Each day when we walk out our apartment door, the lovely sight of the Notre Dame des Anges or Our Lady of the Angels greets us.  This gorgeous church and its looming tower welcome us and gently remind us again of the incredible beauty by which we are surrounded.

This stunning icon of the Collioure bay is viewable from all around the harbour and is one of the most photographed buildings in this little village.  Located right between the Boramar and Saint Vincent beaches, since it is built into the sea, provides a fabulous experience to swim in the water and look up at the terrific view of the stonewalls and looming tower.

The church was originally built in 1684 and over time was reconstructed to include the ancient lighthouse that became its bell tower.  You can see the evolution of the structure by the variety of materials used and the different colours of stones showing the increase in height as it was changed over the years.  It was designed in the style of Southern Gothic (meaning it was Gothic in style however specific to the South of France).

Inside the church, it initially looks simple but upon closer inspection one will see many intricate alters along the walls dating back to the very early 1700’s.  It is worth taking a close look at the adornments as they are beautifully preserved.  In the entrance is a font made in 1693 from red marble from Villefranche.  The bottom of the font is decorated with small fish swimming in the water. 

The main alter is covered in gold leaf and really is quite spectacular.  Constructed with three floors, it was hand carved by a Catalan sculptor named Joseph Sunyer in 1698 and deserves some time to ponder the beautiful handiwork.

Notre Dame des Anges is still a functioning church.  You hear the bells chime during the day and on Sunday and Wednesday you will hear a lovely melody calling people to mass. Be sure to take some time to visit this special spot.

It has been six months now since we have been in Collioure and we are missing it.  It might have been the particularly long and harsh winter we experienced this year or maybe the slow start to Spring.  We aren’t sure but we do know we just want to be there.  Our summer season is just about booked solid through until the first week of September (which we are thrilled about) but that means a few more months until we can think about another trip.

Having found the web cam in Collioure that shows us our beach and building has driven our anticipation level even higher.  We can actually see what is happening there instead of just recalling from our memories.  Check it out at this link.

We love to stroll down boulevard du Boramar and take in all the sights.  As you turn the corner from the end near the Palace, you see all the artists with their paintings on display.  They sit in their chairs, under the trees, greeting people as they pass.  There are all different styles and interpretations of the Collioure bay and its many landmarks.

Then as you make your way a little farther, you see the people sitting out on the patios of Copacabana and the Grand Marnier creperie enjoying a drink or a bite to eat.  Mostly it seems they are just sitting and enjoying the lovely view and the feel of the sun on their faces.  Or perhaps you don’t have time to sit and relax but you can still make a quick stop at Le Petit Café for a coffee and a brief chat.

All along the beach are families and couples lounging on the sand and rocks, playing in the water and soaking in the sun.  This is a popular beach all day long and even into the evening, as the days are extended and the nights stay warm.

For lunch or dinner you can enjoy many of the restaurants that are built into the bottoms of the colourful fishermen’s houses.  We have thoroughly enjoyed Chez Simone Tapas where the waiters sing while they serve and L’Insolite which has fabulous authentic Catalan food.  Both are so convenient to the apartment that they are favourites of ours.

And then of course, you have the majestic church with the looming tower – so pretty in both the daytime and evening when the building comes alive with soft yellow lights.  After reaching the church, we make our way up the ramp on rue de la Paix to our wonderful apartment.  There really is no better place to stroll.  However we are always so happy to open the door to the peaceful sanctuary of our home away from home.

To give you a first hand experience of boulevard du Boramar please enjoy this video of Denis giving a brief description of the street.

While wandering the streets of Collioure, you will see numerous types of trees and different kinds of flowing shrubs, fruit trees and vines.  With the very mild temperatures in this area, there are always flowers of some kind and it is common to see orange trees blooming in January.

As you climb the hills of Collioure, you will come across olive groves.  While fishing for anchovies was the main source of income for the Catalan families of the area, the growing of olives was also an important export.  For many years, the region had more than 100 olive mills that produced olives for eating and also for producing oil.  These groves were old and some even went back to ancient times.  Unfortunately in 1956 there was an unseasonably cold winter and most of the region lost its olive trees.  This was devastating to the local farmers and resulted in many replanting their fields with vines instead.

There are a few small pockets of olive groves still remaining that are now maintained by local cooperatives.  They continue to plant and produce olives for oil production.  There is a co-op located in Collioure that presses its olives using the windmill set up on the hill.  In fact this is the oldest mill in the region dating back to 1337.

When the olive trees were still abundant in Collioure, they were the subject of many painters including Derain and Matisse.  Matisse loved the colours in Collioure and often told his colleagues to come and spend time there, as it was “full of charming sites”.   One of his earliest and most important paintings in the Fauvist time period was the “Promenade Among the Olive Trees”.  It shows his love for colour and is known as the first piece of work that is definitively Fauvist in style.

As is typical, there is always some history in every corner of Collioure.  Even while admiring the trees, there is a story worth telling.  Spend some time looking up and around at the beautiful plant life in this area.