Eight miles from York, near Moors and coast, this smart historic home is just the ticket for families and small groups of friends

Tranquil stone house with a rustic feel, a large garden with a swimming pool and views of the French Riviera and out to sea

Enjoy a bucolic setting (hike, ride, cycle) near medieval Vannes, a short hop from the sea – and lively conversation with friendly hosts

Georgian country house with rustic charm and a home-from-home feel. In the heart of Wiltshire just outside historic town Bradford-on-Avon

Canoeing on the Tamar, valley walks galore, with the woodland garden a sea of daffodils in the spring. A magical self-catering hideaway

A delightful house & converted 19th-century barn a short jaunt to the unspoilt beaches of the spectacular Anglesey coast

An 1800s former watermill, now elegantly converted to give B&B rooms plus a self-catering cottage in the Côte d'Opale, superb for walking

Off-the-beaten track cottage promises peace and quiet, wild swimming and hikes in the hills. A world away from the urban jungle

Small country hotel in a riverside setting near Giverny, with a superb restaurant and a charming village a few minutes’ walk away

Explore ‘Green Provence’ on e-bikes, enjoy the pool and calm of a Mediterranean garden surrounded by vineyards. Return to a delicious dinner

A renovated Dordogne farmhouse infused with new life, plus a saltwater pool, an ancient fig tree, and Lascaux on the doorstep

This hidden valley is the dreamiest part of South Devon. Catch the ferry across the Dart; gaze on the hills; snuggle up by the wood-burner

Artistic souls will like it here, and those who enjoy shared meals & getting to know other people in dramatic countryside; Arezzo is 40 km

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

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

There's a pared-back unforced elegance to this stone barn sitting quietly in its own grounds beside a cobbled courtyard awash with roses

A humdinger of a pub, hidden in a sleepy village in the Surrey Hills, oozing character and charm and with delicious food and comfy bedrooms