Silver Haired Gappies
Switzerland
&
France
Rose Granite Coast Northern Brittany
Stay Trebeurden
Outstanding family owned hotels with excellent restaurants welcoming non residents. Situated at opposing ends of the small resort town of Trebeurden, they enjoy spectacular sea views and western sunsets. Both are close to the popular beaches from where you can board private boats to access the outlying white sandy islands.
Visit
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Fishing towns of the Rose Granite Coast: Perros Guirec, Plouman'ach and Lannion
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Chateaux of Rosanbo and Kerjean
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Local chapels and churches
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Lannion Market (Thursday)
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Les Sept Isles (bird sanctuary)
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Local galleries and concerts
Activities
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Coastal walks with menhirs and dolmans
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Clay tennis courts
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Hire small sail boats
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Kite surfing / wind surfing
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Sunset swims
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Explore sandy islands
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Golf at St Sampson
Eat
Eat your way around the coast, savouring the wonders of the local food: fresh fish and seafood, varieties of moules frites, crepes & galletes. Excellent value Menu du Marché.
Perros Guirec
Restaurant La Beluga
Le Manoir du Sphinx
L'Embarcadere
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Plouman'ach
La Table de Mon Pere
La Coste Mor
Restaurant des Rochers
Tregastel
La Greve Blanche
Trebeurden
Bar de la Plage - Beg Leguer
Ti Al Lannec
Manoir de Lan Kerellec
L'Art des Heures
Loved the area so much we bought a holiday home on first visit 1998. Keep hobbie-cat on local small beach and speed boat in marina.
Trebeurden: La Sainte Trinité; Chapelle Notre-Dame de Bonne Nouvelle; Chapel Penvern
Tregastel: Chapelle St Anne
Plemeur Boudou: L'Eglise Saint-Pierre; Orantes de L'Assomption
How to get there: Recommend Brittany Ferries overnight ferry Portsmouth/St Malo enjoying excellent dinner on board. Book Commodore Cabin for day return.
Travelling through France
Stay Les Sorinières
Stayed here on our way to visit French friends at Pyla. Very comfortable former abbey decorated in a traditional understated fashion. Has 'home from home' atmosphere. Excellent dinner and breakfast.
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Was originally part of a group of elite converted classical homes providing a unique hotel experience housed in 'demeures de charme'.
Now part of a marketed group of Hotels & Preference
Skiing France/Switzerland
Stay Saanenmoser
Hotel Hornberg
(not on Expedia)
One of our most favourite hotels in the world! Warm hospitality and excellent food, with very comfortable rooms. Guests return from one year to the next.
Ski Situated in the more interesting part of the Gstaad ski area. For more challenging ski go to Les Diablerets with a guide for the day.
Eat & Aperitif Nowhere better than the Hotel Hornberg!
Stay Morzine
More Mountain
Catered chalet: Perfect ski holiday in the very comfortable Jirishanca. Excellent hosts and delicious food. More Mountain definitely 'went the extra mile' to make everything fabulous.​
Ski Fabulous varied skiing within stunning scenery travelling over great distances. Swiss Wall is tremendous.
Eat Numerous characterful mountain hut restaurants.
And for the evening aperitif:
Le Tremplin, foot of Le Pleney slopes
Skiing with the Grandchildren
Stay Belle Plagne
Perfectly positioned all inclusive hotel. Simple and basic, works well with a crowd! Very child friendly. Excellent restaurant.
Ski Sensational Paradis ski area. Hire a guide to enjoy extensive off-piste. Descending the North Face into an uninhabited valley provides an unforgettable skiing day.
Eat The slopes are packed with traditional mountain hut restaurants.
Everyone has their favourite ski resort - these are ours.
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Saanenmoser is the resort of my childhood & teenage years (as I am half Swiss);
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Zermatt is a longterm favourite;
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Morzine is a recent and very pleasant discovery
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Belle Plagne the resort we took our children to for 10 years in succession.
Morzine: Eglise Sainte Marie Madelaine
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How to get there from Geneva:
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Saanenmoser drive (2 hrs)
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Zermatt Train to Visp, then Visp to Zermatt (Glacier Express) (4hrs), or drive to Visp and leave car in carpark to catch Glacier Express to Zermatt.
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Morzine 1.5 hrs - plenty of operators offering private or shared transfer from £20.
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Belle Plagne 2.5 hrs from Geneva; Full day drive from Calais
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