The end of the year is a very special time in Collioure.  The French thoroughly enjoy their Christmas festivities during the month of December with markets, incredible chocolates and holiday pastries, special food dishes and lots of family time.  Then they finish off the holiday season with a huge celebration on New Years Eve, which continues right through to New Years Day.

Collioure is no exception when it comes to parties and festivals during the season.  The town prepares for New Years Eve by selecting a theme each year.  Last year was Nuit Blanche and this year is Comic Strips.  Visitors prepare in advance and plan their attire accordingly. 

People gather to eat, drink and be merry. A table on the beach can be booked in advance where you can either purchase food or bring your own.  There are oysters and champagne served on the beach along with small plates of appetizers.  Thousands of people along with their children come out for the evening to enjoy dancing and music until the wee hours of the night.  At midnight they have an incredible fireworks display that lasts for 25 minutes.

See the video below that we filmed from 2013.  It shows the last couple of minutes of the stunning fireworks display.  The town spares no expense for this elaborate show.

Collioure is a wonderful place to be during the holidays.  These festivities are something special that we will look forward to enjoying when we live there in the winter months.

Bonne Année to all our friends and family.  Looking forward to a happy, healthy and prosperous 2015.

This month marks the first year anniversary that we have had our apartment in Collioure.  It is hard to believe that last time this year we were excitedly decorating and preparing a welcoming space, creating marketing material including a website, finalizing contracts and an information binder and posting our place on multiple vacation rental websites.  Once everything was set and the flurry of work was completed in early January, we sat back to watch and wait.  It turns out our wait wasn’t very long since we had our first guests stay in February.  The initial feedback was excellent and it was official – we had a functioning rental property in France!

To us, customer service has and always will be key.  We kept in touch with guests during their stay and always asked for feedback.  As a result we made a few tweaks here and there as we realized things along the way. There have definitely been some learning curves as we were enlightened about what is important to certain people and we also know now that we won’t make absolutely everyone happy, all of the time.  We are aiming for consistency and providing a welcoming and comfortable place for people to enjoy while on holiday.  As a result, the vast majority of people who have visited the apartment have been very pleased with their choice.  As we hit our groove and the summer months filled to capacity, we knew we were doing something right!

This past year we have had 37 different families or couples stay at our apartment.  They have come from a variety of countries – India, Ireland, Australia, South Africa, USA, Canada, Spain, U.K, Germany, Russia and of course from various cities within France.  They have ranged from 2 nights to 6 weeks and everything in between.  It has been a pleasure welcoming people from different areas and helping them to have a wonderful vacation in Collioure.

There were many people who have provided insight and help since we are not physically present in Collioure - including our real estate agent Neil from Paradise Rental Agency, Véronique our wonderful housekeeper and Andy our trusty handyman.  All of these people make this venture possible and we are incredibly grateful to each of them.

We feel very blessed to have had such a successful first year.  It is wonderful to realize that after having the initial idea and working through the stressful purchase right through to preparing to accept guests, that our vision was correct.  This crazy idea will work and in the end we will have a wonderful place to call home in the future.  (Can’t wait until we get to that point.)  For now we are happy to have other people enjoy our place and experience all that charming Collioure has to offer.

We would like to wish all the very best to our family, colleagues, friends and guests during this upcoming holiday season.  

Kim & Denis

On our never-ending quest to take in the lovely areas around Collioure, we decided to take a trek to the Gorges de Galamus which is only just over an hour away.

This spectacular gorge is located in the southern Aude region.  We had ventured to this neck of the woods back in January when we went to visit the Cathar castle Queribus.   Once outside of Perpignan, the roads guide you through some gorgeous vineyards that stretch as far as the eye can see.  Rising majestically in the air and acting as a stunning backdrop, are the Pyrenees mountains.  You drive past the Queribus castle before coming to the small but charming town of Saint-Paul de Fenouillet.  The signs are plentiful that direct you to the Gorge.  As you leave the town, you start the climb up into the mountainous terrain.  For some, this drive can be treacherous.  We have travelled in this area once before so we knew what to expect.  No matter, the road is very narrow with hairpin turns and very few areas with any kind of guardrail.  We were glad we were traveling this area in the off-season as the cars were few and far between and in some areas only one vehicle can pass.

There was a good-sized parking lot available at one end of the gorge.  From there we read the signs, took in the incredible views and decided to walk down the path into the gorge.  The walk was pleasant over a downward beaten path - at a few points we needed to climb over branches or uneven rock but for the most part it was a leisurely trek.  As you descend into the gorge, it is hard not to stop in numerous places to look at the views.  The walls made of stone give way to rocky ledges with brush and trees growing from what seem like impossible spots.  It is really breathtaking.

At the end of the path you come to the L’ermitage de Saint-Antoine that dates back to the 6th century.  It was originally a single cave carved into the basin of the mountain.  In the 1700’s  a beautiful chapel was built and perfectly nestled into a crevice on the side of the stone wall.  You can’t even begin to imagine how this structure was built into such a precarious position.  It would be difficult to do today – never mind 100s of years ago!  Unfortunately on the day we visited, the chapel was closed.  However pictures we have seen indicate that the inside is incredible.

Many people also continue down to the water where the river Agly runs.  From pictures we have seen the water is a sparkling blue green colour and a popular place for swimming in the summer.  Due to all the flooding that had recently taken place in the region, the pathway down to the water was not accessible on the day we were there.  This means we will have to visit again!  If you enjoy the outdoors, appreciate nature in its finest form and are looking for a fabulous place for your next hike and potentially a swim, we would definitely recommend the Gorges de Galamus.

Collioure is a beautiful place at any time of the year however the Fall is really a lovely time to visit.  During this season, the sirocco winds tend to come through in October and November, bringing warm winds and sometimes unsettled weather with them from the Sahara desert.  The days remain warm and as the wind rises and falls, the scenery can be incredible with fantastic cloud formations.  Check out some of the lovely skies we saw in October.

One of our most recent adventures was the exploration of the beautiful city of Sète. Approximately 1 ½ hours from Collioure, you will find the lovely town that is surrounded by water. The town was founded in 1666 and known as the Venice of Languedoc, it has an enclosed salt-water lake on one side with a canal structure and the Mediterranean on the other.    The town is the largest working fishing village on the Mediterranean.  Everywhere you turn, you see fishing boats and very busy fisherman bringing in the days catch.

We started our walk along the Royal Canal and admired the pretty painted buildings with boats pulled up alongside every available slip.  The main canal has shops and restaurants all by the water’s edge.  And you can also take organized boat trips around the whole area.  Sitting on the edge of the cliff is Theatre de la Mer, which was a very interesting stone structure.

Of course being in an authentic fishing village requires that you have some kind of fish or seafood as a meal.  We were recommended to a simple restaurant on the Canal called La Mediterraneenne.  For lunch we had the specialty of the area - incredible, fresh oysters that were served with nothing more than lemon wedges.   They were large and succulent and were obviously so fresh, it was heavenly.  We also experienced the prawns cooked a la plancha and were delighted with the sweet taste of another super fresh item.  The meal was so simple but wonderfully tasty.  This was quite a treat!

We unfortunately had limited time the day we visited but will be back to see the beaches and view from atop Mont St Clair.  There is also a very popular water jousting tournament that takes place in the summer.  Sounds like a fun event to check out.

The young folks in the Tourist Office were very helpful.  Providing suggestions on what to see, where to eat and detailed street maps. For details click here to visit their website.

Many people ask us about what restaurants we recommend visiting while in Collioure.  There are so many options for such a small village, however we have many that we have tried and enjoyed.  With Collioure being located on the sea, there is of course quite an emphasis on fresh fish and seafood with the specialty of the area being their famous anchovies.  Being a Catalan region, there is the wonderful influence of Spanish and French fusion cuisine and that coupled with the wines of the region, make it a paradise for those that love to eat.

This post will explore one of the finer restaurants of the area – Le Jardin de Collioure.  This spot is particularly interesting as the location was originally a Dominican Convent.  It has been recently converted into a lovely restaurant with an incredible open-air patio where you can relax and enjoy drinks plus an indoor and outdoor dining room.  Sitting outside under the soft lighting, it is truly wonderful to admire the stonewalls of the convent that dates back to the 13th century.

Upon our arrival, our waiter Peter welcomed us warmly.   Originally from Figueres, Spain, he was very friendly and chatted with us about his recommendations for both food and wine.  We started with an aperitif of the sweeter Banyuls red and white wine and they brought a starter plate with toast and olive tapenade.  Peter gave us lots of time with the menu and had his colleague bring us a huge platter of raw fresh fish that were the specials for the day.   It was hard to narrow down to only one option.

Laura had the entrecote that came with huge servings of frites.  The meat was very tender and cooked just to her liking.  The portion was large and more than enough for an adult never mind for a teen.

After much contemplation, Denis and I each had a platter that had large pieces of monkfish that were cooked on the plancha in banyuls wine.  While not the prettiest fish in its original format, the fish was very tasty.  This was also served with scallops, a small portion of rice, mushrooms and a really tasty patty of parsnips cooked in a pineapple glaze.  Very unusual but so yummy!  The meal was beautifully presented and the plates decorated with berry coulis and sesame snap crisps. The restaurant has an extensive wine cellar so there were numerous options.  Our wine choice was also from Peter’s recommendation and was a bottle of white from the Rhone valley.  It paired perfectly with the fish.

Of course after tasting all the wonderful food we couldn’t decline perusing the dessert menu.  Another phenomenal choice - we splurged and enjoyed profiteroles and the chocolate fondant with salted caramel.

This meal was really fantastic! We would highly recommend Le Jardin based on the incredible food, the terrific service and the absolutely beautiful location. Be sure to add it to your list for a fabulous dinner.

Click here for the restaurant website.

This week is the busiest one of the year in Collioure.  People come from all over to celebrate the holiday of Saint Vincent on August 16th that blossoms into a festival taking place during August 14-18th.

Dating back to 1701, the Saint Vincent Festival celebrates the arrival of the remains of the town's Patron Saint.  Thousands celebrate with games, street music, concerts, dances, street art and the Catalan boat procession.  It also includes a spectacular fireworks display on the evening of the 16th.

Enjoy these videos that highlight some of the fun activities that take place during the festival.

Traditional Sardanes Dances

Street Music & Concerts

Fireworks Display

One of the oldest buildings in Collioure is the Dominican Convent as it was originally founded in 1290.  It was a convent and church of St Dominique until the Revolution in 1790.  The cloisters, which had been removed at that time, were returned to Collioure in 1992 and are now part of the Modern Art Museum that is situated beside the Convent.

After the Revolution, the building was state-owned and became first a grain store and then went on to become an arsenal in the 19th century. 

Dating back to 1926 it was purchased by Collioure winemakers and has been the location of a  winery that still operates today. Surrounding the building is 130 hectares that are farmed to make AOC Collioure wine and also fortified wines.  On the hills behind the convent, the vineyards are planted on terraces and they are kept upright on the steep slopes by stonewalls.  As a result of the difficult terrain, the vineyards are all manually farmed.  They currently make AOC quality wine by the local “Cooperative de la Dominican.  Tours that explain the history and winemaking process are available from April through September and of course wine is offered for sampling and purchase.

Inside the old cloisters that have been newly renovated, there is a new restaurant called Le Jardin de Collioure click here for the website that has very good reviews and apparently an excellent atmosphere with French jazz singers on Fridays.  Offering both a dining room and garden patio we will be checking out this option for dinner or tapas the next time we are in town.

This is another beautiful example of how a historical building has been transformed into a local business and is also still a wonderful place to visit.

Just a short drive down the coast to Banyuls-sur-Mer, there is an aquarium and an incredible natural marine reserve. 

The aquarium was opened in 1885 making it the oldest public aquarium on the Mediterranean.  While the aquarium is quite small it does house a considerable amount of information in its tanks.  The exhibits are creatively displayed starting with marine life closest to the shore and working their way to the deep sea.  Visitors can view numerous varieties of fish, eels, octopus, coral and beautiful marine plants that are all found in the waters along the French coast.

If you are a little more adventurous you can visit the underwater trail or le sentier sous-marin.  Within the bay, located at Peyrefite beach, you can discover with your own equipment or rent a mask, snorkel and fins to explore this fabulous underwater reserve.  The reserve opened in 1974 and covers 650 hectares of sea between Banyuls and Cerbère.  This is a protected area with over 12,000 species of fish and shellfish and 500 sea plants that are native to the area.

The trail is 250m long with buoys at several points along the way.  There are underwater signs with lists of the different species that can be seen in that specific area.  They also offer, for an extra charge, the ability to rent an audio guide & musical interlude of sorts that gives you a running commentary during your swim/snorkel along the surface.  The reserve offers a wonderful way to learn about and experience firsthand, underwater sea life in its natural form.

Along the shore is a lovely beach (bring your water shoes for the pebbles) and shaded areas for picnic lunch.  Definitely a place worth visiting if you are looking for an authentic underwater experience.

Enjoy this video that shows the large numbers of fish that are viewable in the reserve.

With the holiday season well underway in Collioure and our apartment fully booked, we thought it would be fun to share some of our favourite pictures of our neighbourhood.  The following are all shots taken during the summer months when the temperatures are warm and the days long.  Enjoy viewing the magic of this beautiful fishing village.