This week, rather than outline what we have achieved in the last 7 days as we would normally do, we thought it would be good to outline why we think a trip to Kergudon is the perfect family holiday in the post-COVID world.
I say ‘post’ COVID but, in reality, when things get back to any sort of normality they will have to do so taking account that COVID will still exist. That is likely shape how people behave and what we do for some time to come.
A couple of weeks ago the UK Health Secretary said that for 2020, ‘big, lavish international holidays’ would not be possible. Indeed, with the requirement for travellers between the UK and France having to enter 14 days quarantine in each direction, we are acutely aware that we will not be able to welcome UK guests for the foreseeable future.
This will of course change at some point and people will be able to travel on holiday, and we want to let you know all the reasons why Kergudon is the ideal destination in these new times – and you can have as ‘lavish’ a time here as you want!
Getting Here
Getting to Kergudon couldn’t be easier, or safer.
While we understand that coronavirus is likely to be devastating to the airline industry, we know that lots of people will be reluctant to travel in a sealed metal tube sharing the air that all the passengers are breathing!
Travelling as a family by car to Kergudon is simple. Brittany Ferries provide an excellent service from either Portsmouth or Plymouth with a fleet of spacious ships where you can socially distance as much as you like, even staying outside on deck in good weather. Sailing from Plymouth you arrive in the charming port city of Roscoff when you are only a 45 minute drive to us. From Portsmouth you can choose the historic cities of St. Malo (2 ½ hours away) or Caen (4 hours) both of which are definitely worth a visit. We can offer our guests a reduction of 20% on the price of your crossing.
If you suffer from mal de mer and ferries aren’t your thing, Eurotunnel is a convenient, and safe, option. While it is a little longer to drive to reach us, we’re almost as far west as you can get in France, most people who have driven in France find it so much more relaxing than driving in the UK with the quieter, and better maintained, roads.
Accommodation
When at Kergudon all of our gîtes are separate from our own home and from each other allowing you to spend your time together without interacting with anyone outside of your family. With your own parking spaces and front door you can live home-from-home and socialise as much, or as little, as you choose.
Your gîte will be prepared for you and cleaned to the highest standard and we have signed up to the Sawday’s Clean and Safe Charter.
Each of the gîtes have their own private garden space where, again, you can enjoy the gardens and nature around us separated from others. We are very fortunate in that we are surrounded by nature. With the exception of the odd farmers’ tractor, this is the most peaceful place. During the day there is no traffic noise just lots and lots of birdsong while at night the only noise is another bird – one of our many local owls. The sky is unspoilt by light pollution and provides an amazing place to sit and stargaze.
We do have some ‘communal’ facilities such as the boot room, mountain bikes, pétanque pitch and games room where we will put procedures in place to ensure that there is no risk to guests in their use. For example, the games room, can be reserved by a particular gîte for their private use for pool, table football or a family film night using the cinema.
Things to do
The first point to make is that this part of Finistère is not Magaluf and, generally, people who want to holiday in Magaluf don’t come to Finistère!
In many respects, this part of the world is the perfect place for the socially isolated break. Rural and sparsely populated you can walk for hours in this beautiful countryside without seeing another person. Walking from Kergudon you can take a picnic and spend the entire day walking through the forest to Menez-Meur, Mont St. Michel or Sizun. A short drive from us opens up hundreds of other walking opportunities for a day’s walk.
If you’d rather a less energetic activity and prefer a day’s lounging on the beach, Finistère is a coastal département with hundreds of miles of beaches. The choice is almost endless between wide sandy beaches, small rocky coves and dog-friendly bays. With so many to choose from, and all accessible from our central location of Kergudon, you can always find one where you can sit far from the madding crowd.
If neither walking nor beach lounging appeal, there are many interesting towns and villages to visit and explore. From the ancient Breton charm of Locronan, to old merchant architecture of Morlaix or the départemental capital ‘city’ of Quimper there is a huge variety of explore.
Many of these have their own food markets which have been allowed to continue as a source of excellent, generally locally produced food. Our favourites are those in Morlaix (Saturday), Daoulas (Sunday) and Landerneau (Thursday to Saturday).
Alternatively, if you’d simply rather enjoy spending time together as a family in a peaceful, beautiful environment, without the stresses and strains of your usual life and routines, with the added benefits of French produce and wine, we’d love to welcome you to Kergudon.
Travel restrictions will be lifted at some point and it will be possible to visit France from the UK and we hope you’ll come and see us here in Saint Cadou and see why we think this is the perfect place to spend precious time together. In the meantime, stay safe, stay healthy and stay local – or you can drive between London and Durham if you don’t care about anyone else 😉
Á beintôt.