France

A cosy and pretty old cottage for rest or romance, with garden and pool in a small hamlet surrounded by walnut orchards and mixed woodland

A sweet retreat for a nature-loving couple, with soul-searching views and the smell of the sea. Logs and Breton cider are on the house...

Simple rooms on a spotless farm, delightful hosts, delicious fruit tarts at breakfast on Sundays. The perfect stopover en route to Calais

All you'd hope for, and more! Enormous rooms, marvellous beams, majestic views, and delicious food and wines from their vineyard

In history-rich Arras, close to the WW1 memorials, a remarkably authentic 1750's mansion with statues and an elegant knot garden

A sylvan hideaway tucked into the hills of the Southern Alps, full of Provençal charm inside and out – Saint-Cézaire and the coast are close

A large and light house sitting by itself in lovely countryside with a big pool, maturing gardens and superb views up to Saignon on the hill

A top-notch stopover for the Vendée coast… minutes from the ferries of St Gilles Croix de Vie and the beaches of Bretignolles sur Mer

A peaceful grown-up place circled by meadows and woodland with helpful owners next door – a superb spot to explore the south-west

Provençal charm floats through the ground floor of this 18th-century home in a vineyard near Lorgues. Walk, cycle, swim in the pool, enjoy the peace

Come for strawberries in summer, walnuts in winter, and a wonderful welcome all year round. Thierry and Charlotte are living their dream

A pretty cottage in the grounds of an 18th-century house in the heart of southern Burgundy, with stunning gardens and a shared pool

Wine lovers adore this impeccably furnished château; lovely Anne meets and greets, Jean Christophe makes wine and takes charge of tastings

Rural immersion in the heart of France. Potter the quiet paths, swim in limpid waters, drink fiery punch as the sun goes down

A fortified castle in parkland, built mostly in the 1300s on the Montbazens plateau, near to the stunning Averyon gorges

Three gîtes in the Dordogne with panoramic countryside views and a swimming pool – book individually or together for a group holiday

Two wonderfully informal apartments make up this artist's home. Discover WW2 history and wander Caen's cobbled streets

Restored medieval priory turned country retreat on a family-run wine estate – swim in the infinity pool, taste wine or walk in the hills