2019 summer P-O Life Life in the Pyrénées-Orientales Nº 64 FREE / GRATUIT www.anglophone-direct.com © Barry Blend FOOD OUT for P-O TEST your &DRINK THE DAY NATURALLY FRENCH Restaurant ….In Collioure, Biters and Stingers Reviews Palau Del Vidre and Elne AMÉLIOREZ votre ANGLAIS :) we create relaxing, outside space for you Edito Summer’s here and the time is right... for dancing in the streets...and oh boy, are our P-O streets a-boppin’ and a-poppin’ with live music, festivals, Catalan tradition..... Join us for a day out in Collioure on the coast, Palau and Elne, and up into the Conflent in search of cooler air and some fabulous concerts in amazing venues. We have loads of restaurant ideas...and Faisons la course check out the Yellow Pages at the back pour rentrer à for a butcher, a baker, a candlestick maker la maison DREAMING OF A (or even a builder, plumber, electrician..). CONSERVATORY? Thanks to our advertisers who keep us afloat - and tothousands of loyal readers. PERGOLAS · CONSERVATORIES · PORCHES We wouldn’t exist without you! Wishing you sunshine, laughter, cold beer and plenty of shade this summer! D’ACCORD- mais je vais facilement gagner For quality and reliability I Made in France I Established 35 years • Let our professional, English-speaking consultants bring your project to life. ABRUTI! • You could extend your home by up to 4Om2 without planning permission.* • Call 04 68 55 05 05 now to get a free, no-obligation quote or simply scan here: Faisons la course - let’s have a race The name you can trust. Abruti - idiot Magazine gratuit. Tout Droits réservés, Reproduction interdite Chemin de la Fauceille, 66000 Perpignan - 04 68 55 05 05 Next to “Le Clos des Lys” restaurant and the car dealerships IT’S A CONSTANT STRUGGLE FUNDING THE PRINTING AND DESIGN COSTS TO KEEP P-O LIFE FREE AND MADE OUT OF PAPER. *Depending on the current amount of living space in your property PLEASE SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS. WITHOUT THEM WE WOULD NOT EXIST. MAND AGENCE DES CERISIERS AT • EXCLUSIVITÉ • Open Mon-Sat: 8.30 am to 12.30 pm Life and 1.30 pm to 7.30 pm P-O C Sundays and bank holidays by appointment O N E OUTIndex! FOR THE DAY F I A N C Summer in the Roussillon Conflent 6 Have you signed up for Walk: Amelie, Montbolo, Palalda 10 our free weekly newsletter A-poppin’ & a-boppin’ in Le Barcares 14 full of all the stuff that we Summer in the Vallespir 16 Palau del Vidre & Elne 18 couldn’t cram in here? Or Around and about in Collioure 24 dropped in on our Facebook FOOD AND DRINK Pages where you can Restaurant Reviews 34 chat, recommend, ask Ideas for Eating out 36 questions, buy and sell AIRPORT NEWS CERET CENTRE: VILLAGE HOUSE in the historic centre, approx 80m² APPROX 15 MINS FROM CERET: HOUSE with magnificent cathedral your bits and bobs…. Summer/Autumn 2019 60 living space on 3 levels. Living area on first floor, bedroom on lounge and kitchen leading onto superb, stone terrace. 2 bedrooms. WINE CLUB second and converted attic area on the top floor. Large garage. Shower room. Large garden approx 1600 m². Spacious garage South-facing. approx 40 m². Separate cottage for conversion approx 24 m² Moules, Boules & Bière 82 PRICE: 134 000 € • REF: 3656 Dpe N/A PRICE: 162 000 € • REF: 6888 Dpe N/A CONTACT US P-O LIFE ADVERTISE WITH US My Life in the P-O 52 To find out more about how The Bells of Saint Georges 58 It’s Summer - and out Come the Thieves! 70 your business can benefit from Music in the Villages, Dancing in the Streets 69 advertising in P-O Life, contact P-O Naturally: Stingers & Biters 72 Fiona on 06 89 25 88 01 BookLife: A Worldly Tale Told of Mothy Chambers 84 or email: Things You Might Need To Know 88 [email protected] LANGUAGE Test your French 76 EDITORIAL Améliorez votre Anglais 80 For editorial queries & comments APPROX 15 MINS FROM CERET: CATALAN MAS partially converted – to MAUREILLAS: ATTRACTIVE HOUSE built in 2006 with terrace. be finished off. More than 3 hectares of woodland. Totally Well-insulated and located in a quiet area near shops. Large email: [email protected] ENGLISH SPEAKING SERVICES self-sufficient in electricity (Brand new Solar Panels). living room, modern kitchen, shower room and 2 bedrooms. 06 79 61 96 46 (editorial only) Emergency numbers 90 Own water (Well). Directory 92 PRICE: 245 000 € • REF: 6882 Dpe N/A PRICE: 165 000 € • REF: 3302 Dpe C Impression: Cover by BARRY BLEND ROTIMPRES (Girona): 13.000 ex. Love his work? Visit him at his gallery Ne pas jeter sur la voie publique - Anglophone- on Rue de la Fraternité, Collioure. direct accepts no responsibility for the competency of people and services advertising in Tel: 06 28 04 25 41 P-O Life. Email: [email protected] Concepteur et rédacteur: Kate Website: www.barryblend.com Maquette & Création: Maite Sant MAUREILLAS: BRAND NEW BUNGALOW. Light and airy lounge APPROX 15 MINS FROM CERET: MAGNIFICENT CATALAN MAS dating leading out onto a terrace. Open-plan kitchen. 2 bedrooms, shower back to the 1600s. Approx 160m² living space. Fully renovated room, WC and garage. Quality fixtures and fittings. with passion. Set on a superb plot approx 8 hectares. Very DON’T DELAY! peaceful - surrounded by nature. Agence de Développement Touristique PRICE: 249 000 € • REF: 6744 Dpe N/A PRICE: 559 000 € • REF: 6760 Dpe D 2, bd des Pyrénées - `CS 80540 - 66005 Perpignan Cedex Tél : +33 (0)4 68 51 52 53 - [email protected] 2 bd Simon-Battle • Résidence Tins’simo • 66400 CERET • 04 68 21 21 00 4 www.century21-cerisiers-ceret.com • [email protected] for OUT Bike, quad, horse ride along the many panoramic time in the footsteps of prehistoric man, discover tracks, through sweet smelling garrigue, shady ancient art and architecture, meet the people, visit THE DAY forests of chestnut and cork oak, or take a drive the markets, taste the wine, the regional specialties, along dramatic scenic routes with breathtaking enjoy the restaurants and cafés.... simply sit back views, through pretty Catalan villages, amidst with a cool drink on a shady summer terrace Summer In countryside steeped in history. Wander back in and watch the world go by..... theROUSSILLON Make a day of it! The Highlights CONFLENT LES PASSEJADES >LES FEUX DE LA ST JEAN - 23rd June- Dive into the region’s history with FREE A flaming torch passed from hand to hand in relay lights up bonfires Getting a bit hot under the ENTRY offered by the 6 communes of in every village. Important celebration and symbol of the unity of the collar on the coast? Why not the Roussillon Conflent into many of Catalan culture. Dance, tradition and muscat! the fascinating heritage sites (Le Château >LA FÉRIA DE MILLAS (8th - 11th August) head for the fresher, cooler Musée de la Préhistoire, Le Moulin à Four days of music, eating and drinking - and bullfighting if that’s your l’Huile, La Coopérative fruitière, les thing! air of the Roussillon Conflent, églises romanes, les fontaines …) followed by a cool evening market from OR HOW ABOUT..... up close and personal with 6.00 pm onwards with complimentary FEST’ILLE NIGHT EDITION - 3rd August the sacred Mount Canigou? tastings, a spot of wine tasting and maybe RANDO JAZZ IN RODÈS - 11th August dinner under the stars? Sounds good? LE DESERTIVAL IN ILLE SUR TÊT - 31st August WHEN & WHERE? ....and a whole load of festivals, fetes, visits, Friday 19th July > Bouleternère workshops, family events... Friday 26th July > Millas Monday 29th July > Montalba le Château Wednesday 31st July > Ille sur Têt BORN TO RUN? GET YOUR NAME DOWN FOR..... Saturday 10th August > Bélesta LA RONDE DES DOLMENS - Corbère-les-Cabanes - 20th July Friday 23rd August > Corbère LA RONDE ILLOISE - Ille sur Têt - 28th July LA PANORAMIQUE - Millas - 8th August > dolmen- belesta > rando jazz in rodès For more info, contact the Office de Tourisme Roussillon Conflent on 04 68 57 99 00 or visit their site at www.tourisme-roussillon-conflent.fr 6 © photos: Gérard MAINCENT and Emile FONDECAVE © photos: Gérard MAINCENT and Emile FONDECAVE 7 OUT for Summer In THE DAY theROUSSILLON Laroca Immobilier CONFLENT Ille sur Têt was an important religious centre in Medieval times. PRICE: 395 000 € PRICE: 275 000 € The huge cathedral-like church of St Etienne dominates the town, way out of proportion to the narrow streets that surround it. Through the grand pink marble doorway the vast nave is dark, the gold on the altars and The Fresco Fiasco side altars gleams, there is a Cross des Outrages, a huge Abandoned in 1561, the ancient houses are in organ, many paintings. ruins, but the XI century chapel of St Sauveur and a tall square tower still stand, surrounded by Visit the Hospice d’Ille, now the Centre of Sacred Art, ancient olive groves. The chapel once contained but once used to care for the poor, the elderly, passing some of the oldest frescoes in Europe, but the mayor and town council sold them on in the ‘50s BANYULS-SUR-MER: In the centre of the resort, very attractive CERBÈRE: Bright village house situated minutes from the beach pilgrims, lepers..... In the small sleeping alcoves, statues, house approx 100m² living space. Large living area with and all amenities. Approx 90m² living space. Large ground floor for a pittance in a shady deal, much to local dismay. open-plan kitchen.