For retreats, groups of friends, and big families: come to recharge the senses at this special and ancient house enveloped by wild gardens

In château parkland, 10 minutes from Chinon, find books, beams and open spaces for three renovated houses, a delight for families

Spacious house with a big garden, a swimming pool and all home comforts; the beach and good restaurants are less than 10 minutes away

Come to be looked after with delicious food and spoiling bedrooms in this mini stately home set in gorgeous parkland near Ludlow

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

B&B rooms, some with kitchenettes, in a lush garden setting with a river running behind. The pretty village is on your doorstep

Between Penzance & Helston, close to Praa Sands, is a beautiful bolthole for 6. Good for garden lovers & peace-seekers – dog-friendly too

A pretty upside-down cottage, formerly a dovecote, lovingly restored with sustainability the focus

A unique opportunity to switch off and unwind in a simple, historic cottage with a terraced, bucolic garden surrounded by wooded hills

Spacious gîte in a former hunting lodge, set on one of the oldest estates in Pézenas, for a relaxing getaway with family and friends

Light, bright and smartly decorated, this grown-up B&B is a calm retreat from the hectic whirl near charming Colwell Bay, Isle of Wight

In a hamlet in the Loire countryside is a friendly estate with a family-sized gite, a shared saltwater pool and heaps of old-world charm

Come to the wild Cévennes to hike, ride, kayak down the Hérault river – or just revel in your pretty, generous house, pool and garden space

A bright, light newly built annexe flat adjoining a farmhouse and sitting on a hill looking out over a lake and fields beyond to the village

Two homely gîtes sleeping 4 and 2 in rural farm country. Walk to the bakery; drive 15 minutes to Saint-Malo and riverside restaurants

Come to this charming hideaway cabin for two (plus one) facing Lac de Montriond for a back-to-nature escape near Morzine

Hilltop château on the edge of a small village half an hour from Saint-Émilion, with a lovely garden, a swimming pool and two lakes

Restored stone barn on a farm in the Lake District National Park, with views of fields and woods and an excellent pub nearby