A comfy cottage for two in the quiet, leafy outskirts of Aix with easy access to the city and a kind, attentive owner nearby

Gracious hosts, a mix of 17th-century style and contemporary design with comfort in spades, just minutes from the Rialto Bridge and market

Go with the slow - homemade delights, no plastic anything, few mod cons - just relaxed humorous hosts and a beautiful place

Round up family and friends and head for the glorious South Hams and this eco-friendly barn conversion for ten with extra cottage

Historic village inn with wonderful cooking and a Provençal-style courtyard garden; drive to the Jurassic Coast in half-an-hour

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

A boutique hotel on the edge of Arcachon Bay. A natural pool, zen gardens, contemporary Eastern-style interiors, and good food await

A handsome château filled with intrigue and interest on the edge of a Bastide town in Landes. Your charming host looks after you with aplomb

Easy-going, stylish rooms, a lovely, relaxing garden with natural pool - 1hr north of Lisbon and close to some of the world’s best beaches

A wonderfully relaxing retreat, high up on red and yellow cliffs, with sunsets to match; a heated saltwater pool and a host who really cares

A converted 19th-century church in the Northumberland National Park with beautiful stained-glass windows and a restored tower

Charming 15th-century farmhouse near Montrésor and Loches with immense lawns, orchards and a fabulous pool

Come to be thoroughly cosseted and nurtured in this ancient Presbytery surrounded by rolling countryside with views of the Dordogne river

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

An ancient stone cottage on an organic winery with vines as far as the eye can see, chickens wandering, horses grazing and huge open skies

Leave crowds behind for this charming stone farmhouse in the olive groves of rural Umbria – bring friends and have it all to yourselves

A wonderful surprise inside this 1590 house sitting in a beautiful walled garden full of fruit trees, just off the High Street