On a pilgrim route, this 'magical village', spectacularly situated on a wooded hillside above a gorge, is one of the most romantic in south-west France.

Ten minutes' walk from the busy old town and its beaches, this converted 1920s mas has something of the air of a private home: 'handsome, quiet and comfortable'.

Named after a mistress of Charles VII who was also an enthusiastic cook, this 'sweet, unpretentious little place, astonishingly cheap', has long been loved by Guide readers.

'Excellently located', in the Marais, this 'very friendly' hotel has for three generations been owned and run by Didier Fossiez's family ('he and his wife, Pamela, are delightful').

Just west of the western gate of the “amazingly picturesque”, tiny home town of Impressionist painter Alfred Sisley, is this former 18th-century relais de poste, now Gilles de Crick”s restaurant-with-rooms.

The lawns of this hotel (with loungers and plenty of space for sunbathing) run down to a private beach on the shore of Lake Annecy.

In the village of Neuville-St-Amand in Picardy is Claude and Sébastien Meiresonne”s 1900s handsome white manor house (Logis de France), owned by their family since 1970 and set in three hectares of grounds.

On the west bank of the Rhône, this historic little town above Avignon has a splendid charterhouse and other noble buildings, including this 14th-century priory, now a luxurious hotel (Relais & Châteaux).

Cahors, in a famous wine region, has some characterless modern buildings but also some interesting old ones, eg, the fortified 14th-century Pont Valentré over the Lot.

The Jouanny family's handsome, white 19th-century mansion (Relais de Silence). stands in a large flowery garden (where meals are served under parasols and cypress trees).

This 'beautifully refurbished' old bastide is located within walking distance of the ancient fortified village of Reillanne.

“Delightful, “peaceful and idyllic”, say visitors to this long-time Guide favourite.

Michelin awards a star to owner/chef Alain Gardillou, admiring also the 'magic' setting of his 17th-century oil mill on the Dronne: Guide readers, too, call it a 'wonderful, bucolic spot'.

The island of Noirmoutier, north-west of La Rochelle, was a monastic settlement in the seventh century; now tourism is its main industry.

“A peaceful spot, stunningly beautiful,” say visitors to the Petiteau family”s 20th-century “Anglo-Norman” half-timbered mill house.

In a medieval village between Avignon and Nîmes, this group of ancient stone houses has been turned, 'with charm and imagination' into a luxurious hotel, now part of the small H8 Collection hotels group.

Between the Place des Vosges and the Place de la Bastille, a short walk from the Marais, stands this 'quirky' small hotel.

“If wine touring takes you to Chablis, this should be your hotel of choice,” says a travel expert of chef/patronMichel Vignaud and his daughter Noemi”s converted almshouse (Logis de France) in this “adorable little town”.

'Bang in the middle of decent-sized, pleasant town', behind the Hôtel de Ville, is this converted 17th century Ursuline convent, now a B&B hotel.

Informally run by the Rambaud family is this stylish inn located in a 'pleasing stone building' set back from the road, in 'fairly spacious' grounds with olive and almond trees and a vineyard.

'An unexpected chunk of Mexico' in upper Provence, this B&B is filled with furniture and craftworks which globetrotting residents of this medieval town collected in the 19th century.

Montpellier has some grandiose modern architecture but is full of historical interest too, and has a charming Vieille Ville, well restored.

In the painter Jean-Baptiste Greuze”s birthplace, and overlooked by the bell tower of the Romanesque abbey of St-Philibert, is this Renaissance “Bressane” building restored as an elegant, luxurious hotel.

Set just 200m from the cable car, M. and Mme Georges's hotel is in the centre of a large Pyrenean ski resort in the heart of the Catalan Pyrenees Regional Nature Park, just 15 minutes from Spain.

South-west of Pau, in a tiny village on the edge of the Pays Basque, this old inn has been turned into a restaurant-with-rooms by owner/chef Pierre Chilo and his wife Martine.

This old hostelry (Logis de France), in a ramparted medieval hamlet on a hilltop west of Dijon, is “a most attractive location; fine views over countryside”.

This Logis de France (also Relais du Silence) is a short walk from the famous tapestry (really an embroidery).

'Such a wonderful building; good value,' says a visitor about Françoise and Gérard Nicolas's 18th-century house, elegantly renovated in period style.

“You can tick all the “Good Hotel” boxes for this one,” say the nominators of this “beautiful house, away from traffic on the edge of a spectacular village”.