This piece was featured in the travel section of the Irish Daily Mail.

The Italians, the French, or any of those folks on ‘The Continent’ as my Dad used to call it, always just seem so effortlessly stylish. So, at a risk of being outdone and letting the entire of Ireland down, while packing my bag for a few days away in France, I made sure my beret was included.  Afterall, I would hate to turn up in France and look like a thick (without one) as my Ma would say. 

Now we all know Paris has long been considered the glittering grand dame of France.  The city of romance, fashion and intrigue.  The city of the Eiffel Tower, the Seine River and the Arc De Triomphe. I however was not going there. I was flying to Bordeaux, the bustling belle of a city on the Garonne River. The city of stunning architecture, luscious public parks and fabulous food. It is also the gateway to Saint Émilion, the land of vines and wines which was my ultimate destination.