About

'Time and tide wait for no man' — English proverb

Unhurried Places was born during the Covid lockdown — a time when the quiet freedoms most of us had taken entirely for granted were suddenly, sharply missed.

With everyday life on pause, I found myself thinking not just about what I'd lost temporarily, but about what I wanted more of permanently: slower travel, places with genuine character, and the particular pleasure of arriving somewhere without a schedule to keep.

That thinking became Unhurried Places.

I'm Paul, and the site reflects places I actually know and return to, alongside new discoveries that meet the same brief — smaller cities, historic towns and villages where the pace of life rewards those who aren't in a hurry. My particular heartlands are Dorset and the Languedoc in southern France — a region I've spent years exploring and where I have a base in the Minervois hills. But the journeys range more widely as life allows.

A thread running through much of what I write is liveability — what it actually feels like to spend time in a place, not just visit it. That question matters more as we move into or through our retirement years, whether we're thinking about longer stays, relocation, or simply travelling with more intention and less noise.

I also draw on a background in private client law and estate planning to bring occasional practical perspective — on re-locating or living abroad , on common sense financial planning for retirees and on making the most of what later life can offer.

If any of that resonates, the best way to follow along is to join the newsletter — a gentle, regular note with new places, practical ideas, and the occasional slower thought.

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Paul

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