038 Touring France 3 VC SP.Indd.Indd

TOURING – FRANCE TOURING – THAILAND The Med the easy way PART 3

The Côte Vermeille, from Narbonne south, almost to Spain, sparkles with new resorts, tapas bars and brightly-painted ﬁ shing boats. All tastes are catered for here

WORDS Val Chapman PHOTOGRAPHY John Chapman

��

� � � � �

The palm-trimmed beautiful beaches of St Cyprien – quiet even in mid-summer | 38 Go caravan TOURING – WESTERN ISLES Î

4 7 10

8 2 9

3 5 6

PORT VENDRES ur tour had begun in Spain, at the port of tour, Camping La Nautique at COLLIOURE 1 Brilliant flowers “WE GLANCE TO OUR LEFT AND CATCH OUR FIRST GLIMPSE OF A TOWN 6 The magnificent trim the town Santander. We’d crossed the French Narbonne took us sweeping bay that 2 Fishing nets out to Pyrénées, arrived at the Mediterranean at through vine-terraced CLINGING TO A HILLSIDE, ENMESHED IN ANCIENT FORTIFICATIONS” contains the port dry on the Narbonne – and now we were close to mountains; we pass 7 Fortifications on harbourside hilltops as well as 3 Markets like this Spain again. This is a land of sangria and Rivesaltes and other We fi nd parking on the hill by the Chateau des known resort along the coast and we are about to fi nd nearer to sea level are a browser’s Otapas, sardines and paella. Yet the language and the famous wine areas. Templiers, perched on the cliff and we walk the path out why. Before we reach Argelès we pause and take in 8 The Sunshine magnet in many Lifestyle – the name parts of France culture is all French. The motorway skirts that surrounds its now-dry moat. We glance to our left the vista. Argelès, St Cyprien and the mountain peaks of this boat seems 4 Bright colours are This stretch of coast, between Narbonne and the the large city of Perpignan and brings you to the coast and catch our fi rst glimpse of a town clinging to a beyond are stretched out before you. Vineyards reach to sum up the everywhere – this Spanish border at Cerbère is in sharp contrast to close to three unmissable places, all close together hillside, enmeshed in ancient fortifi cations. We’ve found down to the sea and there’s a campsite on the coast. reasons for taking a restaurant’s bright holiday along this look seems to anything else along the entire French Mediterranean Argelès, Collioure and Port Vendres. Chateau Royale and we are walking above the town At Argelès we fi nd a Carrefour supermarket and stock coast epitomise Port shore. There are two large modern, recently-built You can sail to Morocco from Port Vendres and bustling beneath us. The enticing aromas of paella and up, then fi nd parking at the train station – even this 9 Scores of Vendres restaurants and all 5 All the resorts here, lots more little places springing up – and, there’s a mix of Moroccan and Spanish infl uence on sausages waft upwards on the warm breeze. building is spectacular in its architecture and of them busy with magnificence you as you drive further south towards Spain, you the architecture here. It’s a fi shing port fi rst and We descend the steps to the harbour and cross a fl oral trimmings. local families expect at a Med 10 Ancient tourist port fi nd some incredibly spectacular twisty road routes, foremost and nets are out to dry all around pretty arched bridge into the town. Narrow streets of well-groomed fortifications where vines cling to shaley soil on steep slopes… the harbour. Artists are at work on the quayside and you reach the houses take us to the port. It’s a scene arround the harbour Our motorway route from our base for this Frondy palms, huge ocean-class vessels alongside beach quickly. Restaurants border. Families swim and of red and terracotta hues that inshore boats… We’re lucky to park by the port; it’s paddle in the shadow of more fortifi cations and a bell epitomise the region, oleanders and early Saturday and already busy. We fi nd an elegant clock tower that guards the harbour. The tapas and palms. Tropical Golf is the ultimate yacht registered at Poole in Dorset; it’s called Sunshine thirst-quenching agua limon (lemonade) that’s on offer crazy golf challenge for all ages Lifestyle and its name seems to encapsulate all that everywhere reminds you just how close you are to the and suddenly the residential Port Vendres offers. border. Spain is 12 or so miles from here and that area gives way to the tourist This is the Côte Vermeille, which translates as country’s tradition of painting fi shing boats in brilliant quarter and bikinis and vermilion and the vivid red hues of that word are all colours is here and the language of Catalan is heard as restaurants, pain bagnat and around you in merchandise, table cloths, garments. It’s often as French. paella are everywhere. Pain market day. People are buying pretty clothes of As we walk around the shoreline the sound of bagnat is a huge sandwich fantastic colour and style, cooking pots – even baby classical guitar comes into earshot, a jazz number that’s containing tuna, salad, olives, pigs to keep as pets. at once lazy and energetic. More art is on display, this egg – it’s a speciality of the The thin, short road from Port Vendres winds time sculptures in wood; a sailing ship is depicted in one region and can sustain you all day. spectacularly along the roast and in a few minutes we of the most interesting examples. We soon pop out on the beach are at Collioure. It’s a short hop to Argelès. This town is the best- and discover endless almost white TOURING – FRANCE

7 8 1

10 11 2 1 2

8 4 6 12

3 9

3 5 9 13

6 A fantastic crazy 1 The vine-clad yet. The same goes for its atop the edge of the lagoon that’s popular with hinterland of “WE DISCOVER ENDLESS WHITE SAND, DEEPEST BLUE MED, A golf complex - one Collioure 2 The neighbour, Canet-en- windsurfers, to Port Leucate. The cream and sand of Argelès most eyecatching great baulk of Rousillon. Canet, reached colours of the buildings here sparkle in the evening sun. Collioure’s ancient BACKCLOTH OF HIGH PEAKS AND DECIDE THIS IS PARADISE” attractions 7 St fortifications from St Cyprien via fi ve miles A couple of islands dot the lagoon and, just inland and Cyprien’s beautful reaches right down sand, deepest blue Mediterranean and a backcloth of It’s a Saturday lunchtime in June and the restaurant of road that’s bordered by the parallel to it is the A9 motorway, called La Catalane, that beaches 8 Canet’s to the sea marina. 9 Le 3 Collioure’s palm- high peaks and decide this is paradise; we know, now, patrons here are local families; Argelès is huge; so huge sea to the east and a makes this line off sands and resorts so easily accessible. Barcares 10 Smart fringed promenade why people tow all the way from Calais to holiday at that in trying to fi nd the train station where we’d parked lagoon (Etang de Canet) to In 18 miles we are back at our campsite base beside the restaurants at Le Barcares 11 Canet - there’s colour on Argelès. But we came here the easy way. We’d sailed to we got lost and saw rather more of this resort than our the west. next lagoon north, Etang de Bages et de Sigean. every building Plage– big 4 Spanish style is Santander, then towed across easy Pyrenean motorway time-allocation on our schedule allowed. In so doing, Canet is a lively resort with more It’s 10 days since we towed Bailey’s Pageant Limousin umbrellas for shelter from the hot evident in the routes to reach the Med. though, we discovered one of Argelès’ bonuses, the road beautiful expanses of white sand; this is a beach not even off the ferry at Santander. In that time we’ve crossed the architecture in sun 12 A traditional Argelès 5 Local A great wide promenade is ideal for cycling. It’s train. We hopped aboard. It was a circular tour and we the August infl ux of families can fi ll. Diving, fi shing, Pyrénées, (as we reported in the December issue) round-about at Le artists display their bordered by lawn and shady pine trees. Restaurants and fi gured it might take us to somewhere we recognised. boating – it’s all here. We take a stroll along the long explored the Med shores eastwards as far as fi shing port Barcares 13 From Narbonne to work alongside bars line the lawn; it’s easy to Five euros and 10 minutes later we’d curving harbour wall, grab an exotic ice cream concoction Sète (January) and, now, we’ve taken you on our fi nal streets at Argelès Argeles – the wine- imagineimagine hhowow tthishis pplacelace bbuzzesuzzes iinn found the trains – and our vehicle, and and resume our tour. tour, south towards the Spanish border. growing hinterland thethe eevenings.venings. BButut fforor nnowow pointed it north; St Cyprien is a short A little over a mile north of Canet is Sainte-Marie- Today we’re setting off for Spain, heading for the we’rewe’re hhappyappy ttoo iimmersemmerse motorway journey away. Plage, a small, new resort of sparkling promenade Atlantic and the cruise home – this time via a different ourselvesourselves inin tthehe In less than six miles we bordered by rocks and a line of low dunes. Sand-coloured route across the Pyrénées. Join us in next month’s daytimedaytime AArgelèsrgelès are in a resort of a very properties fringe the beach; this little place is an up- Go Caravan… character,character, cchic,hic, different character. coming jewel in the crown of the western Med – and 10 Next month smart,smart, everythingeverything St Cyprien is a ribbon of sand miles north is another. We step out of the car onto a We take the A61 youyou couldcould wantwant fromfrom and restaurants. We park metres newly cobbled promenade, straight into more autoroute a qqualityuality hholidayoliday from the beach and fi nd fi ne sand ice cream temptation. This time it’s a speciality through wine- growing regions resort.resort. MMoroccanoroccan warm under our feet, bars, palms, café amid the promenade of restaurants and and into artistry,artistry, lleathereather tables set under rush parasols on fl owers that is Le Barcares. Gascony to discover goods,goods, cclothinglothing the beach – and mountain views Le Barcares sits between the Med and a large amazing little of style and in the distance. An amazing lagoon, a quiet resort in sharp contrast to the villages, a statue by delightfully brilliant colour St Cyprien is a new resort, Canet’s buzz of Canet, St Cyprien and Argelés; whatever quaint night are here built for the French; quayside you seek – solitude or excitement – you will fi nd market and the depicting but there’s international trade hasn’t it along this stretch of coast. ancient home of the sun and Armagnac nothing brash. reached here in any quantity the moon From Le Barcares we drive the D62 that sits | 4242 Go ccaravanaravan www.go-caravan.co.uk part of | March 2011 43 | Î L USEFULUSEFU h THE SITES: The best places to stay Î

STUFF g THE SITE: Camping Les Criques de CAMPING LES CRIQUES DES PORTEILS Porteils, Argeles Two swimming pools, a restaurant, g tennis courts, two shops and a bar – The route south thisthis bbigig ffamilyamily ssiteite hhasas mmuchuch ttoo ooffer.ffer. P From Narbonne your route to It's 5km from Collioure and half an the resorts along the Côte hours'hours' ddriverive ffromrom tthehe SSpanishpanish bborder.order. Vermeille (Vermillion Coast) is PitchesPitches areare oonn tterraceserraces aandnd vvaryary iinn ssize;ize; easy. Take the A9 autoroute, some are suitable for large outfits. called La Catalane. It skirts the big They are arranged in separate areas, city of Perpignan, ensuring you some with mountain views, some don’t get snared in city trafﬁ c with sea views. jams, and you leave the A9 for the From the campsite you can walk N144 to Argelès, Collioure and down to beach coves that no-one Port Vendres, which are all else can reach except by boat. The P close together. beachesbeaches aarere ppebbledebbled aandnd ssuitableuitable fforor sswimming.wimming. From Argelès you can take the CriquesCriques ooffersffers aartrt wworkshops,orkshops, cclassicallassical mmusicusic PPRICESPRICES: FromFrom 26€26€ D81 coast road to St Cyprien and sessions and organised sports activities. P CONTACT: www.select-sites.com or Canet Plage, then follow the D81 POPEN: 2 April -– 22 October www.lescriques.com north to the little ports of Le Barcares and Sainte Marie-Plage. Follow the D627 north from Le our w Barcares; spectacularly the road n eb THE SITE: Le Brasilia, o s g P CONTACT: Select Sites or e i Canet Plage sits atop a narrow ribbon of land r t www.maprairie.com e that encloses a lagoon. This o Situated right on the

2300 .

. M more sites . road leads you back to the A9, beach, this has to be g THE SITE: Camping Le Haras, Palau to Narbonne. Go Caravan is made among the best sites in del Vidre by the team France if beach is your This site is 7km from Argelès. it’s in w that creates k u w o. w .c gTravel tip .ou ive family's priority. You can the grounds of a one-time hunting tand outl P If you site your caravan at ab take a little foot-passenger lodge. Pitches have good shade Narbonne (we stayed at Camping ferry to Canet Plage from the from trees and shrubs. Flowers are a La Nautique), the journey detailed site. Brasilia buzzes with feature of this quiet site with a pool on these pages can be achieved in entertainment in the high season. complex, bar and restaurant. Dance one, long, wonderfully enjoyable There’s a swimming pool complex evenings and shows take place day of discovery. But it’s better to and restaurant, bar and take-away. during the peak season. Scuba visit this coast twice during a stay Pitches are level but access roads diving lessons are on offer in the at Narbonne; fascinating Collioure, are narrow and so siting can be site’s pool. Volleyball and petanque on its own, will absorb most of a difﬁ cult unless you manhandle competitions are held. day on its own. And if you build in your caravan. P OPEN: 20 March - 20 October some beach time, half a day at P OPEN: 16 April – 30 September P PRICES: From 19€ Canet followed by half at St P PRICES: From 20€ P CONTACT: Select Sites or www. Cyprien will be an easy day out. P CONTACT: Eurocamp Independent camping-le-haras.com www.eurocampindependent.co.uk or www.brasilia.fr THE SITE: Camping La Nautique, Î Narbonne OOURUR T TOUROUR g THE SITE: Ma Prairie, Canet- Each pitch has its own little building OurOur jjourneyourney wwasas aarrangedrranged bbyy SSelectelect en-Rousillon containing a shower, toilet and Sites. The reservation agency If you like plenty of shade, this might be washbasin. Washing-up facilities booked our return cruise-ferry to your best choice. Ma Prairie sils under are at central points around the site. the Atlantic coast of Spain and trees just ﬁ ve minutes’ drive from Most pitches are large and easy to each of our campsites, plus vehicle Canet’s beaches. There’s a manoeuvre into. The site has a pool assistance and repatriation restaurant, shop, bar and swimming overlooked by a bar; a restaurant insurance. You can also take out a pool but only occasional is adjacent. range of personal insurance entertainment, during busy times. P OPEN: 15 February – 15 packages to include medical Guided walks into the hills are November expense cover and equipment and arranged by the site P PRICES: From 19€50 money. Select Sites is at www. P OPEN: 5 May – 25 September P CONTACT: Select Sites or www. select-site.com and 0844 406 9876. P PRICES: From 17€ campinglanautique.eu | 44 Go caravan