We are not resort people. Maybe if we had the financial means to stay at a resort when our kids were little, we would have a different opinion, but overall, it's not our thing. Then, we stayed at Chez Pierre...this is not your typical resort. There are no dance lessons, kids playing in a pool, or buffets. This is a quiet place to relax, connect with the sea, and enjoy amazing food prepared by a French Canadian chef with a flair for combining Caribbean and classic European flavors. For this, we are resort people. We've travelled a lot and stayed in some amazing places, but this is, by far, my favorite. Here's why: 1. The most wonderful open air bedrooms.These remind me of the coveted shelters available to back packers on Isle Royale, except each has a bed, and a simple bathroom. The front, screened-in porch becomes the main living space, simple Bahama shuttered screen windows provide cross ventilation for the sleeping area, and the bathroom has a warm water shower, as well as shelves/pegs for clothing storage. While the shower is salt water, we felt clean and sand free during our 5 night stay. When Pierre shows you to your bungalow, he will instruct on sand management - washing your feet before entering. He recommends walking barefoot down the beach to each breakfast and dinner. Of course, we followed his suggestions and it was marvellous. 2. Start and end your day with beautiful food prepared by a chef.Walk from your bungalow, along the water's edge to Pierre's airy restaurant with a large, screened porch and a simple, Bohemian vibe. For the made to order breakfast, you have a choice of a fresh omelette, French toast, eggs with meat and toast, or yogurt with fruit. During breakfast, Pierre will ask what you prefer for dinner, with a choice between a seafood or non-seafood option daily. During our stay, we enjoyed mahi, grouper, wahoo, scallops, lobster, all accompanied by the most delicious fresh salad, sometimes pasta, and occasionally some of the best pizza we've ever eaten. Hands down, the best food we've eaten on our MANY trips to the Bahamas Out Islands was everything made by Pierre.
3. A beautiful crescent shaped, soft sand beach.Gin clear water and soft sand make for some wonderful swimming and floating. I found the sweetest little sea star on my very first dive within minutes of arriving. It's also a great beach for shelling with bleached coral pieces and shells of all kinds. We walked two beaches over in the northern direction and paddled several beaches southward. Snorkelling in the immediate beach area will not have a lot of fish, but others staying the same week as us had the thrill of seeing a nurse shark up close. We did enjoy snorkelling some nicely fishy areas surrounding the tiny cays on the south end of the beach. 4. KayaksChez Pierre has a few kayaks available for use, complete with life vests and great paddles. Even on windy days, the beach is in a protected cove, allowing for paddling fun. Near the end of our stay, we lucked out with a windless day, leaving the sea flat and crystal clear. We were able to paddle far enough south to see Salt Pond. 4. Great location For those new to the Out Islands, it might seem that a mile long stretch on a rough, unpaved road is insurmountable. However, those of us lucky to have discovered the rewards at the end of these drives know that it is worth the time to slow down, and enjoy the journey. Chez Pierre is centrally located enough on Long Island to enjoy day trips to both the extreme north end (Cape Santa Maria Beach, Columbus Point, and Stella Maris) and the south end (Gordon's Beach, Dean's Blue Hole, Galloway Beach, etc.). Salt Pond, including Hillside Market, the liquor store, gas station, and farmer's market are 15-20 minutes away. There are many, many more beaches to discover at every point between, including due east of Chez Pierre. We were looking forward to a return to Cat Island for spring break after another Michigan winter. As happens sometimes, our plans started getting a little complicated. Once those complications reached a certain point, I knew that it was meant to be - a return to Long Island with a longer stay at Chez Pierre. Within a few hours of cancelling our Cat Island plans, I had everything set for our return to this wonderful resort. We can't wait!
For more information, please check out this link: Chez Pierre For stays of 5 or more days, rates are $155 per cottage, double occupancy, which includes breakfast and dinner daily. Stays fewer than 5 days are $175 per day, double occupancy.
2 Comments
Don Kennedy
3/6/2020 01:09:01 am
Hi Elizabeth,
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Elizabeth
3/6/2020 03:08:30 am
Hi Don,
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AuthorI'm a mom to two, wife to one, and a math teacher to many. We live on Michigan's West Coast, in the beautiful town of Holland. We love the people, natural beauty, and peaceful vibe of the Bahamas Out Islands. Archives
December 2021
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