A picture tells a thousand words. I could stare at this for hours there is something so peaceful about the old stone and water. This past week I have been in Normandy, in many ways very different to our part of France, but in others just the same.
It was a slightly hectic schedule but we did find the time to just walk, strolling through villages and discovering tiny alleys and being always inquisitive we just had to discover where they went. Minutes quickly turned into hours as we took left and right turns and ended up far from our starting point!
We spent a lot of time searching for new things for our shop, always sticking to our rules. We only ever buy what we would want in our own home. These century old houses made me think of a bygone era and I just love these antique horn and silver salad servers we found in their original presentation box.
I imagine this village square has changed very little over the decades.
I was rather happy to find this set of three antique magazine illustrations in their original wooden frames from the early 1900’s. I can just picture these ladies living here.
And this antique French railway oil lantern. The oil tray is removable and I added a candle when we got home!
I’m always inquisitive when I find old doors in stone walls, where do they lead, what is behind them? Sometimes I get to find out.
A courtyard perfectly situated for outdoor living. And if you’re anything like me dining alfresco is one of the real pleasures of summer. I can tell you it was so hot that the idea of whiling away an entire afternoon here, on a comfortable chair, was extremely tempting.
It’s the same back at home, the terrace draws us all together like magnets. And when dusk falls, we lay the table with some antique china and a few flowers from the garden simply arranged in vintage mustard jars and within minutes we’re all set for an elegant evening.
I loved walking through these Normandy villages
but I also longed to be back at home with the rest of the family, back on our terrace with the antique chandelier, eating outdoors, just another casual summer evening.
But before we headed back, there were a few more places to discover, a few more roads to be walked, a few more photos to be taken and more antiques to be purchased.
I know this has been a slightly different post to normal, less words for sure! But I so wanted to share my Normandy photos and some of the treasures we found and also I wanted you to realise how easy it is with just a few vintage accessories to turn any evening into something special.
Now more than ever I think we have to appreciate the simple things in life. I like to use antique dinner plates most evenings, because I love their patterns and they make me happy. To help you transform your evenings, visit our shop, if you sign up to the newsletter you’ll automatically receive a 10% discount coupon for your first order.
Stay safe and have a great week xx
Our French Oasis 
Being an armchair traveler I look forward to all your photos. One question though, why are the streets so often deserted?
Beautiful photos! You obviously had a very fruitful trip.
It was great! Both the tennis and finding treasures – it was also just nice to see a different part of France for a change 🙂
Are you selling the salad servers?
I am interested!
You are an amazing photographer!! Thanks for the Normandy village tour! Did you see Janine Marsh or Sharon Santoni while you ere in northern France. Thanks for your wonderful blog!
Hi Robert – what a lovely comment, thank you. It’s a good photographic tool, the iPhone. Especially the newer ones, and as a result i can’t really lay claim to being a good photographer – the magic box does all the work!
And no – I did not see anyone else – I do not move in such rarified circles! XX
Such a beautiful post. I went through the photos more than once, I loved them so much. The stone buildings and bridges with the colorful flowers are my favorite ones, but all hold a special place in my heart. How blessed you are to live in such a pretty place.
Oh, I’m so sorry we didn’t get a chance to welcome you to our little corner of Normandie.
I hope you survived the heat.
Mirandaxx
Ah yes – but then that’s not really my ‘place’ – I rather tend to think ALL of France is blessed with wonderful locations and scenery. It’s just a little different in every department and region…XX
I have never been too interested in N W France—you changed my mind!
We did. Just! It was very hot indeed, and I felt a great deal of pity for Gigi as she plowed up and down during her tennis tournaments!
As always I enjoyed the photos! Thank you so much. Too bad I am far away to visit your shop but enjoy just the same. Maybe some day – you never know! Flowers & buildings are so beautiful!
Flowers and buildings do indeed go great together! I think that’s why I love it so much here in the Charente Maritime – there are ALWAYS hollyhocks and valerian in the streets!
So are the great tennis lessons back on? Has the travel season for mum and daughter re-started? Enfin?! 🙂
You know what is the worst of living in a perfectly ‘adequate’ but also totally unadventurous 1970s flat? All my old stuff, the plates, glasses, lamps, armchairs, the mirrors and decor articles, nothing ‘belongs’ here – it looks wrong and I am already putting all my lovely stuff away for our next trip to the Brockenstube, some 20′ by car from here…. (that’s a brocante where you bring your old but still good items for free and they sell them on to relatively reasonable prices. The money collected for those items (from sofa to bicycle, old curtains to toys, thousands of articles from glass, porcelaine, iron etc to desks, garden furniture, clothes, kitchen gadgets….. we’ve brought stuff for several thousands worth of beautiful memories and keepsakes. They just do NOT belong here any longer (and also I have NO space for even the smallest percentage of it all).
All the very best to you and your family, always!
It sounds a lot like Emmaus, Kiki. It’s an old company started by a man which now transforms old unwanted household goods into money for good causes, especially the homeless and deprived. Check it out on the internet – it’s a wonderful story.
And tennis is good! We are on the move again, locally now but hopefully international tournaments soon. XXX
A change from your usual but just as lovely. La Normandie has some real treasures. Nice to take a break. 😊
It does indeed, and I like it also because every visit to it, to the towns and the beaches, reminds me how good can overcome evil. It is a very important place for world history, and it is vital for this moment in the planet’s history that we do not lose track of what might have been, and what we all might have become. In so doing we have some chance of preventing history from repeating itself. Sad thoughts, but necessary, I think, in these times of fools and horses. XX
Reading your blog and your wonderful descriptions gives me much peace and happiness. I find all your words relaxing and your pictures offer such contentment. I cant explain it properly but I can thank you for sharing your world. I would love to explore the way you do.
Thank you
My pleasure, Ceew. If I can take you away to a different place it makes me happy. 🙂 From one fellow explorer to another….
Love escaping with you thru your photos…thank you. I love France–it has so much to offer.