A different route to the border

Within half an hour you can be up in the wild landscape behind Cerbère (depending on your walking speed). Today we decided to walk over the border into Spain and find the fresh water lake or barrage that supplies Portbou.
It was a beautiful walk, a little windy as the Tramontane was blowing, but not enough to be a danger, (and it kept us cool).
The Cerbère valley is quite different to that of Portbou, the former being wider and sunnier with vines, olive, wild lavender etc; the latter, more pine trees and less imprint of man.
Before we arrived at the top, I was musing on how people would have decided where the border between the two countries should be; when you look at the terrain on each side and the vegetation difference, it suddenly appears quite obvious how the decision was arrived at.
No animals noted apart from bees, but still a fair amount of wild flowers blooming despite the heat and dryness, and amazingly several blackberry bushes with ripe fruit - I assume their roots must be well down into some underground source.
I saw a weather warning on France Meteo before setting out on the risk of forest fires in the South of France. Standing amongst brittle, bone-dry vegetation I could imagine the speed at which a fire would take hold.
I walked back to Cerbère, and the more intrepid Mark, into PortBou. Next time I will walk to Banyuls along the crest of the hills - not on a windy day . . .

                                          

View back to Cerbère, about half way along to the border point




The barrage above Portbou at its low summer level.

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

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!

A walk over the 'hill' between Cerbère and Port-Bou

I have done this walk/minor climb once with my son, in the winter when we got stranded in Port-Bou (next town - in Spain). Some hardened hikers showed us the way, and magnificent it was, although somewhat cold.
Yesterday, Mark and I did the walk both ways, with a cake and tea stop in between.
To pick up the trail, you walk up the dry river bed/road at the back of Cerbère and follow it all the way, not taking the route through the big tunnel on the right. Keep walking and you pass through a small tunnel and into a curious area at the back of the railway sidings full of old chicken runs and debris . . . not the most picturesque spot but take the small path to your left, marked with a fellow line and walk/clamber up until you reach the white border-point (disused) building.
The route in spring is beautiful; full of wild flowers, gorse and lavender, and if, like me, you have to stop every few minutes due the gradient, the views of the sea, town and station are wonderful.
Cross over the main road (with care as some drivers take the bends a little recklessly) up onto the top of the hill (small mountain?) feel the wind thrashing you if it's a Tramontane day, and walk down across the border into Spain.
This hillside would have once been equally flower and cactus-filled but due to a severe forest fire a few years back most of the ground is just grass covered, although the trees and bushes are beginning to make a come-back, slowly.
If you have remembered a back pack, you can fill it with pots of local honey, olive oil, nougat, etc, enjoy some Tapas/cake/cervezas, have a wander about and either catch the train back across the border or walk.
If you have a bit more time, it is well worth visiting the Walter Benjamin memorial and grave situated in the cemetery above the town.
The walk, without counting the cake stop etc, is about an hour and a half - two hours, depending on your speed/leg length . . .



the Cerbère side



Cerbère station and sidings

                         

                                                                



         



                 Port-Bou side with the Cap de Creus land mass in the distance




        walk back with shopping bag as we forgot the rucksack

                                      

                                       Port-bou honey, olive oil and Turon (nougat)

Hillside wanderings

So far I have discovered two ways to reach the hills surrounding Cerbère: one, is to walk in the dry river bed (very wet during occasional monumental downpours) at the back of the town; through a long echoing tunnel, (over which the train activity happens), more river bed and then into olive and lavender filled hills.
The other, is to walk through the sprawl of mega-villas at the top of the town and follow the road until the houses run out and you are left with a pot-holed tarmac 'chemin'. These two routes eventually meet up, thus creating a circular walk of great variety.
Last time, I intended to follow the road to something called 'Las Rocas"indicated by an ancient bull-shaped wooden sign. I didn't get that far but did enjoy a couple of hours of total silence except for bees and occasional distant sounds from the railway sidings.
Another walk we have done a few times is up to the old border point customs building (now unused, even the café - what a missed opportunity . . . mm, interesting thought) and over the hill to Port-Bou on the Spanish side.
A lovely hike-ette with the plus of being able to eat a great meal for very little money when you get there, and then walk back/get the train if you've over-indulged.

          Beware bees

       View from bee area

Gecko house

Last swim of the year.

I think last year the final swim must have been around the end of October, just cold enough to ice the ends of my toes.
This year, it may have been the end of September on my last visit.
I swam at seven in the morning when the water appeared to consist of ink blue and iridescent turquoise, silk strips; the morning star and crescent moon hanging in a never-ending expanse of dawn sky.
Collecting a pebble from the beach to add to my 'number of sea swims this year' jar, I walked up the hill to then drink tea, sitting on the front step of our flat.
I watched the late summer swallows weaving and dipping, and tried to recall what the same street was like in January when the Tramontane wind swirled leaves and pine needles from doorways of holiday homes, and the harbour railings sang their mournful four note lament.

Add-on to post - last swim was actually here (next photo) in October, in the poetically named 'beach of no troubles' which it was - completely empty apart from another woman swimming, and someone fishing.

Street art

There's lots of this in Cerbère. Over the years various contemporary art events have left traces all over the town: some defiantly visible like the oblong of violet paint with the word 'Miracle' written in gold paint that decorates the beach wall; or the huge gold letters saying 'You see what it is I want to say' (in French) also gracing that same wall.

A meander down the back streets reveals other works in unexpected places - a beautifully painted woman (picture of, not woman) holding giant antlers at the top of someones garden steps, or this fabulous orange fish near the entrance to one of the town's tunnels.

Dotted about are smaller paintings - a series of pigeons with moralistic phrases accompanying them, skulls, and all the real graffiti that graces walls, doors, steps and tunnels.

One of the passenger walkways tunnels has itself become a work of art by Jean Truel spanning many years.

I wonder if the likes of Picasso and other artists made it as far as Cerbère - they spent time in Collioure, a few kilometres up the coast. I can't imagine they wouldn't have stopped off, intrigued by the Belvedere Hotel perhaps (see last post). On their way to see Dali in Cadaqués perhaps? Someone in the town must know . . . another little project.