Holidays

[Teamedup]

For those of you with second homes, where do you go for your holidays.  Do you always go to the second home, because that sounds like having to go somewhere and work to me, or do you have breaks elsewhere as well as using your second home.

 

And those of you who have moved to France, where do you go apart from say family visiting.

 

I suppose I just want to know where you go for a proper break from usual life really.

[Tresco]

We had a holiday home in Pas de Calais. I was utterly exhausted at the end of each 'holiday'.

I've been here 2 years now, and have not been anywhere except England (twice).

I enjoyed those visits but they were very hectic and I did'nt see them as holidays. So i'm gearing up for a proper holiday, perhaps Malta.

[alnmike]

Interesting point! We have our cottage in Manche as an investment for our eventual pension pot. More interesting than shares or bonds to me . We also let it out for a few weeks a year. This money pays for other holidays, and so far we have had a narrowboat break in England, fun but as tiring as working in the cottage. Walking holiday in the Lake District. Also a weeks skiing.

Al (50)

www.passageniveau.com

[Lori]

We haven't had a vacation in 5 years, but are about to have a week in October (not enough, but beggars can't be choosers).  We were not up to the International travel scene as we really want a relaxing week to ourselves, so it is definitely FRANCE !  Husband travels all the time anyway, so more airplanes and airports does not really appeal to him.  Had arranged to have daughter stay with family, but that has been cancelled, so now we are having to find last minute babysitting help.  But, it is still FRANCE....  to gorgeous to go elsewhere and can't stay here - means nothing but work work work. 

[Ziggystardust]

Having moved to South Aveyron in April we are effectively on permanent holiday!

But, having said that, I am already beginning to miss travelling to other parts of the world, we loved holidaying in Corfu and a friend recently returned from Cuba, where we had a holiday a few years back, and it made me want to go back again, but being on a tight budget at the moment it really is out of the question.  But, as previously mentioned on other postings "Beggars can't be choosers!"

I am returning to England for the first time next month to visit family and it will be interesting to see what I make of the old country!

Interesting topic.

Lou.

[Chauffour]

...one week a year in Italy (never enough...)

...one week a year UK (more than enough!)

...from November to March in Hout Bay, Cape Town, South Africa!!! best place in the world!!!

 

[Chardie]

We've had our french holiday home for just over a year now. Lots of work to do on it so every holiday is spent in France. We go back to the UK for a rest, to earn the money to pay for all the things we need  and to organise ourselves for the next trip over. If we had lots of holiday entitlement (like teachers) then we probably would take time out to have a proper weeks rest somewhere like Greece. I dream of lazing by the sea with nothing else to think about but which taverna we are going to eat at that night, -  but reality is we only get 6 to 7 weeks holiday a year. Having said that we are slowly making a lovely home from home in France and we know there will come a time when the work will be done.

Becky

 

[peebee]

We have had our cottage in France for three years now and most of the time has been spent renovating, painting etc.  However in the summer when we have two whole weeks to spend there we have been determined to spend some of that time exploring other areas in France and staying for a few days here and there.

Over the years we have visited many places, mostly in Europe and had really started to hate the whole cenario of queuing up at airports, waiting for bags and being shepherded on and off coaches.  Noisy fellow passengers, screaming kids

Now we feel like we are in charge of our own life and drive onto the ferry or onto the shuttle and away we go.

We will be living in France permanently soon and I'm sure there are enough beautiful areas and fantastic sights to keep us going for a good while to come.

Pat

[Patter]

I go back to England twice a year to see mum.

with camping car we went to spain for five weeks over the Christmas period, been to Luxembourg and Germany and plan to go to Portugal and Austria next year,

end of november going on a cruise,

plus travel france with camping car as much as possible,

we dont go away during July and August, there is always to much going on,

but must admit everything has to be planned, weeds grow like made when we are away.

tricia b (86)

[Anton Redman]

For the ten years the house was working in progress we always intended to have a few days at the end of the work relaxing and touring gently North. Occasionally used to Satruday night at the Normandy in Les Anderleys. Tried twice to have breaks away from the house but found we wanted to get back to work. For both of us a change was as good as a rest.

Since we moved in a couple of trips back to UK hitting music, book and clothes shops ( Isabel only). For Music in particular browsing on line is not the same. Attacked London as tourists did the Sir John Soames Museum, joined National Trust and other things we meant to do when we worked there but never found the time.

We intended to drive down through Italy, take ferry to Greece and boats accross to Alexandria then Cairo  but house work got in the way last year.  May do that or Southern Morroco next year. We are also doing the tourist bit round us that we never had time to do in previous years. Local Franco Roman baths etc.

[Poppy]

We have lived in France for 16 years. For many years we did not have a holiday but 4 years ago we rediscovered Spain. We drive to the Costa Brava in May and September each year for about 10 days. Then in December we drive to southern Spain to escape the French winter. The prices are so cheap in Spain that we reckon particularly in the winter,when you take into account heating costs, that it is cheaper to go away than stay at home.

France is a beautiful country, but in our experience French hotels are much more expensive than equivalent Spanish ones.

Jan

Lost in the Lot and sometimes Spain

[Deimos]

(I live in France permanently).

Don’t have holidays (have not for many years anyway). I do try to do something different every now and again (a “mad idea” or something). One thing I think I am totally failing to make use of is the fact that France is connected to the rest of Europe and you can easily just drive to other countries, no ferries, no booking, etc. Today I met somebody from Belgium who was here for the weekend. It was only a 6 hr drive to Dept 49 and it brought home to me how close a lot of the rest of Europe is and how I am not (yet) making use of that. I was thinking about buying a camper van (allowing me to take the dogs on my travels as well) but have not yet done so (and may not). Maybe just because I’m happy doing what I’m doing.

Ian

[Teamedup]

You are right about taking advantage of living on the european mainland. Sometimes on my way home from say shopping (hate doing it) especially as autumn starts and always evening time, those glorious autumn evenings with the sky glorious reds...... I think I could just keep on driving and driving, right to the Bering Sea, just keep going and going and going............ I'm not sure if my little car would be up to it, but I would.

And my husband quite surprised me one night on our way home from friends, he suggested that we just keep driving..... great, we get rid of the kids and the dog is a constraint. If we hadn't got the dog, I would have been game.

And that too was  autumn, last autumn. Do we have migrational urges.

If we were rich I wouldn't mind having a second and third home, but as things are, I think I prefer just having holidays. I used to love our skiing holidays, and for all there is skiing here and we have had them in France, we have also been on skiing holidays in Switzerland, Austria and Italy.

These days we'll go anywhere at any time of year, I'm not a sun hunter and can enjoy anywhere at just about any time.

[Val_2]

We don't take holidays as such in the sense of going away from home especially in summer because its all going on here and we would miss so much locally plus people tend to want to come and see us. Many Bretons in our region especially those in the agricultural world have never,their parents and grandparents before them  ,taken any holidays away from the farm and many here still do that as they cannot afford to lose any income to see them through the leaner months. Our "holiday treats" are days or half days out to fêtes or a different beach or town and we prefer that as well as having a relaxing day in the garden after a leisurely lunchtime BBQ or even a meal out. Most of our neighbours who can afford a holiday tend to go in the February holidays either skiing or to Martinique or Tunisia when its cheap.

[Richard-R]

We spend a couple of months each winter at our house on Providenciales. In a few years when we sell up in France will will move there full time and than buy a holiday home more equatorial, Indian or Pacific Ocean.

[Teamedup]

Same round here Val2, many of the local paysanne have never been anywhere. The faux pauvre amoungst them who look like they haven't two cent to rub together are viticulteurs and are well off. Many of them still don't travel either.

A friend was talking to a paysanne up in the mountains, an old bloke and he said that he had only been to the local big town once in his life. She was quite shocked.

 

Thursday's child me, and my feet really do get itchy, good job me old man's a Thursday's child too.

[Alexis]

I go to the UK to see family but not every year.  This year we are having a proper holiday and going up to Scotland for a few days whilst we are there.

We tend to go away for a few days here and there but locally.  Winter we go to Concale for lunch and a mooch about.

We are really stick-in-the-muds.  You need dynamite to get Gilles out of his chair.  It was a glorious evening for a walk last night but.....I'm as bad

[RayB]

[quote](I live in France permanently).Don’t have holidays (have not for many years anyway). I do try to do something different every now and again (a “mad idea” or something). One thing I think I am totall...[/quote]

**Maybe just because I’m happy doing what I’m doing.**

We sort of have the same feeling, however, we normally like to take 4 days to a week just to get away for a while in Oct/Nov and Mar/April. Our problem is that we are so in love with where and how we live at home, going anywhere else almost seems 'down-market' and costs a bunch of money. We can afford it but it just seems like a waste of money. Loving the coast as we do, we have covered it from Caen to Nantes more than once. Being somewhat disabled precludes us from long trips to other countries.

Ah well . . . !

[Cerise]

Interesting thread.  I have always loved holidays and find it strange that everyone expects me to have changed because I live in France.  There is still a great big world out there for me to see.

Don't spend lots of money - cos I don't have it to spend  - but try to get away when I can.  Since we run B & B summer holidays are now off - but managed a sunny week in Spain at the end of November last year and currently planning a couple of weeks in Greece for the end of this October with French friends.  Spend my spare time (not much of it) looking for really cheap plane tickets on internet so occasionally nip back to UK for weekend to see friends.

Suppose because my friends tend to be people who also like travelling we have several friends with houses in interesting places so tend to go there and put them up free here in return.

I do now feel a bit hampered by the fact that I can't go whenever I like, but I really feel that holidays are something you either love or hate.  Have never felt it was really about money as most of my non-holidaying acquaintances simply have different priorities.  For example, one person who recently told me they can't 'afford' a holiday, bought a home cinema.  Well for me that is the price of several holidays - I don't even have a satellite dish!

So, TU, the answer is for me the same as when I lived in UK - wherever I can, whenever I can!

Maggi

 

[Adrian]

We have always made it a policy to go somewhere other than our French house for our main 'summer' holiday - so we're off to Turkey at the weekend.

This is because however much we love being there (and it has been a lifesaver for the last decade or so) we do need a break somewhere where we have no responsibilities whatsoever and the kids won't suddenly phone and say "We've booked a Ryanair cheapie using your credit card. Our flight lands at 5pm tomorrow so can you pick us up, oh, and you'll need to amend your return ferry so we can come back with you next weekend!" 

We go wherever we think it won't rain, and often with friends. Sometimes our holiday has been on the Med coast of France so it isn't France we're avoiding.

I'm 'fortunate' in that I worked 54 days at weekends last year so with my annual leave, bank holidays, weekends and deferred rest days I managed 83 days at the French house and 14 in Rhodes!

I retire in a few years - it will be interesting to see where we live and holiday then         

[Hewitts]

An interesting post.

With Australia being such a huge country sad to say in our 36 years here we have not seen a great deal of it. Mostly trips up and down the eastern coast and a trip to Tasmania. Planning to be what is termed here "greynomads", meaning taking off with something to tow on the back of the jam jar for a couple of months round Australia. The camping areas are full of 60 ish folks doing the trip and we hope to be amongst them next year, and it is such a huge Country noone gets under your feet and lots of open road and quiet places to camp. In the meantime, visiting Western Australia to meet up with some friends from Wales in February, they will be escaping the Welsh winter and who won't!!

Also planning another trip to UK and of course France for 2006 which seems to be a every two year thing as long as funds will allow.

Funny how where ever you live, the last place you go on holidays is your own backyard. I was born and lived in Greenwich, London and it was not until I had children of my own to show things to that I started to do the London tourist thing embarrassed to admit that my first trip to the Tower of London was with my kids when they were little, because when I lived there is was all so familiar and part of my everyday life that I didn't take advantage of my youth and get to know my city all that well and now have to do it it fits and bursts when I return.

I have visited far more of Sydney's tourist attractions than I ever did in London because we have lots of visitors and we pile them in the car and take off to show them the sights.

I guess in London it was a case of up and off to the train and tube to work and back again, and taking the views of the city from the train for granted, as well as growing up in one of the most historical suburbs of London and playing in the huge Greenwich park every day after school in sight of Queen Anne's palace, the Royal Naval college and the Observatory and having Sir John Vanburgh's castle at the end of my road. Such treasures and how I took it all for granted!!!

Still plenty of life in the old girl yet so round Australia, and Uk and France thats my long term plan for the next two years with WA thrown in too.

[Tourangelle]

We went to Greece this year, last year it was Italy. I find we are doing similar things to friends in France and the UK. We do quite a few short breaks too, that does differ from people in the UK, we love the area around Lac Leman, both the French and Swiss side. We don't like skiing unlike many friends round here, and generally tend to go south in winter if we have the opportunity, even if it is just for a few days. It is not so much for the warmer weather, as often there isn't any, but it is to visit places we wouldn't want to go to in the middle of summer

[SaligoBay]

but it is to visit places we wouldn't want to go to in the middle of summer

So true!!  We went for a day out in the Cévennes/gorges de l'Hérault with some guests a couple of weeks ago.  Found a space by the river (eventually!), had picnic, swam, fished, etc etc, then decided to stop off at St Guilhem le Désert on the way back.   No way!!   For a tiny village of, I don't know, fewer than 500 inhabitants? it took over 20 minutes just to get past it, the tourist traffic was soooooo dense!!   Not a snowball's chance of getting a parking place, and even if we had it would have been like visiting a shopping mall on Christmas Eve.

VERY cute out of season though, can highly recommend it. 

 

 

[letrangere]

St Guilhem le Désert

We nearly bought a house here in the early 90s.  Shame we didn't 'cos it was a poor man's Provence at the time but is now catching (caught?) up.  Exquisite village but we had seen it only in the spring and then September, which just goes to prove you should always view the house of your dreams at the WORST time of the year.  And this could be mid-winter or, then again, mid-summer.  M

[Chas]

Family and friends who visit have the idea that because we live here we are on permanent holiday and seem surprised that we too like to get away. We believe that a break from tiling, cement, painting and renovating  etc is essential - and we are off to Cyprus on Monday for three weeks.