A welcoming retreat with lofty rooms, a sunny garden and the perfect plunge pool. Come for slow days and wine country adventures

Lodge and gardens – superbly designed, immaculate, fresh, eco friendly – rest in unspoilt Picardy. Anglo-French hosts take turns to cook

Spacious rooms and a cosy apartment a stone’s throw from Avignon’s historic sights. Retire to the heated pool after a busy day sightseeing

Utter peace in a simple, beautiful space with a sculpture garden to wander, an art studio to visit and walking and cycling on Dartmoor

A gorgeous big old house on a farm in a very quiet part of Wiltshire - the undiscovered North Wessex Downs, filled with wildlife and an AONB

A hop to Montpellier, but deep in the countryside: a romantic pad, with Moroccan rugs, ochre-limed walls and bikes to ride into the country

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

Big skies, a tantalising beach and truly inspired food combinations at this friendly, busy coastal village inn – stylish rooms too

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

A cottage for two on a wonderfully eco wine school and vineyard. Gaze at magnificent views from your terrace

A short stroll from the centre of historic Wimborne, a big Georgian house with beautiful interiors, original features and a lovely garden

A finely crafted staircase, a friendly owner next door, an Alpine garden to die for - groups large and small will love this old watermill

Live like a local. Art lovers, book lovers and walkers will be happy here above an art gallery in the centre of town

Cosy cabin hideaway packed with vintage charm. Enjoy lovely orchard views and a rustic wood-fired bath under the apple trees

Old wooden sleigh beds, check-clothed tables, log fires, a courtyard of centuries-old trees, a claw foot bath. Stacks of character

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

A pretty cottage by the sea, with uplifting views, restful bedrooms, the beach a short hop, gorgeous walks and lively Kinsale nearby

Restored 18th-century farm building surrounded by countryside, with a good pub a short walk away and Lake Windermere a ten-minute drive