Menorca with Stephanie de Sola
How is it living in a Summer spot year round (...without the tropical weather)?
The Balearic Islands of Spain are ubiquitous with the summer months, there are however communities who live there year round. What are the islands like in the Winter months? (Temperatures in winter are mostly sunny between 12 and 20 degree)
We visited Menorca, already one of the more laid back Islands of the Balearics, and met with Stephanie de Sola…. Who, along with her husband and 2 daughters moved full time to the Island from Paris 3 years ago.
We visited her at her beautiful traditional Menorcan style home which they renovated just before moving. Stephanie and her husband decided to leave Paris a couple of years ago looking for a quieter, more relaxed lifestyle, away from the city. They settled on a small town called Sant Luis, near Mahon, the larger port town on the Eastern end of the island.
Stephanie works remotely for different fashion brands and is also involved in Real Estate on the island. Her husband quit his job at a large record company and embraced a totally new adventure. After a 6 month immersive master baking course, he opened an incredible bakery/cafe called Pigalle, where you will find the best croissants and bread on the island.
What are the best things or living in this quiet place full time vs a city like Paris? And what are the downsides?
The upside is obviously Nature, peace and quiet, the ease of being on a small island is hard to find in other places. You are isolated so you are pretty much forced to connect with nature because that is what you are surrounded by. The same things can be the downside sometimes. It’s hard to find that “social life” that we were used to when living in Paris, but i’s ok for us at this point in our lives, you can never have it all, and nature and quiet is what we were needing when we left Paris.
Do you stay in the island in the summer time when everyone arrives?
We stayed to work in Pigalle, it’s our busiest time with the bakery. But we always try to leave for a bit. Summer in the island is really fun and we get energized with all the social life that was slower during the winter months. We have big dinner parties for friends and family in our garden, everyone is on vacation and happy and swimming in the cristal clear waters of this island, which is the best therapy you can have. It’s really fun to connect with everyone during big summer parties where we share beautiful mediterranean food and always fresh breads from our bakery, of course!
Name one of your favorite restaurant in the island?
A small simple place by our house called “El Xoco” simple restaurant with really fresh delicious ingredients by the ocean.
The Balearic Islands of Spain are ubiquitous with the summer months, there are however communities who live there year round. What are the islands like in the Winter months? (Temperatures in winter are mostly sunny between 12 and 20 degree)
We visited Menorca, already one of the more laid back Islands of the Balearics, and met with Stephanie de Sola…. Who, along with her husband and 2 daughters moved full time to the Island from Paris 3 years ago.
We visited her at her beautiful traditional Menorcan style home which they renovated just before moving. Stephanie and her husband decided to leave Paris a couple of years ago looking for a quieter, more relaxed lifestyle, away from the city. They settled on a small town called Sant Luis, near Mahon, the larger port town on the Eastern end of the island.
Stephanie works remotely for different fashion brands and is also involved in Real Estate on the island. Her husband quit his job at a large record company and embraced a totally new adventure. After a 6 month immersive master baking course, he opened an incredible bakery/cafe called Pigalle, where you will find the best croissants and bread on the island.
What are the best things or living in this quiet place full time vs a city like Paris? And what are the downsides?
The upside is obviously Nature, peace and quiet, the ease of being on a small island is hard to find in other places. You are isolated so you are pretty much forced to connect with nature because that is what you are surrounded by. The same things can be the downside sometimes. It’s hard to find that “social life” that we were used to when living in Paris, but i’s ok for us at this point in our lives, you can never have it all, and nature and quiet is what we were needing when we left Paris.
Do you stay in the island in the summer time when everyone arrives?
We stayed to work in Pigalle, it’s our busiest time with the bakery. But we always try to leave for a bit. Summer in the island is really fun and we get energized with all the social life that was slower during the winter months. We have big dinner parties for friends and family in our garden, everyone is on vacation and happy and swimming in the cristal clear waters of this island, which is the best therapy you can have. It’s really fun to connect with everyone during big summer parties where we share beautiful mediterranean food and always fresh breads from our bakery, of course!
Name one of your favorite restaurant in the island?
A small simple place by our house called “El Xoco” simple restaurant with really fresh delicious ingredients by the ocean.
