Dolphin surfing in western Brittany

We are very excited to hear news of a visitor to the beautiful bay of Audierne on the western coast of Brittany - a dolphin has been spotted several times recently playing with the waves just near holiday property B616A, a superb spacious modern villa overlooking the sea. This is one of our favourite spots, with miles of white sandy beaches and clear turquoise sea. See our website susanparadise.co.uk for details on how to book your holiday in this stunning location.

Snow and sunshine in the south of France

The variety of landscapes within a short distance in France never fails to astound me. Régine took these pictures this weekend at Auron, just over 100km north of Pégomas, where she and her family went to ski and “faire de la raquette” – walking in snowshoes. Auron is on the edge of the Parc National du Mercantour, a great favourite with nature-loving visitors to the Cote d’Azur. A holiday on the French Riviera offers so much more than lying on a beach in the Mediterranean sunshine; the climate allows plenty of opportunities for enjoying outdoor activities such as hiking, (the Parc du Mercantour has lots of waymarked paths)horse riding, cycling, watching the wildlife,(you may even see a Marmot) rock climbing, fishing…. In fact the possibilities are endless!



A day’s excitement on the snowy slopes does wonders to build up an appetite, and the mountain cuisine of southern France is nothing if not warming – Régine’s party enjoyed regional specialities such as Raclette and Tartiflette, (many of the recipes are based on delicious melted cheeses such as Reblochon, and finely sliced smoked ham, potatoes and cream) local charcuterie, and pierrade, where you cook your own thin strips of meat on a hot stone slab at your table – great fun!


Holiday villas and apartments are being booked up rapidly, so browse through the properties on our website www.susanparadise.co.uk or call us now on 01395 597759 to discuss your holiday requirements – we look forward to hearing from you.

A bientôt!

Régine's Restaurant Reviews - latest...

Régine's search for good places to eat out on the Cote d'Azur continues - last night she dined at the Sot l'y laisse, (apparently this means roughly 'the fool leaves it there' and it relates to a small patch of dark meat on a chicken....)1 Place Suzanne de Villeneuve, 06370 Mouans-Sartoux, France
Tel: 0493755450. There are several choices on the €21.50 menu, and Régine was delighted with the crème de carrotes followed by Dorade (sea bream) aux petits légumes and caramelised apples with ice cream. Truly a mouth-watering experience!

Bon weekend!

Régine's Restaurant Reviews

The Big Wheel in Nice



Régine at Nice flower market

You're starting to dream of this year’s holiday on the Cote d’Azur, and your thoughts turn to all those fabulous opportunities to eat out. The trouble is, you're spoilt for choice - and this is when you can’t beat a bit of local up-to-the-minute knowledge! Our local agent Régine has very kindly been trying out some of the restaurants in the area, and this is what she says:

Le Petit Bouchon, 4 Rue de la République, Mouans Sartoux (the old part of the village). Telephone 04 93 75 65 43. Small restaurant, Lyonnaise cooking, very nice ambiance, good food, examples of meals -
blanquette de veau, filet de boeuf, magret de canard, etc... great “frites” and very good desserts. About €25 for a main meal, a dessert and a glass of wine.




La Merenda (this is the niçois word for a snack) 4 Rue Raoul Bosio in the old part of Nice. Tiny restaurant (easy to miss as you’re walking by) - no telephone, no reservations, and they don’t accept credit cards – cash only. Superb ambiance, and you can see the chef at work in the kitchen at the back. Excellent Niçoise dishes such as pissaladière (a Provençal onion tart with anchovies, olives and herbs)and Pates au Pistou, a distinctive speciality with green pasta with garlic and basil sauce, for which the chef is well known. Delicious desserts include tarte au citron and pears in wine. The dishes change from day to day according to what is fresh at the market. Main dishes - €10 – €20, dessert about €5.



La Merenda - don't miss it!

Self catering holidays in France - booking numbers up!

Despite the relentless gloom-mongering of the media, we have had a busy January here at Susan Paradise, and bookings are ahead compared to this time in 2009 and 2010. We are delighted that nearly 40% of our bookings so far for 2011 come from clients who have been with us before, and have such happy holiday memories that they are coming back - it has to be a good sign! Remember to book early for the best choice of properties.....




Looking forward to the 2011 season, we have some new properties to offer in Brittany - one example is B768A (above) which is a delightful traditional holiday villa in our favourite part of Brittany, in a little hamlet called Pendruc, just 300m from the sea. The beaches around here are wonderful, long stretches of fine white sand - and yet the area remains incredibly uncommercialised. Check our Brittany holiday properties pages on the website for more superb holiday villas and cottages.
As well as a fantastic coastline, Brittany has something for everyone - great food, culture, family friendly destinations, sports facilities - why not make Brittany your holiday destination for 2011?

Bonne Année 2011

We hope that you have had a happy and peaceful Christmas, and we wish you all the best for the coming year. Snow hit us hard here in Devon in December – while I was unable to get out to my French class due to the bad weather, Régine was enjoying her English lessons in her garden on the Cote d'Azur in short sleeves….
We are hoping it is behind us now, and are looking forward to spring flowers, longer days and, eventually, holidays! Book now for the best choice of our villas and apartments in France – take a look at the choice on our website – www.susanparadise.co.uk or phone us on 01395 597759 to talk through your requirements.

Bonne Année 2011!