P-O Life /LIHLQWKH3\UÂQÂHV2ULHQWDOHV Walk the region TThehe SSpookypooky DDevils’sevils’s TTarnarn Out for the Day GGorgeorge DDee ggalAmusalAmus Festivals and Traditions WWhat’shat’s oonn aaroundround tthehe rregionegion AMÉLIOREZ VOTRE ANGLAIS Summer 2011 AND TEST YOUR FRENCH FREE / GRATUIT Nº 32 Your English Speaking Services Directory www.anglophone-direct.comw anglophone di ect co WINDOWS, DOORS, SHUTTERS & CONSERVATORIES IInstallingnstalling thethe vveryery bestbest windows,windows, ddoorsoors & shuttersshutters ssinceince 11980980 Call today or visit our showroom and ask to speak with one of our English speaking experts. We also design & install TRYBA beautiful conservatories. Check out our web site or see our advert on anglophone-direct.com for up to date details of all our special off ers and promotions SOCIETE www.tryba.com 2 Next to the restaurant “Le Clos des Lys” Edito... Register for our Bon dia! free weekly newsletter, and stay up to date with Summer’s here and it’s time to batten life in the Pyrénées-Orientales. down the hatches in the evening against www.anglophone -direct.com moustiques, moucherons and mouches if Installing the you don’t want to fi nd live raisins in your muesli in thee morning!morniinng! And of course, the festival season has arrived; Fete de la very best windows, musique, Feux de la Saint Jean, Havaneres , Sardanes…… Read all about these festivals, ferias and feasts of dance, fi re and doors & shutters music on pages 10 to 15 – any excuse for a bit of a bop! Evenings are already warm as I write this, and nights are not quite hot and sticky yet but showing their potential for a few sleepless since 1980 nights to come. Why not head for the hills and cool off by the spooky Devil’s Tarn (p6&7) or if you’re tired of sand in every orifi ce, take some time off from the beach and try some of the great sports available in the cooler sweet air around Lake Matemale? (p48&49) Have a great summer. We do hope the sun smiles onn you wherever you are and whatever you do. KKateate & JJaneane CContactontact uuss Advertising Front cover painting by Robert Prouty To fi nd out more about how your See more at www.proutyart.com business can benefi t from advertising in Magazine gratuit. Tout Droits réservés, PO Life and Anglophone Direct contact Reproduction interdite Michelle on 06 12 22 23 70 (advertising only) Impression: Imprimerie du Mas Tirage: 9000 ex [email protected] Ne pas jeter sur la voie publique - Anglophonedirect accepts no responsibility for the competency of people and services advertising in PO Life. Editorial For editorial queries & comment Concepteur et rédacteur:eur: KateKaK te [email protected] Maquette & Création:: 09 64 48 51 86 (editorial only) www.blyth-spirit.com tel: 04 68 05 86 71 P-OLife... Long-sighted? Short sighted? Suffering from astigmatism? We can offer you a full range of vision correction treatments whatever your age. When was the last time you read your book on the beach or by the pool without glasses hassle? Why not visit us at Vision Sud santé here in Perpignan and combine a simple vision correction procedure with a relaxing Mediterranean holiday? www.visionsudsante.com 4 strateges.fr Index Walk the region Pierres Escrites & Etang de Diable... .....6-7 Did you know?... ..................................................................8-9 Events festivals & traditions ........................................10-15 Food & drink Restaurant review ............................................................16-17 Prickly Pear Margarita ...........................................................20 Out for the day Coastal Drives Part 1 ........................................................26-29 On the Trail of the Laughing Elephant part 2 ................30-31 The Gorge of Galamus .....................................................32-33 Prades, the Confl ent villages and Pablos Casals ...............................................35-35 Test your French .............................................................38-41 Améliorez votre Anglais ...............................................42-43 ArtLife Argeles Underwater ...........................................44-45 Let’s get physical Here be Dragons...............................................................46-47 An interview with Trent Robinson .......................................48 A new adrenalin rush ........................................................... 49 Into the mountains ..........................................................50-51 Things you might need to know Organ donation in France .....................................................54 Emergency numbers .......................................................... 59 P-O Life distribution points .............................................. 59 P-O Life subscriptions ........................................................ 59 English Speaking Services ...........................................60-63 Palais des Congrès, Perpignan organises events, exhibitions, salons, concerts and conferences throughout the year. Check out their website on www.congres-perpignan.com 5 Walktheregion... with Mike Rhodes PPierresierres EEscritesscrites & EEtangtang ddee DDiableiable ffromrom VVallealle ddee GGaube.aube. A wonderful walk for lovers of fl owers, animals and wild places, to a hidden valley in search of rock carvings of ancient shepherds and the strange, ink black devils tarn’s. This walk starts in the Valle de Gaube, just past the small hamlet of Esposouille, which can be accessed by car from Formiguères in the Capcir. From Esposouille, you can reach a parking place in the Gaube (GPS 31N 421748E 4721004N) by following a track along the valley bottom. For “normal” cars it may be best to park after 2.5k at Les Bosigues but 4x4’s can get all the way to the end. The Gaube valley tends to hold a lot of snow each winter so this is a walk that should normally only be done from mid June onwards. The Walk: From the car park at 1650m, follow slope eases again slightly and then in a southerly the wide track, past the barrier, along the valley direction crossing some small streams until you bottom, passing the shepherd’s hut at Jaca de arrive at a small valley coming from your right. (GPS Llosa. After aprox 40 mins you arrive at a junction. 31N 418698E 4721576N 2100m). Take LH path which drops down to a bridge to be crossed. The slope beyond climbs steeply for about 400m to a leveling where you can take a breather and gaze at the rocky peaks and ridges of Baxouillard (2546m) and Tribuna (2499m) and the steep pass of Porteille D’Orlu. This is a popular place for wild boar and often the ground is well turned over but the paths are well defi ned. 3 Follow the path diagonally right, across the slope in a westerly direction until the 6 ‘Le chassé-croisé des juillettistes et des aoûtiens’ describes the trafi c chaos on the roads of France late July/early August as the whole world and his wife heads off to or home from their hols. A chassé-croisé is actually a dance step where dancers criss cross and change partners. ‘Juillettistes’ describes holiday makers heading off or home in July and ‘aoûtiens’ are August travelers. 3 Do not drop down to the stream but look for a small track going to the right, west. The narrow track is not way-marked but follow it for 600m, always above the stream until you come to a narrow valley through which the stream runs. Follow this valley, at fi rst on the right and then on the left into a larger, clear area. Follow the faint from Valle de Gaube. path on the left of the stream and within minutes you will reach a series of large, fl at rock boulders. Look closely and you can see names and dates of ancient shepherds carved on many. This makes a great lunch spot, especially if you have children a broad crest until a large track goes right onto the with you as a competition to fi nd the oldest ridge at 2510m by a metal carved sign marking the carvings is great fun. Some of the oldest are said to edge of the reserve D’Orlu. From the sign we turn date from the Neolithic period. left and follow the ridge to the summit. 3 Having taken about 2 hours to reach the 3 From the summit it is possible to return by valley it is quite reasonable, after a nice lunch, to the same route but it is better to descend the SW return by the same route but there are several ridge and turn L down to a shallow valley before options depending on your fi tness. The fi rst is to altitude point 2486m. This valley can be descended discover the Etang de Diable , hidden about 400m to the carved rocks or it is possible to continue W walk and 100m climb, above and to the west of to join up with the way marked track at (GPS 31N the carved rocks. There is no one good track to get 418302E 4720537N) taking you NE and back to your there but I do recommend having a go as it is eerily start point. spooky. 3 The total walking time for the carved rocks 3 From the etang it is possible to climb Pic is 4 hours but add an extra hour for the devils tarn Mortiers 2605m by following vague tracks SW up and a further 2 hours for Pic Mortiers. Mike Rhodes is an International Mountain Leader / Accompanateur de Montagne, lives all year in Les Angles and specialises in guided walks in the high mountains and Snowshoe trips in winter. He can be contacted on +33 (0)4 68 04 37 28 email: [email protected] web site: www.pyrenean-trails.com 7 Didyouknow...? Buildings, Monuments, statues and sculptures OpenO door to the P-O that the mountain had suff ered enough whenhe On a plateau of the Corbières, near Salses, with the motorway was built, and he should build panoramic views of sea and lagoon, visible something to restore the region’s dignity! from the A9 motorway and the N9, stands the “Porta dels Països Catalans”, or ‘Gate of FNAC the Catalan Countries’, giant arc of four open An eye catching building as you enter doors, its uprights symbolising the four bars Perpignan, the FNAC stands for ‘Fédération of the Catalan fl ag.