Collioure to Port Vendre and back

November 6, 2010

WEATHER: EVEN SUNNIER, EVEN WARMER!

Breakfast downstairs at the B&B was well above average, with fresh melon, homemade breads and jam and even eggs. We had a pleasant conversation with our host, Jean-Michel, and a couple visiting from Cognac. Jean-Michel was a guide at the local fort, and he prepared breakfast for us that morning because the fort was closed due to la grève. Too bad, we would have enjoyed seeing the inside of the massive structure.

After breakfast we walked into town, all through the narrow streets and out onto the harbour breakwater. We walked around the fort to the other side of town and along the water. The weather couldn't have been nicer-we were almost too hot in long pants and short-sleeved shirts. We picked up some baguette sandwiches for lunch and took them back to our B&B, where we changed into shorts and ate outside on the terrace. We marveled at the balmy November temperatures and enjoyed thinking about the snow falling at home!

Unless you live in the frozen North, a lunch like this in November might seem quite ordinary. We were delighted.

One of the picturesque winding lanes in Collioure.

In the afternoon we hopped on our bikes with no weight and rode towards Banyuls sur Mer, about 15 km away. After climbing up out of Collioure (and checking out the great views) we descended into Port Vendre, a bustling fishing port and deep-water harbour. We rode through the town and out the other side uphill again where we had to join a busy highway. The was a haze in the air and we could see that the rest of the way would be lots of up and down on the busy road, away from the coast, so not such nice scenery. We decided to head back to Collioure instead of going on to Banyuls. We stopped off at the fancy dessert place and bought a pistachio-cherry cake to share with the B&B guests and hosts and some very reasonable and delicious chausons aux pommes and chocolate croissants to have with tea that afternoon.

The harbour looking out past the clocher.

That night we had dinner at restaurant Dali in Collioure and it was much nicer than the night before. The entree was salade with tomato tartare, then dorade with vegetables, with tarte aux pommes and tarte aux chocolat for dessert.

Today's ride: 13 km (8 miles)
Total: 827 km (514 miles)

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