After a week of sun and swimming in the sea, we’re back and feeling refreshed. Thank you for your patience if you’ve placed orders in our absence, the tissue paper and postal tubes are itching to go and I’ll be hard at work preparing the orders for dispatch today.

July is a big month for Bold & Noble as we’re launching our new collection, so a little recharge was required before the final push. It is amazing what a bit of ‘back to nature’ can do for your inspiration. Who would have thought Normandy could be such a tonic – deserted beaches, great weather and of course the usual delicious food and wine, the French just know how to do it don’t they.

At the risk of sounding like the ‘Office de Tourisme’, if you’re ever after a cracking, family friendly place to stay I’d gladly recommend L’Auvergne. A remote but well equiped farmhouse, where a warm welcome awaits from it’s owners, the ducks, sheep, the whole menagerie in fact. Just a short drive from the sea, it is in a beautiful setting and if you’re very lucky you might even find some fresh local produce left on your doorstep from time to time. Mmm those duck eggs were good.