Your original proposal is a cheap hack.
A small manual transfer switch is not expensive, and is very easy to wire in. Going the simple transfer switch route also gives you a very clear indication of when power is restored to your house, because your other lights/devices will come back to life.
Pulling or flipping the main breaker makes it much harder to know when power is fully restored (especially if it happens in the middle of the night), and increases the probability that you cause damage to yourself, your generator, or your appliances at some point. There is also the possibility that you injure a line worker, though it's much less likely.
If you don't understand the transfer switch concept, PM me and I can give you more info. Or, you're welcome to stop by my place (in Laconia) and I can show you how to wire it up.
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