Live out all your bohemian dreams at this arty villa, with garden and plunge pool, perched above the glittering Riviera.

Good restaurants, beach walks, a grand welcome for dogs: that’s Whitstable. Bring friends and stay in this smart house close to it all

You're right on the water in this 1820 granary-turned-hotel, with calming bedrooms, bustling bar and restaurant serving excellent local fare

Idyllic cottage hidden in deepest, foodiest Somerset - bask on your own patio among roses and sweet peas. Bring bikes - loads to explore

Lovely views over the river Anglin from the large windows of this old industrial-like building, once used for honey production on the estate

A luxurious springboard for the wineries, villages and treasures of south Tuscany in the magical Orcia valley - if you can bear to leave it!

Swings, a terrace and pool in 2 acres ringed by fields and tranquility, and lakes and vineyards beyond. Family bliss in Quercy

Quaint barns dotted among truffle oaks and rosemary, each one constructed the old-fashioned way and close to the Dordogne and Vézère

Escape to your own snug bolthole above a beautiful hall. Creative village community, tasty breakfast delivered, come and go as you please

A light larch-clad space for lovers, or a retreat for walkers and writers in pretty Orford, once a medieval sea port but now on the river

Elegant country château with a family feel, for big groups with or without children, and those who seek inspiration

Cosy 17th-century cottage in a village inland from Wells-next-the-Sea and with easy access to north Norfolk's main attractions

Converted stables on a fruitful and beautiful estate with gardens, sculpture walks, wildflower meadows and a farm-to-fork restaurant

A comfortable and light-filled converted stone barn in the pretty Vendée, a quiet and rural spot but just half a mile from town

Elegant Victorian townhouse just between Kings road and Fulham Road. Chatty breakfasts with a friendly host - Suzie has the latest info on all things arty

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

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

A large handsome 1800s manor, now a peaceful haven for free-range families and creative types on the edge of vibrant Richelieu in the Loire