Ten years or so ago, Bordeaux really wouldn’t have been on my list of cities to visit for a weekend break. Okay, it’s always had its wine, its history and neo-classical architecture but, it was very much shabby around the edges with not a lot going on inside; a city well past its prime and one to avoid in favour of its surrounding wine regions. However, since the new millennium all that has changed and a recent visit by the Hubby and me has well and truly put Bordeaux high up there on my list of weekend break locations – or even longer if you visit the surrounding areas – but what’s changed?
Read MoreHow to "do" Tuscany - the authentic way
I’m not sure about you, but I have this dream that one day I’ll be able to swap my life here in Manchester for somewhere on the continent – somewhere warm where I know the sun will shine most days in the summer; a place where the locals say hello to you as you trot down to the bakery for your morning baguette; where you buy your food from the local market instead of running the gauntlet of shopping trolleys in the supermarket; and where I can spend warm evenings sipping wine in a lavender scented garden – come on admit it, you quite fancy that idea too?!
Read More
The Dordogne - through a lens
I have to admit to being a bit of a lover of all things French: the food, the wine, the country. So I always ensure the Hubby and I spend at least one holiday a year in France discovering different areas each time. However, dare I admit it, it wasn’t until recently that we had our first foray in to the Dordogne region. Okay, it’s certainly not undiscovered and definitely not a place to go to if you want to avoid the tourists but, what an absolute gem; with pristine medieval villages, castles, rolling hills and the Dordogne river snaking through the valley, it definitely looks like a place where fairy tales are made.
Needless to say, with such a photographic location we have lots of pictures and I thought I’d share a few of them with you so you too can experience the delights of the Dordogne – they might even inspire you to visit if you haven’t already.
Read More
A Doable Detox in Devon
Every once in a while we need to allow our bodies to break away from the vicious clutches of our stressful lifestyles and do something a little nurturing for ourselves. After the onslaught of Christmas, a busy start to the year with work plus the totally depressing weather which reduced me to being a total hermit for 2 months, I was definitely in need of a spring clean – both mentally and physically – and to get a renewed appreciation of the outdoors before I went completely barking.
Read More