Tag Archive for: France

Céret and the Arts

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A group of elderly artists painting in the square with the Pablo Picasso fountain in the old town of Céret, France

Céret, the picturesque small town in Occitania, Southern France, has captivated numerous famous artists. The unique combination of stunning landscapes, mild climate, Mediterranean atmosphere, and vibrant cultural life has made Céret a hotspot in the art scene. Artists like Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, and Juan Gris, as well as composers and sculptors, found inspiration here and immortalised the town as a motif in their works. On our journey through the artistic triangle in Catalonia – Collioure, Cadaqués, and Céret – we could easily understand why.
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The Cherries of Céret

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“Les cerises de Céret” – as melodious as it sounds in French, that’s how fruity and sweet the “Cherries of Céret” taste. Thanks to the mild microclimate and fertile soil, the fruits ripen very early here. The first are harvested in May and sent to the French President as a promotional gesture. During our stay in the picturesque town of Céret at the beginning of June, the harvest season was officially over. Nevertheless, many trees were still full of plump, ripe fruit. This abundance of taste, scent, and colour embodied fertility and plenty, ripeness and desire for me. Read more

Citroën Méhari – the iconic beach buggy

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An old Citroën Méhari pickup parked on a road in front of pine trees in the sun on the Mediterranean coast

On the hike from Cadaqués to Cap de Creus, I discover a Citroën Méhari, an icon of the lifestyle shaped by beach, sun and casual ease on the (French) Mediterranean coast. With its open, colourful plastic bodywork, you could cruise stylishly along beach promenades or venture onto beaches and into sand dunes – although the four-wheel-drive model offered later was probably better suited for that. Years of use have clearly left their mark on this vehicle.
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Evening Mood in Collioure Harbour

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Rocks and illuminated hotels, bars and restaurants on the beach promenade of Collioure below Fort Saint-Elme at dusk, Languedoc-Roussillon, France

Collioure was our first stop on our journey through the artistic triangle in Catalonia (as well as the places beginning with “C”): Collioure, Cadaqués and Céret. A walk through Collioure in the evening, on the coast of the Côte Vermeille in Southern France, thus offered a first impressive experience.

I covered the short distance from the campsite to the bays of Porteils by bike and therefore quickly reached my central starting point: the Château Royal, the imposing fortress in the town centre. It was the first time I had taken my old mountain bike on a trip, and I was thrilled by the added flexibility, range, and quicker access to photo spots.
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The Man in the Window

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An elderly man, shirtless, on the balcony of a house with green shutters in the old town of Collioure, Languedoc-Roussillon, France

A man in a window of the apartment building “Château de le Rocasse” looks out of his room directly into the bright morning sun. Has he just woken up after a romantic night? Or is he simply enjoying the magnificent view as a traveller, looking out over the church of Notre Dame des Anges in the centre of the historic old town, and the harbour of Collioure? I never found out. Our eyes met for a moment. Then he silently disappeared back into the room, leaving me with my imagination.
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Martial figures in the harbour of Collioure

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Water course for training French Navy soldiers in the harbour of Collioure, Languedoc-Roussillon, France

You’re strolling leisurely along the promenade in the harbour of Collioure – and suddenly soldiers in combat gear and camouflage pass you by – what’s the background to this, which seems to disturb the relaxed holiday mood? Read more

The cliffs and bays of Porteils

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Sunrise over a bay with rugged rocks on the Mediterranean coast near Collioure, Côte Vermeille, Languedoc-Roussillon, France

In the south of France, just before the Spanish border, the eastern foothills of the Pyrenees meet the Mediterranean. This is where the extensive sandy beaches of Occitania end at Argelès-sur-Mer and transition into the rocky and bay-filled Côte Vermeille. In the hinterland, the peaks of the Massif des Albères reach over 1,200 metres in altitude, a paradise for hiking and cycling. Even the first stretch of coast at Porteils, between Argelès-sur-Mer and Collioure, offers a beautiful hike. The coastal path runs in a constant series of ups and downs, past spectacular rocks and bays, to one of the most picturesque seaside resorts in Roussillion.
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