Let others blitz London – our British invasion always begins in Manchester, where we rent a car and immediately head to Callow Hall in the charming village of Ashbourne. If staying at this dazzling castle-turned-hotel doesn’t make you feel like royalty, the Spencer family, who run it, will. After a delicious dinner at Callow Hall, and a good night’s sleep, we were ready to go antiquing…

Each of our first three days in northern England was spent with a different antique dealer. And there were plenty of treasures: as always, there was a wonderful assortment of country benches, desks and cupboards, but the real fun was discovering the one-of-a-kind antiques. We came across a colorful carnival game board as well as a breathtaking pine barber’s table that would make a perfect sideboard. After three days, it was time to say goodbye to some old friends, and fly to Paris.

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