Merry Christmas / joyeux Noel

We wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy and healthy 2010.
From Susan, Ghislaine and Régine.
A bientôt!

Susan Paradise - favourite charities

Here’s a little more background information on Susan Paradise Ltd. We regularly support several charities that are of special interest to us. These include:
Assohuma – a French humanitarian organisation providing help to women and children throughout the world.

Julian House - provides support to homeless people in Bath, north-east Somerset and west Wiltshire
Devon Wildlife Trust - conserves wildlife in Devon by managing nature reserves, safeguarding endangered species and environments and educating the public.

Please click on the links to find out more about our favourite charities at Susan Paradise.

Birthday celebrations on the Côte d'Azur

This weekend Régine and Pat (and Titou of course) held a wonderful party at Pégomas for their friend Gilou’s 70th birthday, shellfish and champagne were enjoyed by all, followed by apple crumble and strawberries. Gilou was moved and delighted by his present of a photo album full of pictures and memories the friends have shared over the years. A votre santé, félicitations et bon anniversaire, Gilou!

If you have an occasion to celebrate with family and friends, why not make it truly memorable and do it in France?! Several of our previous clients have rented larger properties to make a birthday or anniversary a really extra special event – take a look at the More the Merrier on our website, or phone to speak to us about your particular holiday requirements.

Truffle time

Attention – the truffle season is starting in the south of France, and continues until March. Truffles are underground mushrooms that grow around the roots of various plants, including oak trees, and sometimes lavender and thyme, and it is very big business, especially in the Provence / Cote d’Azur region, where most of France’s truffle production occurs. (I have to admit that I have never yet sampled a truffle, but am fascinated by the idea – apparently in 2006 £165,000 was paid for a white truffle weighing 1.5kg, presumably they must taste wonderful!)

Some truffles grow wild, and are hunted out by specially trained pigs or dogs, and some are cultivated – the cultivation of truffles is expanding greatly, and large numbers of truffle-friendly trees have been planted in south east France since the 1990s.

The famous truffle market at Le Rouret near Grasse is held on January 10th 2010, and it is rumoured that it may be possible to visit the experimental Black Truffle Farm (Champ d’Essai Trufficole) during the local truffle festival in January, although the whole operation is shrouded in secrecy.

Of course Provence and the Cote d’Azur have lots to offer besides truffles, sea, sun, superb countryside and an abundance of gastronomic delights which won’t break the bank! Visit our website to browse through some fabulous holiday homes in the Provence / Cote d’Azur region of France….

Winter sunshine on the Côte d'Azur

Régine, Pat and Titou lunched outdoors on the terrace in Pégomas (near Grasse on the Côte d’Azur) today, because they have glorious sunshine – it’s 23°c even in the shade!
Browse through a selection of our holiday properties in and around Grasse, and make your sunshine dreams come true!

Sunshine over Sidmouth

The sun is beaming down on us this morning from a bright blue sky. We are lucky to work in such a beautiful place in the heart of the Devon countryside. The office is the converted barn you can see covered in climbing plants in the picture.

Outside there is no sound apart from the wild birds. There is usually some sort of activity going on around the bird feeders; our regular visitors include blue tits, long tailed tits, nuthatches, greenfinches, goldfinches and woodpeckers (both green and greater spotted). Pied wagtails are often to be seen strutting around outside the French windows (they like to nest in the wisteria) and the robin sits on the bench outside where he can keep an eye on us. Less welcome is the sparrowhawk, but I suppose it plays its part in the scheme of things just like all the others. There are often two or three buzzards circling over the valley as well. Now that it’s dark when I’m leaving the office after work, I’m accompanied by the calls of tawny owls echoing around the hillside. It’s a haven for wildlife with all the different habitats – woodland, hedges and fields, and there is an abundance of deer, rabbits, squirrels and badgers. One day we even saw a stoat carrying its prey past the office window. Nature always provides us with something to watch here.

However much we love this rural idyll, we know that such solitude isn’t everyone’s idea of a good time – all tastes vary, which is why we like to talk in person to our clients looking for a holiday in Brittany or the Cote d’Azur / Provence, find out exactly what they are looking for and do our best to find their ideal holiday property. For example, if you’re looking for a holiday in the tranquillity of a countryside retreat in Provence (but still an easy drive to restaurants and the market) click on P108B at St Michel l’Observatoire. See also our section on rural French holiday properties.

If, however, a break to take in the bright lights and vibrant nightlife of the French Riviera is more your scene, take a look at C385A in Cannes centre, just 150m from La Croisette.

Susan's visit to the World Travel Market

Last week Susan went to the World Travel Market at Docklands. This is a vast international travel trade fair and the place was buzzing with agents from all over the world. Who says the travel industry is in demise!! The main reason for her visit was to meet with our colleagues from France-Favourites; we are a group of 7 small agencies specialising in self catering holidays in different regions of France. We know the resorts in our regions and the many activities you can enjoy. Plus we've developed our own networks of contacts in the area to help you plan and enjoy your holiday, whether it's booking a surf lesson or finding a good beach for the kids. We believe in ‘service as it used to be’ - we're all ‘small & friendly’ independent companies who've got to know their clients over the years. We're the antithesis of today's corporate call centre culture! No need to spend hours trawling the internet - France Favourites is your research shortcut. http://www.france-favourites.co.uk/

Christmas market in Provence

We like to keep Christmas in its proper place, in December – having said that, some forward planning allows for a more relaxing celebration, so to get you in a mellow and festive mood, we recommend a visit to the Christmas market on the Place de l’Horloge in Avignon – from November 26th through until January 2nd. The streets are decorated with Christmas lights, Santa has his own little house, and there are about 60 chalets selling all manner of Christmas goodies and food. Why not make a real winter break of it with a stay in Saint Rémy de Provence (only about 30 minutes’ drive from Avignon) – look at our choice of garden apartments, P339A, P339B, P339C and P339D - all a short and pleasant walk from the centre of this attractive little town. Don’t miss this opportunity to shop in style – (maybe even under a blue sky!) and pick up some original and delightful Christmas presents .

Titou has a friend to stay

Titou has been entertaining un petit ami - Pretty the dog. Here you see them making plans for the day, Titou teaching Pretty how to climb a tree, and both relaxing on the chaise longue after a exciting time.

Art exhibition at Valbonne

After choosing the palm tree, a cycad which will have pride of place next to the swimming pool at La Maison Bleue, Régine and Cris went to Valbonne to look round an art exhibition at the Chapelle Saint Esprit, just next to the church. The abstract landscape paintings are by Genevieve Deroudilhe and the sculptures (strange animals) are by Jean Luc Mespoulet; Régine and Cris enjoyed it very much, and you can see their favourite pieces above. The exhibition continues until November 8th. France is excellent for all sorts of cultural events - see the events pages on our website for more ideas for things to see and do and places to go when you’re on holiday in Provence, the Cote d’Azur and Brittany.

Palm tree shopping on the Côte d'Azur

Over on the Côte d’Azur, Régine has been shopping for a palm tree to grace the poolside area at C59A. She and her friend Cris went to the Pépinière Sainte Marguerite in Grasse, it is one of the best garden centres in the region and there is plenty of choice. The garden centres at the moment are full of huge colourful Chrysanthemums which the French like to use to decorate their houses, gardens, churches etc for the Toussaints (All Saints) festival on November 1st.

We are animal lovers here at Susan Paradise Ltd, and we’d like to intoduce you to our pets.
Polly and Chloe are the two black cats often to be found hard at work here at our office here in the Devon countryside. Polly is, despite being considerably larger, Chloe’s daughter. She sees herself as a dab ‘paw’ at the keyboard, although her emails are generally quite unintelligible. Chloe’s main duty is to warm the seats in the office.

Napoleon, my lurcher, works from home in Honiton, guarding the house, but he enters into the spirit of things, and knows a few French words. He is a comfort seeking hound, and always opts for a self-catering cottage on holiday, as he really dislikes camping and cold weather.

Titou is our feline Côte d’Azur correspondent; he prefers snacking on foie gras and ice cream to doing any real work, but he is very sociable, and always gives us a warm welcome to the Côte d’Azur.

If you are thinking of taking your pets on holiday to France, call us to discuss our pet-friendly properties, or look at the Pets on holiday in France section on our website.

Gorgeous garden in Grasse

Isn’t this Plumbago flower a fabulous colour? The owner of one of our French holiday properties ( see picture of house and pool above) just sent me this lovely picture; for me it really conjures up memories of the wonderful clear blue of the summer sky on the French Riviera. The property is a nineteenth century Provençal farmhouse 2km from the centre of Grasse and the garden is a 3500m² oasis of calm with exotic and tender Mediterranean plants and a large private swimming pool. For more details of how to rent this house, click on C174A. And for plant enthusiasts, click on the regional guides on our website for ideas of fascinating French gardens to visit.

Pigeonnier holiday in peaceful Provence

P324D is a tastefully renovated pigeonnier for 4 people in a stunning location in the foothills of Haute Provence. It is part of a small private hamlet (consisting of an 18th century mill and a stone farmhouse) and there is a beautiful swimming pool which is shared with three other holiday properties and the French owners who occasionally occupy another cottage. We love the silence and the clear air here (it is claimed that this is the clearest sky in Europe, brilliant for star gazing, and the St Michel Observatory is situated just 20km away) – this one is strictly for lovers of the countryside. The owner takes a real pride in the sympathetic restoration of her properties, retaining the original features and carefully choosing colours and materials to create a warm atmosphere. The views are unbelievable; this is the perfect spot to get away from it all and completely relax. It’s ideal for walking or cycling, and the little village of Banon (which has food shops, a bookshop, a Tuesday market and a couple of restaurants) is only 4km away.

Holiday in St Rémy de Provence

Our September visit to the south of France included two properties new on our books for 2010:P349A is a holiday bungalow for 2 in a great position; it is an easy 500m walk from the centre of St Rémy, which is one of our favourite places to stay in Provence – there is so much to do and see in this area. It is famous for its unique light which inspired many of the paintings of Vincent van Gogh, and you can follow in his footsteps and pause awhile in places where he actually painted. This wonderful little town at the foot of the Alpilles mountains is a also a haven for lovers of history (visit the beautifull preserved remains of the ancient Roman town at Glanum) and gastronomy (St Rémy boasts an excellent range of restaurants, a lively market and a superb choice of really original food shops ( where else could you find coffee roasted on the premises, locally reared snails and an exceptional variety of cheeses presented as a work of art…? ) After exploring you can return to the peace and quiet of the little private terrace and garden at the bungalow, or enjoy a refreshing dip in the large shared pool.

The farmers' market at Pégomas

One of the highlights of my working year is a trip to the south of France, especially a stay in Pégomas. This was my sixth year of visiting, and I still get that little shiver of anticipation as I stroll down through the village to the farmers’ market before a hard day’s villa inspection! There is nothing like the morning air in the hills of southern France, and I never tire of the sounds and smells of a waking French village…. The market itself is a real treat for the senses with the aroma of fresh Provençal herbs, fruit and vegetables filling the air. Although the smell of warm bread, newly baked croissants and pastries from the artisan baker is difficult to resist, a scented sun-soaked peach and a plump fresh fig are my essential purchases to start my day. On the morning before our return to the UK I need to stock up on a hoard of French memories to tide me over until our next visit; Martine’s delicatessen counter is just the thing for rich locally made tapenades, delicious cheeses and mouthwatering saucissons. Not to mention the regional wines, fruit juices and liquers. No wonder I can hardly lift my suitcase on the return journey!

Garden apartment, sleeps 2, walk to Pégomas market, shops and restaurants

Old Antibes - recommended Italian restaurant

On Saturday evening Régine and her husband Pat ate out in the delightful old part of Antibes (le viel Antibes) in an Italian restaurant ‘Michelangelo’. During the Cannes Film Festival Régine had heard on a radio programme that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie had been to Michelangelo for a pizza, so she was keen to see what the restaurant was like. She tells us that it is very nice; a warm atmosphere, chic surroundings for a pizzeria, attractive little round tables with pretty checked tablecloths. Very pleasant staff and delicious pizzas. The Italian wine is very good – and the desserts (tarte au citron, ice cream, tiramasu) are enormous! The walls are covered with a fascinating array of photos of the rich and famous who have dined here before – Régine recommends Michelangelo to anyone on holiday in the Côte d’Azur.

Holiday apartment in the centre of Old Antibes, sleeps 2, no need for a car!

The Côte d'Azur team

Here is the Côte d'Azur team - Susan Paradise, Régine (our local agent for the Côte d'Azur holiday villas)and Ghislaine taking a well-earned break at the Grill de la Mourachonne, newly open in Pégomas, near Grasse. This lovely sunny terrace is the ideal spot for a refreshing cup of tea or 'Diabolo Menthe' and a moment's relaxation in a busy schedule of villa inspections. We took the chance for a quick peek at the spacious dining room downstairs where evening meals are served -it looked very appealing.

Welcome

Welcome to 'Enjoy France!' This is the blog of Susan Paradise Ltd, a small independent agency for holiday villas in France. We have a real passion for France, and would like to share on our blog snippets on all things French, news from the other side of the channel, recommendations on places to go and things to do ....in fact anything we have found that would be of interest to our fellow Francophiles.


Are you looking for a family holiday by the beach in Brittany? Or a romantic break for two on the Côte d'Azur? A peaceful hideaway in rural Provence? You've come to the right place - visit our website http://www.susanparadise.co.uk/ for some fabulous holiday properties in Provence / Côte d'Azur and Brittany, or call us on 01395 597759 to discuss your holiday requirements.