Traditional Provencal farmhouse with a large garden and a swimming pool. Historic villages with markets and great restaurants close by

Rustic farmhouse with lovely gardens, a swimming pool and superb views over the Pyrenees – the sunrises are amazing

A quintessential Grade II listed thatched cottage with glorious gardens near a 13th-century church and surrounded by rolling hills

You’re wrapped in parkland here and close to the coast, gardens and war memorials. A treat of a stop-over for foodies

Glass-and-timber doors bathe you with light, gaze at big skies and the river Dart lapping. Sublime year round, it's one of our favourites

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

Apartments with a designer touch in a peaceful, evocative setting; private gardens, intimate terraces, infinity pool, stunning lake views and a gourmet restaurant

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

10 minutes from La Rochelle, a place of peace and style. From scrumptious breakfasts to a splash in the pool, your hosts are eager to please

This cottage is stylish and serene, beautifully transformed from an old farm building – come for golf, beaches, walks and bird-watching

Chocolate-box cottages in deepest Normandy, owned by bright young things with a passion for organic cuisine and the good life

Designer cool suites, apartments, a villa – a sophisticated oasis of a place – near white sands, curious caves, turquoise sea, Lecce

A taste of old Italy in this off-the-beaten-track rustic house on three levels, exquisitely restored and with elegant designer furnishings

Unwind here in the rolling hills with the river bustling along, your own secluded garden and an unpretentious cottage full of character

At the end of the unpaved road, surrounded by oaks, chestnuts and pines, a wonderful surprise for families and children who love to explore

Come for big, peaceful bedrooms with views, delicious home cooked breakfasts and riverside strolls through ancient beech woodland

A treat in any season, a place to stir your soul, yield to nature and learn how to play again – with a pretty fine roost to come home to

Great gulps of ozone will engulf you at this architect-designed 1960s beach house - light, bright and sparkling, just like the ocean