Excellence Luxury Villas

Few would argue that the coast north of Phuket is paradise made literal: white sand, water of an almost indecent blue, palms leaning in as if eavesdropping, and a pace of life that barely qualifies as one. Everything about a holiday on this stretch of the Andaman Sea should be effortless. Everything, that is, except the flight from Heathrow, which even in business class remains a long way to travel for a sunbed.

Brittany rarely tops anyone’s list of luxurious escapes (yes, Le Croisic is technically in the Pays de la Loire these days, but it’s Breton in spirit, history and accent, and no one here will tell you otherwise). Perhaps it’s the proximity to Britain, which breeds a certain familiarity. Perhaps it’s the longitude, which puts it a little too far west to feel properly Continental. Or perhaps the south of France has simply been shouting about elegance for so long that nobody can hear anyone else. Look closer, though, and you’ll see how much you’ve been missing.