I'm trying to book a holiday - how it feels!!!

[Giddy Goat]

Sounds terrific, Mouse and we'll deffo be checking it out soon!

[Alan Knighting]

Jane,

Thank you for all of that. I have visited just about every part of France but not necessarily in the last 20 years so updates are always useful.

I take your point about living by the sea. Most seaside resorts are as dead as a dodo in the winter and heaving in the summer – not at all what we want. I know the Biarritz and St Jean-de-Luz area quite well (last there in 2005). It remains "open" in winter but it’s complete bedlam in the summer and, have you seen the house prices?

San Sebastian would be almost ideal for Joan except that it’s the wrong side of the border. A full-time resident suffers from Spanish inheritance laws and neither of us wants to re-learn the language anyway. Nevertheless I would fully endorse what Mouse says about it. A lovely place!

Ideas folks? Keep them coming.

Alan

[Giddy Goat]

Most seaside resorts are as dead as a dodo in the winter and heaving in the summer – not at all what we want. Alan

Agree Alan, so a bit of a tall order, which is why I was suggesting being within cooee of the coast but finding an area that presents you with other options too when summer arrives? Have you thought about the Languedoc-Roussillon? Ceret is a lovely village and not far from Collioure...

Is it the sea that attracts Joan or would a waterway like the Canal du Midi do?

That's my lot I think - unless I can persuade the two of you to move to Corsica?! Fantastique!

[Alan Knighting]

Most seaside resorts are as dead as a dodo in the winter and heaving in the summer – not at all what we want. Alan

Agree Alan, so a bit of a tall order.

How right you are. As Lew Grade said when he finished filming Raise the Titanic – “it would have been cheaper to drain the Atlantic�. By the same token, it might be easier to bring the sea to Monflanquin than taking Joan to the sea. It’s the sea for Joan; not rivers or canals, somehow they don’t smell right.

Collioure? Would you believe it? That’s were two of our cats come from.

Even Corsica is on the list but firmly in last place.

Alan

[little plum]

Hi Alan

I am very much a newbee (spelling?) here and would like to a big warm hello to you all here on Lay My Hat. Many moons ago I did say hello, and then had many computer problems that wouldn’t allow me to log on. Back on topic, can I put forward the wonderful Crozon Peninsula on the Atlantic coast of Brittany(IMHO), we spent three years looking at the whole of Europe, and I fully understand that everyone has their own criteria i.e. which boxes get ticked and which firmly don’t. Here there are twelve wonderful sandy beaches facing in different directions, so if you have a sunny day you can always find somewhere sheltered. This is a tourist area, but relatively undiscovered e.g. not full to the brim even in peak season, it also boasts fine restaurants, museums and a great market. There is no British commune here, which has made sure we have immersed ourselves into a wonderful and very welcoming community. It is quiet here in the Winter, but I personally look at that as a bonus, lots of long beach and coastal path walks, that are so peaceful and quiet – whilst admiring the dramatism (sorry spelling again) of sea. For some more upbeat culture within a forty minute drive, we have Brest and the beautiful Cathedral city of Quimper, which both have something to give throughout the year. I’ll have a look later and see if I can work out how to get some pictures (is it just a case of cutting and pasting?) of the area if you would like …….

Hope this helps…..

Little Plum x

[Alan Knighting]

Little Plum,

Can I put forward the wonderful Crozon Peninsula on the Atlantic coast of Brittany?

You most certainly can, it is exactly the area that Joan has set her heart on and she is dead set on visiting for a few days. Tell me more, please.

Alan

[Hells Bells]

Sounds lovely............

[little plum]

Hi Alan,

Thank you for your appreciation, I do feel this is an amazing place to live and feel very lucky to have been given the opportunity to live here. I'll try and post some pics in a little while. This area is truly stunning and very dramatic, in Spring the coastline has the most amazing fauna and flora, September and October boasts jaw dropping sunsets into the sea. One of the best reasons for living here is the micro climate... Because the peninsula is sheltered from two other larger peninsulas' the weather systems more often than not will just pass us to the North (40% less rainfall) and it rarely gets affected by seamist (having lived by the coast all my life, this is a fantastic bonus....) The house prices here are a little on the high side for Brittany as a whole, but it is still so much cheaper than a lot of coastal resorts in France....

Please do let me know if I can help in anyway, are there any definite no-no's or yes-yes's?

Little Plum x

[little plum]

Thank you very much, Helen

I am trying very unsucessfully to place a couple of pictures here, but I can't seem to get my head around how to actually do it, I am off to look at the suggestions area to see if there is anything there to help. Sorry I am a complete ding bat when it come to these things......

little Plum x

[little plum]

Aha, it seems that I can only post photo's that are weblinked I will try and link to one photo from our website and see if that works.......

Here goes.....



This is a photo on the southern side of the peninsula, with pine trees down to the waters edge...... It is truly beautiful and quite charming.....

Hi Alan,

I have plenty more photo's and I am more than willing to share them with you all, but as they are not weblinked, it seems I cant upload them. Tres Desole (without accents )

Little Plum x

....who is really showing how new she really is to the forum, and how all the thingamywosits work......

[Alan Knighting]

Little plum,

Don’t worry about the pictures, they’ll come up on any Web Site which has anything to do with the area. In any case I will be buying a home not a week’s holiday, if you know what I mean.

For now why don’t you PM me with the Web Site address of the local information office and of one or two of the local property agents and I’ll take it from there.

Alan

[little plum]

PM will be on it's way to you tomorrow (if I can work that out too)...... Supper is calling.....

Little Plum x

[enid]

Well I know that on this forum we pride ourselves on our prompt replies to enquiries. During my search for somewhere on the IoM I e mailed a few owners who hadn't answered the phone. I sent a message about one cottage on the 30th May and got this back today the 12th of JUNE!!!!!!!

Hello Mrs Wilson
Sorry we have no vacancies.

How's that for a prompt reply!!!!!

[guest 4]

Madness Enid!!

Ruth

[Partridge]

Hmph Certainly not a candidate for YHM then Enid

Hey, maybe we should all chip in and buy a place on the IOM and experiment to see if all our pooled resources get 52 weeks bookings