2016 1 Summer P-O Life Life in the Pyrénées-Orientales Nº 52 FREE / GRATUIT www.anglophone-direct.com Simon Brown FESTIVALS FOOD & P-O and TEST your TRADITIONS DRINK NATURALLY FRENCH Music and Dance Restaurants The Good, the Bad in Collioure and the Ugly AMÉLIOREZ votre ANGLAIS 2 Que font 3 GUARANTEE deux For your next conservatory, brosses à :-) 15 YEARS dents le 14 look no further than TRYBA! EDITO GUARANTEED BY juillet ? INSURANCE dentifrice! feu Un With TRYBA – LE VERANDIER, benefit from the very latest TRIPLE-GLAZING technology Hola amics meus- The heady scent of lavender mingling with suntan oil and barbecue, that delightful ‘apéro’ on a balmy evening, n this edition, we take you round some of the great music and dance festivals of the region to accompanied by the sweet background Iget your toes tapping, along with some fabulous music of frogs and crickets, cold days out as usual. beer, local wines, outdoor meals, From the heights of Amélie with Tim and Chris street dancing, music festivals…. to a picnic in Serralongue with Katja, your P-O That’s summer in the P-O! summer will sparkle. Join Ellen as she chats to a lady vigneron, John on a guided tour of the new Perpignan airport, Clare as she tells the tale of a tower, and the Warblers who advise on whether to stay put or run! And if all that doesn’t keep you busy, there’s always loads happening on our website at www. anglophone-direct.com. 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Without them, Concepteur et rédacteur: Kate 09 64 48 51 86 Chemin de la Fauceille, 66000 Perpignan - 04 68 55 05 05 weG would Maquette & Création: [email protected] Next to “Le Clos des Lys” restaurant and the car dealerships quite simply Cover: Simon Brown not exist *Depending on the current amount of living space in your property 4 Agence des Cerisiers 5 Open Mon - Sat : 8:30 - 12:30 & 13:30 - 19:30 ! Sundays and bank holidays by appointment INDEX for WALK The FESTIVALS OUT REGION & TRADITIONS THE DAY 5 mins from CERET: CERET: Pleasant, Collioure 32 Bright, loft-style well renovated Amélie Circular 6 Piano Fortissimo Festival 12 village house with Catalan Mas. Three Festival Folklorique int. 13 workshop, open bedrooms, kitchen, kitchen with balcony, living room, two living room, bathrooms. Garage bathroom with walk and land of in shower and a large 5,000m² with bedroom on panoramic views. mezzanine. 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REF: 4678 REF: 4251 PRICE : 275 000 € PRICE: 119 000 € Dpe C Dpe D 2 bd Simon-Battle 04 68 21 21 00 Agence de Développement Touristique Résidence Tins’simo www.century21-cerisiers-ceret.com 2, bd des Pyrénées - `CS 80540 - 66005 Perpignan Cedex 66400 CERET [email protected] Tél : +33 (0)4 68 51 52 53 - [email protected] 6 The with Tim 7 WALK and Chris Parker REGION P Arrive at the D53 (1h 25mins). Walk down road and over bridge crossing river Mondony. A parking area near the bridge and path down to river suggests this is a good place for river swimming in summer. P About 80 metres after bridge, just round bend, take path on left, which starts as hairpin to the road. [Path rises behind ruins of a house, so if you walk up the road and pass the ruins you have Les Gorges du Mondony just missed the path. There is a blue spot at start (Massif du Canigou) of path and on trees en route. If you do decide to walk up the road for a further 2 kms, a steep path goes from the D53 to meet our described route at later point] P After 5 mins, reach a road. Walk down AMELIE CIRCULAR: 50metres to pick up signed route to La Chapelle d’Engracia. This path rises, contours round Le Drapeau, Chapelle St Engracia the hills, and after passing a ruined Mas and outbuildings, climbs steadily uphill in a series of zig zags. (Alternative path, mentioned above, joins after the ruined Mas and before the zig zags). P Near ridge wooden signs for two options – A 4h 15m – 10km circular with ake the D115 from Le Boulou to Amélie les approach via Mas de St Engracia, or take lower approx 770 metres of ascent T Bains. Park by river off main street or in Charles route via Les Terraces. during the walk. Well signed de Gaulle underground car park at roundabout near PChapelle St Engracia is at 653metres above Ruined Mas route with blue spots throughout entrance to the town. sea level. (2 ½ to 2 ¾ hrs to this point) and some yellow waymarks in START OF WALK: at left hand side of entrance The charming and well restored chapel is usually parts. to underground car park. Up ramp 15 metres to open and has lovely stained glass. There is a book find start of path signed Le Drapeau, Montalba, Roc for visitor comments. We were advised by another de France on right. Climb up this broad rocky path local walker that the wonderful ironwork on the ACCESS through woodland to junction of paths (approx 40 doors is made from a special type of iron which map IGN 1:25000 CERET: mins). will never rust. Behind the chapel is a viewpoint P looking into the valley and across to Roc de AMÉLIE LES BAINS – PALALDA 2449OT Turn right, away from path to Roc de France. At this point the path immediately splits again. To right France (1450m). is the path to Le Drapeau (15min detour aller retour) P Take main path away from chapel continuing or left to continue our walk. Super views from Le in the same direction as when you approached Drapeau over the town. it. Path is edged with logs. Arrive at junction with P Take this left branch which descends slightly, bench. Here follow path right (blue spot) or go and contour round the hill with wonderful views of straight on to meet main path downhill – the other Le Massif du Canigou and down to Les Gorges du path meets this one a little lower. Chapelle St Engracia Signs along path Mondony. 8 The with Tim 9 WALK and Chris Parker REGION ….and while you’re in the area….. Combine a visit to Amélie with a drive up to the delightful village of Montbolo, with its amazing views and large fortified XII century church. Take lunch or dinner at the Bistrot du Pays with its ‘point d’art’ and traditional Catalan cuisine, wander through the ‘jardin botanique’ and the fascinating ‘parcours géologique’ where the different stones mined around Canigou are on exhibition. Or if you’re feeling fit, walk up to the old mine workings of Batère, for a fascinating insight into the mining industry of Canigou’s past, with views over Canigou, the Albéres, Viewpoint looking into the valley and across the Vallespir, the Tech valley, the Roussillon plain and to Roc de France (1450m).