Vintage Camper Vans in Cornwall

I had a crazy notion a few years ago. I received a special offer (3 night for the price of 2) from O'Conner Camper to try out their vintage Volkswagen Camper over the Easter holidays. The children were small and I was dreading being housebound with them for the entire school holiday. With that motivation, we booked a 3 night get-away in one of the cutest VW Campers I've ever seen. We had a great time exploring Devon and Cornwall. I learned two things on that trip: April is a little early in the season to camp, but vintage camper vans make a great family holiday. 

Happy boys in the camper van

And for those of you have read my blog entry about my self-catering check list, this was one of the few times that I didn't need it. They really thought of everything! (This cute yellow Camper Van is called "I am Sparticus"!)

Tell them Michele from Life At My Bench sent you. For more information about prices and availability, click on the link below.

O'Conner Campers

Le Chateau de Monfreville, Normandy

One of our favourite holidays every year is when we go to Le Chateau de Monfreville in Isigny-sur-Mer, Normandy. We discovered this lovely gem when the children were quite young. In fact, the first year we went, we loved it so much we went back again that same summer. 

When we started going to Monfreville it was owned by June Lewis, an avid gardener and welcoming hostess. As years went on, she has passed the ownership and running of the property to her daughter and son-in-law, Zoe and Paul, along with their children Molly and Jake. They have continued to share their warm hospitality with us and made lots of improvements along the way. The Chateau now has camping in the back field and cozy roulottes for those who love Enid Blyton. (Note: some of these photos were taken over the years, so there maybe slight changes to the property and Paul and Zoe work their magic!)

For more information about availability and rates, click on the link below which will bring you to their website. Tell them Michele sent you!


Chateau Monfreville, Normandy France

Chateau Monfreville

At night

A view from the tower looking towards Pond Cottage

The front of the Chateau

One of the roulottes

Cozy and inviting

Fresh eggs in the shop

Some of the free range animals

Self Catering Check List

As we start looking at summer holiday destination listings, I confess I often look at the kitchen photos first. I love exploring new places or revisiting the same ones year after year. While most people like to spend lots of time relaxing all day by a pool or on the beach, I love to visit markets and plan menus. (Or, plan a dinner menu while I sit on the beach.) Strange, I know. But honestly, when you are visiting a lovely French market or stumble into an amazing fish market in Cape Cod, who can resist the urge to scoop up the freshest ingredients to make a dinner you would never be able to replicate at home. This is especially fun when I get to cook with my Food Stylist sister, +Abigail Wyckoff .

To that end, I have realised that I need to bring a bit of home with me on ever self-catering trip. Okay, maybe a bit more than a little bit. I actually have some very elaborate lists that get refined year-on-year, depending on my destination.  (A little tip, buy brightly coloured tools and they won't get mixed in with the items at most rental cottages.) Regardless of where I am, this is my most basic kitchen list:

• Assorted covered knives by Kuhn Rikon (small serated, large kitchen)
• vegetable peeler
• collapsable collander
• toast tongs
• silicon spatula
• Microplane zester (doubles for grating Parmesan cheese)
• teaspoon set
• kitchen scissors
• wine stoppers
• bag clips
• cherry pitter (Seasonal)

Find the shopping list on: Self Catering Kitchen List on Amazon.com

In addition, I can't live without:

• Salt and Pepper grinder
• Select spices: cinnamon, cumin, oregano
• Select baking items: flour, sugar, table salt, packet of yeast, stock cube
• Olive oil spray
• PG Tips Tea
• Tea towel
• Few laundry cubes
• 2-3 Lock and Lock boxes (pack some of the above items in them)
• 5-10 Ziploc bags, assorted sizes (snack to large)
• Foldable shopping bags

You may think this is excessive, but the top items I keep together in a box which comes out of storage when we go on a trip. The other items actually cut down on things I need to purchase at the grocery store when we are away.

This brings me to one of my favourite Christmas presents this year. It is a Joseph Joseph 5-in-1 Utensil. I am most definitely adding it to my kit. If you like to bring a few things along on holiday with you, I suggest you get one of these handy little multi-taskers too.

Joseph Joseph 5-in-1 utensil

What do you slip in your suitcase when you go on a self-catering holiday?