August Sans Auto

Yes I keep using this photo in this blog, because I just love the colours.


2 weeks till we go to Port Vendres - a much shorter break than usual this year, but greatly anticipated!! Along the Cote Vermeille this has been one of those hot summers that we get every 3rd year or so. From the avantage point of a 'changeable' London summer this for me is an added bonus. With any luck it will get up to 34c when we are there. If its hot by day you spend more time in the sea, take siestas in the midday, and then spend some more time again on the beach in the evenings.

We're got family and friends coming and going at different times this year, so we're experimenting without the 8 seater people carrier. We often do this in autumn or spring, it just takes more planning in the summer when we want to visit all the beaches, including the distant beaches. Of course its easy to walk to any of Port Vendres beaches - Le Gibraltar, Oli, Boeuf, and the swimming hole etc. Walking to an fro to neighbouring Collioure is a given, in fact during the 3-day festival of St Vincente - August 14-16, - you can't drive to Collioure because so many people come in for fireworks and dancing that the local coast road is shut to traffic Friday Night. I plan to take the coastal bus to Les Pauliles and probably Sentier Sous Marine. The tourist office were offering one weeks free bus pass to any visitor - perhaps they will do that again this year. Getting to Le Racou sandy beach at St Cyprienne will take more planning: 5 min train to Argeles and then taxi to Le Racou - but how to get back???? We might also take a day trip by train to Gerona to see Dan off, and visit the old city. We could train it to Barcelona and stay over night. But I have a feeling everyone will just want to collapse on the beach...

Penny in the square

First guests in 2009

Its a sunny morning in London and I have just received feedback from our first guests, a family from Germany who stayed for 2 weeks with their 3 children during the mini-heatwave we had in late June this year. Here is some of their feedback:

"Dear Karla
We enjoyed our stay in the Garden Apartment very much. After we arrived

we were very friendly welcomed by Evelyne who looked after us very well.

Great thanks to Evelyne.

We loved the cosy atmosphere in the Apartment, the lovely view from up

there of the harbour and the friendliness of the people of Port Vendre.

We loved to sit on the terrace in the morning and in the evening and

enjoyed the French food (and the rose-wine from Collioure). Our Kids

enjoyed the films from your DVD collection (especially the Lord of the

Rings), though they could watch it only in English language (so they can

better imagine why it´s worthy to learn English well ...).

We cooked most of the time at the Garden Apartment, used your barbeque and

enjoyed the Mediterranean food. At first we were a little bit disappointed about the

beaches in PV were not as "sandy" compared with the beaches at the Costa

Brava. But at the 2nd day of our stay we discovered the beach "Le Racou"

which is very nice as well. We spent a lot of time there and enjoyed diving and snorkelling.

And last but not least we watched the Tour de France racing cyclists

"live" who came through Argeles on their way to Perpignan.

We had a good time in Port Vendre! Thank you very much for the good

organization and the lots of useful and good hints in your file."

Dr H- H. July 2009