A warm and colourful B&B with generous owners, elegant bedrooms and an outdoor pool, in the heart of a pretty town near Toulouse

Generous apartments in a 300-year-old farmhouse with beautiful grounds and a swimming pool

Provençale-meets-English country house to great effect – cycle Mont Ventoux, walk to the monastery, visit Roman towns and vineyards

Come for good architecture, thoughtful design and much space for relaxing: swimming, massages, hammam and sauna, beautiful bedrooms

A beautiful little collection of trulli near the Valle d’Itria – restored with flair and with gardens, woods and pool

Immerse yourself in nature, wildlife, sustainability and slow food high up on the edge of a National Park

A 200-year-old village house surrounded by vineyards. Light-filled interiors, lots of art, a garden and a pool

Relaxed country-chic worthy of a photo shoot at these beautifully turned-out apartments in deep countryside... gaze on heaven from the pool

A suburban eco retreat with plenty of carefully balanced energy savings, including an untamed garden and a natural pond for wild swimming

A really friendly French family home, steeped in history and tradition with delicious home-grown food, a lovely garden and peaceful pool

A lovely old stone house, set in a walled garden and overlooking the swimming pool on an ancient estate with gardens open to the public

Traditional beamed cottage, tucked in the hills, with views to distant beaches plus colourful gardens and a pool

Birdwatchers and artists delight: acres of peaceful land, close to some of Cornwall’s finest galleries – and the sea

A hop from the Côte d'Azur is this elegant home: bring friends, explore the garden, curl up on the sofa, dip in the heated pool

Pomegranates, persimmon and figs, the waft of rosemary on the air... we love this old 'mas' 25km from Gordes, in sweet sunny Provence

A secluded, luxurious 8-bedroom heaven in the Umbrian hills, with a heart-warming welcome, gorgeous views, and simple, exceptional food

Two villas on opposite shores of a big lily-covered lake, fed with natural spring water from the Ticino river and surrounded by gardens