Tag Archive for: Mediterranean

Riba Pitxot

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“Riba Pixtot III”, Cadaqués, Spain

The Riba Pitxot promenade in Cadaqués captivated and inspired me. The shapes and surfaces of these striking buildings in Cadaqués’ white old town, with their archways, arcades, colourful doors, and shutters, invite creative engagement. The spirit of Surrealism, Cubism, and many other art movements still lingers here, along with their famous representatives like Dalí or Picasso, who also drew inspiration and strength from this Costa Brava location and, in turn, left their artistic mark.
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The Light and Colours of Southern France

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Colourful sea kayaks in the harbour of the old town of Collioure, Côte Vermeille, Languedoc-Roussillon, France

The intense light and vibrant colours – natural or man-made – under a warm, Mediterranean sun are part of the charm of the South of France coast: the pastel shades of the house facades, the boats or buoys in bright colours, the blooming spring meadows and bougainvillea, the ripe grapes or red coastal rocks. In Collioure on the Côte Vermeille, everything comes together. Read more

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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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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Roussillon – a part of Catalonia

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Colourful boats in the harbour of Collioure's old town, Côte Vermeille, Languedoc-Roussillon, France

The destination of the trip was Languedoc-Roussillon. This area in Southern France, within the Occitanie region (which was formed by the merger of the former Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées regions), stretches along the Mediterranean from the Rhône Delta to the Spanish border. It’s also where the Pyrenees mountain range meets the Mediterranean, and the coast becomes rocky and full of coves. This coast is often called Côte Vermeille.
 due to the predominant reddish colour of its rocks.

A short detour to Spain, southwards along the coast, was also planned. We really wanted to visit the three ‘Cs’: Collioure, Cadaqués, Céret. These are all places that have attracted, hosted, and influenced numerous artists since the 19th century: Matisse and the ‘Fauves’, Picasso, Dalí and other representatives of Surrealism and Cubism, Pointillists, and other art movements of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Right at the start of the trip, we noticed the Catalan flag – five yellow and four red stripes – and unfamiliar spellings of place names in many French towns in this border region.
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Punta del Corvo in the Maremma Regional Park

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View through blades of grass in the Maremma Nature Park Monti dell'Uccellina towards the Tuscan coast with Monte Argentario in the morning sun, Italy

The coast heading north from Talamone is already part of the Maremma Regional Park. This nature reserve in southern Tuscany covers the area south of Principina a Mare, the mouth of the Ombrone river, the Uccellina mountains and the hinterland as far as Albarese. That’s also where the visitor centre is located. Special access regulations apply for hiking, horse riding, kayaking or cycling tours. Many tours can only be done with prior registration and, in some cases, only with a guide. Read more