Next steps

Our itinerary for the next few weeks is as follows:
1) (red) 4 April 2009 – train to Montpellier, where we rent a car and drive to Saint-Tropez
2) (blue) 15 April 2009 – drive back to Montpellier, train to Nantes
3) (green) 19 April 2009 – train to Paris
4) 29 April 2009 – fly to Montreal

One more sunrise shot.

I just couldn't resist.

Friends in High Places

As the photos below show, we went to Peyrepertuse today. WHEW! Yes I suffer from a fear of heights and I find going to these places challenging. Mostly the lead up to them. If I have to think too much about what might be involved in the way of vertical climbs I start to sweat. Once I get there I tend to do alright, mostly by going up fast and staying away from edges. Of course, I can't help myself and have to look out or over things ( not too far over) just to be able to say I did it. It is all worth it in the end. The Chateau is spectacular, a wonerful mix of standing and fallen, giving the feeling of strenght and age. This one of the Cinq Fils was put up around 1100 ad. Right across one of the valleys stands a brother Chateau, Queribus, equally formidable.

We were joined for this excursion by our friend Tamara who is also in the area with her family for an extended period. Tamara has an excellent head for heights and thereby managed to get me to go to all corners (and heights) of the Chateau; and I'm glad. Helene, of course, does all of this carrying Loic. I can't even consider it!

Looking across two different valleys from the summit I was once again struck by the overwhelming beauty of this area. It would not take much to get me to stay here full time; just a good job and the ability to speak French, oh well. It makes such perfect sense to me why for millenium people have chosen to live here. Perhaps my idea to have an eco-retreat in northern Ontario should be moved to le Pays Cathare, the winter is softer and the wine cheaper! I'll just have to build it closer to the bottom of the mountain.

Peyrepertuse, aka the Vertigo Castle

For anyone with a fear of heights, this could be considered a challenge or a folly. Either way, the scenery was stunning and we had a gorgeous day for it.

Carcassonne

Mercredi on est allés à Carcassonne. Deux heures de train, puis une demi-heure de marche (au moins) pour arriver dans la cité. C'est beau, mais rempli de petites boutiques touristiques. Declan est fasciné par les meurtrières et presque chaque fois qu'on passe devant, il explique à quoi ça sert et il fait semblant de lancer (tirer?) une flèche — et on en passe beaucoup!

C'était une bonne expédition à faire en famille, parce que certains autres lieux qu'on a visités (voir l'entrée pour Peyrepertuse), on n'aurait jamais pu y amener Declan. En plus, on lui a acheté une belle épée avec fourreau et un T-shirt avec des chevaliers!

Et, ah oui, je dois trouver comment dire "cross-bow" en français... voilà – arbalète.

Aube

Sometimes, so as not to disturb guests (or family), we take Loïc out early early in the morning. In January, this would be before sunrise. Now, thankfully, it's at sunrise and it's absolutely gorgeous.

Randonnée 3

Vendredi nous avons complété la dernière partie du sentier du Littoral, qui va de Banyuls à Collioure, et que nous avons fait en trois étapes. La dernière allait de Paulliles à Banyuls. On nous avait dit que c'est la plus belle partie de la randonnée. Pour nous, c'était vrai, mais c'est peut-être parce que le temps était absolument superbe. Ou parce qu'il nous reste qu'une quinzaine de jours et qu'on regarde tout d'un oeil déjà nostalgique. En tout cas, ça nous a fait une belle matinée!

Declan à l'école

Lundi dernier, Declan a fait un petit discours sur le Canada pour sa classe à l'école. On avait imprimé des photos, qu'il a dû présenter. Le voici avec sa maitresse, Nathalie, et les photos montées sur une affiche. Bravo Declan!

Too many hikes, not enough time

Having now completed a couple of more hikes I just want to do more. The weather has turned completely to the good for the last few weeks and the trees and flowers are in bloom and the aroma of wild herbs fill the countryside. Not a bad walking environment!

My most interesting to date was the Tour Madeloc, a signal tower built around the 12th century and located a few kilometres behind Collioure. The hike had been spec'd at 6 hours although by utilizing three different trails (on purpose this time) it only took 4 and a half. The views from the top and along the way were spectacular.

Having done this tower there is another within sight of town that I would also like to try. It's a little further off but dosen't appear to be quite so steep in it's approach so I'm hoping to get it in before our all too soon departure from this corner of France.

We will try to continue some hiking with the boys once we leave, I'm trying to pass along to Declan the joy of the outdoors that we have. He already seems to have an eye for details and takes some nice pictures along the way.

I'll get some pics up soon

Time is passing

I see it's been a while since either of us has made an entry. I've actually been busy with work (I can't complain... I need the $$ and I can squeeze it in with hardly any interruptions to the randonnées, coffees by the sea, etc.) Jeff I think has been busy with hockey -- it's that time of year back home.

I have been running from Colliour to Port-Vendres (see map), which is a beautiful road along the sea, some 30m up from sea level. Usually, I only run on school days and only once Declan is in school, so after 9am. Today, I ran early, before Declan got up. It is glorious at that time of day. Well past sunrise, but still early. (My shadow was about double my height, for those with a trig bacground.)

The other reason we haven't blogged, in all likelihood, is that we are keenly aware of the countdown to our departure and feel that beach takes absolute precedence over blogging time. Yes, we have 16 days left. Personally, I am very sad, although rationally, I still think the decision is the right one. Our departure date (4 April) marks the beginning of Easter break, and it promises to be swarming with tourists, whom we've come to see as intruders on our quiet life.

And we're on to other adventures before returning home. From there, we're off to St-Tropez for 10 days, then Nantes for 4 days, then Paris for 10 days.

We'll try to keep blogging along the way!

Thanks

Just want to thank my daughter and her partner for making their way to France to see us. The visit was all too short and wonderful at the same time. Lots of love to both of you, miss you tons.

Dad

ps-I'm doing my best to drink all the leftover Banyuls and wine

un petit coin pour Jeff

I may have found a niche market yet untapped in Collioure! A hiking shop or magasin randonnee as they call it in these here parts, except they don't call it that because they don't have any. As Helene pointed out in a earlier blog there are many beautiful hikes here and in the surrounding areas including just across the border in Spain and in the Aude Valley. But, there is a dirth of good info on these hikes. Yes, you can buy hiking guide books if you try hard enough but these will give different directions for the same trail. They might seem to have a decent map and instructions but won't tell you how to get to the starting point which itself is off the beaten track. And as mentioned you can't find a stick to (hopefully not have to) save your life. Oh yeah, there are also so many trails that cross one another that it becomes rather easy to follow the markers onto the wrong trail at some point (god doesn't even know where that happened) because they are all the same flashes and none of the trail numbers in the books match the trail numbers on the trails. I know that a good hiker doesn't blame the map, but seriously, I ended up two trails over from the one I thought I was on and didn't figure it out till the next day!

So, Randonnee avec Joffrey, sounds European enough to me. My inability to speak either French or Catalan does not worry me as I will appear to be a lovably gruff outdoorsman of few (or no) words. Not answering any questions will be covered by a look that says " if you have to ask that question you would not understand the answer." Helene, of course would do all the money end so I would be paid in the correct amounts.

With any luck the shop would sell enough walking sticks, compasses, guide books and signal flares (better to be safe) so all I would have to do is drink espresso on the terrace, if I can find my way there, and look guide-like for the customers.

Another business plan that only requires Helene to keep working at her present career in order for me to achieve mine!

Randonnées 2 - le cap Béar

Celle-ci on l'a fait sans Declan. Et heureusement. En fait, il y a une partie où on a pris le raccourci, parce que l'idée de prendre un chemin d'une largeur de 50 cm avec un bébé sur le ventre et des falaises à pic d'un côté et une clôture de l'autre ne nous tentait pas. Des vues magnifiques. Et de la flore qui nous rappelait l'Écosse.

Et au milieu des paysages complètement sauvages, on tombe tout d'un coup sur une petite agglomération de maisons. Et on se demande qui y habite. Puis on se demande comment ils y arrivent. Puis comment ils ont réussi à les construire, au bord d'une falaise ou d'une toute petite plage, loin de toute route.

Randonnées 1

There are some beautiful hikes to do around here — many, many. And yet, information on them is not that easy to come by. And ask around for a store that sells walking sticks and you get very strange looks.

Nous avons fait une partie du sentier du littoral, qui va de Banyuls-sur-Mer à Collioure. La randonnée est supposée prendre cinq heures. Mais avec un bébé, ça prend plus longtemps. Alors on en fait des parties, ici et là. Et quelques fois avec Declan. Justement, le Fort St-Elme, que voici, on l'a fait avec Declan. C'est quand même une bonne escalade, qu'il a très bien fait. Le moulin est à mi-chemin.