Annecy may lack the glamour and reputation of the bigger Euro ski resorts, but for a trip with kids in tow, it’s near perfect November 17, 2017 One of the biggest issues facing us cosseted west Londoners at this time of year is where to go for our family skiing holiday. Given the lack of parliamentary time to cover this imperative issue I’d like to throw an option into the debate – Lake Annecy. The marketing department in France clearly thinks that [...]
Sailing the Faroe Islands in a 60 foot round-the-world racing yacht, with zero experience July 21, 2017 This is a monumental step-up. Six months after a blissful family sailing holiday in Greece, I am climbing into a Fladen survival suit on a 60 foot round-the-world racing yacht in Torshavn harbour, which you will of course recognise as the capital of the Faroe Islands. I’m wondering if I’ve bitten off more than I [...]
Leave the beach behind and trek Europe’s prettiest mountain range, the Dolomites November 30, 2016 Sun seekers might disagree, but in my opinion there are few better places to spend the summer than the Alps, where you can find dozens of activities to suit everyone from uber athletes to Uber passengers. My family needed a little convincing too, before they’d agree to spend their holidays in the mountains rather than [...]
The Royal Palm in Mauritius: The best resort hotel in the Indian Ocean is back with a bang December 7, 2014 The Royal Palm, haunt of former French presidents François Mitterrand and Jacques Chirac, has just undergone a £10m refurbishment. It was already the best hotel in Mauritius and, in the words of Spinal Tap, it has just turned it up to eleven, upgrading to become the only six star hotel in Mauritius. The Royal Palm [...]
Crillon-le-Brave: Cycle one of the Tour de France’s most feared routes November 2, 2014 The wonderfully named Crillon-le-Brave is a picture postcard Provencal village that lies at the foot of the Mt Ventoux. The village suffix – le Brave – was added by Henry IV in the 14th century in honour of his swashbuckling general Louis des Balbes de Berton de Crillon. He was apparently “the brave of [...]
