We departed Lannemezan at 10:30am to mild and dry weather. Lannemezan is around 30 km east of Tarbes, and around 100 km south-west of Toulouse.
Castles everywhere
Our route took us initially along the motorway parallel with the Mid Pyrenees mountain range then along the smaller D117 which took us through the towns of Mane, His and Caumont and Lorp-Sentaralle, an old fortified city with stone mill on river. There seems to be a Castle ruin perched on all the strategic hilltops we pass.
Stopped to make lunch in small town of Castelnau-Durban next to small stream
After the town of Quillan the road winds through craggy cliff gorges where the cliffs form the edge of the road. Emerging from the rugged gorges the hills are gentler and landscaped with vineyards. The vines have now all been pruned back for the winter months, wine cellars, most now closed to the public over winter, line the road.
Our GPS took us the wrong way through Perpignan during peak hour traffic, nothing new there, so after slow progress we took the wrong turn, back to the trusty paper map to find our way while the navigator found hers.
Port Vendres – France
Port Vendres Market
We arrived in Port Verdes near dark to the Aires parking and set up for the night. The small but industrious port was busy with unloading fruit a ship in port. Now dark and cold we set off for our evening walk but the wind was gale force we walked a short distance and the wind helped blow us back to the hypermobile for the night.
Port Vendres
Unloaded ship departing Port Vendres
Went walking next morning in the other direction into the town of Port Verdes. Walked around looking at the stalls at the local market of fruits and winter clothing, meats etc. Was nice walking through the town seeing the locals meeting up for coffee and chats speaking in French. Oh yes, you also have to watch very carefully where you tread on streets, paths, beaches well just anywhere in France as they do not pick up their dog poop and you can end up wearing it.
Costa Brava Spain
We departed Port Verdes at 2pm and drove along the coastal road South into Spain. The coast of France and Spain on the Mediterranean is spectacular and you can see why many flock to these coastal villages to spend summer on the beaches.
French – Spanish Boarder
French – Spanish Boarder
We reached our planned stop for the night at l’Escala late in the afternoon only to find the campsite advertised as open all year closed until March. So back to the camping directory and a phone call to another all year campsite in Estartit about 30k further South.This one was open!
The sun was setting as we arrived at the Les Medes camping grounds on the Costa Brava, Spain.
After the town of Quillan the road winds through craggy cliff gorges where the cliffs form the edge of the road. Emerging from the rugged gorges the hills are gentler and landscaped with vineyards. The vines have now all been pruned back for the winter months, wine cellars, most now closed to the public over winter, line the road.
