in the saltwater pool, let the kids play and meet other guests over dinner