The South of France has totally seduced me . . . I fell in love with the hot-day smell of the pine trees, the soil and the sun baking the landscape. I'm also obsessed with the food there although the best meal I've actually ever had abroad was in a sweet little restaurant in Paris up a tiny cobbled street which is run by two sisters. It has cacti in the windows. However I'm not going to tell you the name because I don't want to share it with anyone.

When it comes to hotels I just love the Hotel du Cap, Eden Roc, near Cannes. It's an unbelievably breathtaking hotel which was built back in 1870. I used to stay there as a child. There is a beautiful walk through the amazing gardens down to the sea. I've had lots of wonderful times there.

I think that it's always better to arrive than to travel. Travelling and airports are not at all civilised and the only forms of travel that are, are hot-air balloons and yachts. My ideal travelling companion would be a youthful Napoleon . . . he would have lots of energy to keep up with me!

Last year I had a terrible travel experience on a shoot for Tatler . . . we were trying to get to China and were on the Trans-Siberian railway. There was no food and I had two apples to last me two days.

There were no phones and nobody spoke English. I also had to share a room with a Russian prostitute.

My greatest travel luxury? A pet passport so that I can take Alfred, my pug, on my travels.

Isabella Blow, fashion stylist and fashion director of Tatler, is also renowned for her collection of Philip Treacy hats.