Days out in France - Falaise Castle, Normandy

Last year we visited Normandy. Although we've been there many times, one place we hadn't yet seen was the small town of Falaise and it's famous castle.

This small town dates back to Roman times and is probably best known today for being the birthplace of William the Conqueror. We visited on a weekday in October so out of season (no crowds) but still warm enough to enjoy the town and the castle grounds.

The castle itself is a wonderful mix of modern and old. Some parts of the castle have modern 'repairs' and visitors are given an interactive tablet to use as they go around - the treasure hunt kept me busy for ages!

Armed with a tablet and ready for the treasure hunt!

I'm trying very hard not to look down here - those flooring I was walking on had very big gaps down to a very big drop!!  The view from the top was worth it though.

If you're ever in the area, this is definitely worth a visit. Be warned though, there's a lot of steps and climbing and if you can go out of season, you could almost have the castle to yourself like we did.

Thanks for reading

Cathy
xx

New bedding makeover with JD Williams*

It’s that time of year when you really want to be snuggly, warm and cosy.

The only problem is, our bedroom is blue. Not blue in the sad sense, but blue in colour, and I mean blue everywhere! It was one of those projects we just never got around to sorting. So when the lovely folk at JD Williams got in touch to review some homeware, in particular bedding sets and throws, I realised this was the perfect time to inject some colour and warmth into the bedroom.

First up, I chose the red fern reversible duvet set because I think it looks like Christmas bedding, without actually being Christmas bedding. Which is great, because let’s face it, a Santa duvet in June never feels quite the same! It looks perfect teamed with red sheets and pillow cases to give it extra warmth, but a classic white set would look lovely as well.

The second duvet set was the Logan check reversible flannelette duvet cover set. It’s brushed cotton and I don’t think I’ve had any flannelette bedding since I was a child, but oh my goodness, what have I been missing out on! It’s so warm and snuggly. Definitely heavier than your standard duvet cover but this extra weight just helps to keep you warmer. This set was a real winner as my other half was convinced he didn’t like brushed cotton – although now I think I’ll have a problem getting him to like anything else!

Both duvet sets have button fastenings (is there anything more annoying than hearing the ‘pop’ of a bottom edge coming undone in the night…?) so these were ideal. And with both sets being reversible it helps you mix it up depending on how you feel.

Finally, this beautiful fleece throw from Boden completed the warm red cosy feeling I was trying to achieve. It gives a real Scandinavian feel, but would also be perfect for a Valentine themed bedroom (and let’s be honest, the decs were barely down this year before the first Valentine cards were in the shop).

However it’s destined not just to stay in the bedroom, it’s a perfect throw for a warm ‘duvet’ day on the sofa! Double sided with a cream fleece on one side and red and grey hearts on the other - I suspect I’ll be fighting the cat for ownership of this.

So a big thank you to the folks at JD Williams – our bedroom no longer feels quite so cold and arctic! There’s plenty of choice so have a look to see how you could brighten up your home this year.

Thanks for reading

Cathy
xx

*Items sent for review - words and opinions all my own