I’m somewhere deep in the South of France, hidden away in a falling down château that’s been woven back together with a thread of luxury. The floors are bowed and cracking, the walls are crumbling, but the bathrooms have rainforest showers and five-star baths. The bedrooms are furnished with an eclectic mix of car-boot sale junk, family heirlooms and rare antiques. I’m not really sure which is which. I should probably be paranoid about breaking something but I’ve relaxed into that rare and deep holiday mode that will only be shaken by the BA2232 from Gatwick. It took a while to reach this sweet spot... a pre-holiday holiday at my mum’s and a crate of rosé.

At this moment the kids are comatose and tucked away in an attic bedroom. They’re having a sleepover with all their cousins and finally gave in to exhaustion at midnight. The chattering and pranks had been non-stop and I’d had to go in and sing them to sleep eventually. I thought I’d been doing a great job until my littlest nephew murmured: “I’ll never get to sleep with you going on like this...” Exit stage right then!

I haven’t heard a peep for hours. Maybe I should be worried that they’re so far away (up a flight of spiral stone steps, through an apartment of sorts and into another little annex). I’ll know when they’re up though, my bedroom is almost underneath and I’ll hear them thundering across my ceiling like a herd of little elephants as they cross the floor.

We’ve had some good weather but right now there’s rain pattering against the windows and the smell of coffee is wafting up from the kitchen. I’ve thrown open the shutters and brought my laptop into bed. The view is hazy through my mosquito net but there are tree tops, open sky and a big, deep valley. If my hair was longer, I’d feel like Rapunzel. I wouldn’t have been so desperate to leave my tower if I was her. It’s peaceful here.

I don’t normally get to escape to castles-of-sorts but my dad had an extravagant and generous moment last year. He found this spot, picked a date and sent the invitation out to the whole family to join him. We’ve gathered from England, Hungary, Bermuda and have the cousins from down the road in France, too. They relocated here a few years ago and I can see why. There is something magical about this part of the world, stereotypical of every movie you’ve ever seen. Fields of sunflowers, rows of vines, old men cycling around with baguettes on the back of their bikes.

The relocation was a leap of faith. Marie and Grant found a ruin with potential and a really stunning view. They sold their house in London, moved when the renovations had covered the basics and have since done the house up around themselves. It’s simple and not so simple at the same time. All clean lines and exposed beams and stone, with splashes of colour and character too. It’s the barbecue spot that will get you though. It’s on the roof of the basement, which doubles as the veranda for the living room and you can see for miles.

We should probably get to the part where I give you a recipe or share some nutrition tips, so here goes. This week I’m not really leading by example on the wine side, but the food has been amazing — mostly local ingredients with the best fresh tomatoes, peaches and plums on the planet.

Here’s something you should be able to make in Bermuda though. Marie made this incredible side for the BBQ yesterday. It’s a mango coleslaw with a cumin twist in the dressing — not a drop of mayo in sight, completely crisp, delicious and full of flavour. You could add some crushed pistachios and crumble in some goat’s cheese to make this a meal in itself or have it as a side with chicken, beef, lamb or fish. Whichever way, it will lighten your carbs and cram in the antioxidants. Enjoy!

Mango Coleslaw

(feeds a crowd, at least 8)

1 tbsp coriander seeds

2 tsp cumin seeds

¼ red cabbage, very finely sliced

4 carrots, peeled and grated

1 underripe mango, peeled and grated

2 handfuls coriander leaves

1 lime, juice of

3 tbsps sesame oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

Optional: crushed pistachios, crumbled goats cheese (or diced avocado)

Method

1. Lightly toast the coriander and cumin seeds in a dry frying pan. Don’t let them burn. Cool and then crush in a pestle and mortar.

2. Prep the veggies. Make sure your mango is underripe or it will not grate.

3. Whisk together the oil and lime juice, whisk in the ground seeds.

4. Toss everything together until evenly coated. Flavour improves over time so it’s a good one to make ahead.

5. Add optional add-ins

• Catherine Burns BA Hons, Dip ION is the Managing Director of Natural Ltd and a fully qualified Nutritional Therapist. For details, please go to www.natural.bm or call 236-7511. Join Catherine on Facebook: www.facebook.com/nutrifitandnaturalnutritionbermuda