Nutmeg had a few items on her to-do list; number one was to replenish the wine stock before Ginger arrived. The challenge was making a decision in the Alpilles given the number of vineyards nearby. On this particular occasion, she chose Domaine de la Vallongue as they had reopened their boutique after …

When my widowed mum announced that she was moving to France we all assumed that she would settle in Brittany or Normandy – places she had visited many times with my father. Within easy reach of the UK and her beloved granddaughter the north of France seemed sensible. My strong-willed …