Thursday 30 June 2016

First swims

Actually, the second - I was down a few weeks ago and did swim but it was a bit, arrrggg!

Now (late June) the sea is around 23 degrees in the shallows and perfect for swimming.



                       The town with its 'for the summer' installed floating boat pontoons


                         

                         Wonderfully clear water at the poetically named 'bay of no troubles'

                                       

                           Mark enjoying a very early morning swim in the town's bay

Tuesday 7 June 2016

Restaurants and shops

Cerbère is a town of few shops but actually everything you need for everyday, also some great places to eat . . .

   The back of the town with post office, hairdresser, etc

                

                       The bakery

                                   

The paper shop with the 'Eiffel' railway arches behind it




La Coba, restaurant and café perched high on a bluff has a wonderful terrace (in the summer) and a wonderful 'equipe', Jean-Michel and Valerie.

                           

My friend Sue about to enjoy a Jean-Michel creation

La Dorade on the seafront is run by friendly Cerbèrians Ann and Yves who came back to their home town to run the hotel and restaurant that was started by Yves's grandma.

                La Dorade restaurant                 Ann and Yves, les propriétaires.

Le Café de la Plage also serves good food - try their 'pic pic de poisson'. Cerbère also has excellent pizzas at La Caserne as well as several other good snack cafés. All they need now is an eccentric salon de thé - something I'd rather like to do, one day . . .

On a recent trip a friend and I discovered the cool 'Le Bout du Monde' restaurant situated in a cove about two kilometres from Cerbère - a good appetite-building walk, and one you can continue after lunch on to Banyuls and beyond.
Then there's Spain - a nip over the border (see last post) and there's all the pleasure of eating in tapas bars and restaurants in Portbou, Llança, El Port de la Selva, Girona . . .

                         



  Delicious Greek salad at 'Le Bout du Monde' and the view!