In mainland France, you can’t find a more southerly coast than Cote Vermeil. In the Catalan country, while many regions experience the first frosts of autumn, summer continues until October. September and October are also the best months to visit the four pearls of Cote Vermeil. The air is mild, the water is still lukewarm, the light is luxurious, and above all, the crowd of tourists is much more reasonable.
Colliour, “brown” city
A small fishing port specializing in anchovies, Collioure’s fortunes changed one day in May 1905. It was on May 16 that Henri Matisse stepped off the train to spend the summer in a small Catalan port. The artist is immediately attracted by the beauty of Roussillon. A native of the north, he discovers oranges, aubergines, the intoxicating smell of flowers and this unique light, which immediately triggers a firework of pure and brutal colors. His paintings caught fire and along with his friend Andre Deren, Henri Matisse founded Fauvism. After them, many artists traveled to Collioure: Picasso, Jean Pesquet, to whom we owe the Museum of Modern Art, Raoul Dufy, Henri Martin and Survage. More than a century after the Fauvist revolution, Collioure is still developing an artistic identity that has earned him international acclaim. The city attracts many artists, who come for some to seek light, for others, tourists’ money. In the off-season, the cobbled streets and the beach regain some calmness. The small stone beaches that stretch on either side of the Collioure bell tower become havens of peace. Collioure is also famous for its anchovies. This tradition is preserved by two family businesses, the Desclaux and Roque houses.
WHERE TO SLEEP, WHERE TO EAT.
Knights Templar
Over the decades, the Pows family hosted artists at their hotel who offered many paintings. Les Templiers is both a bar, a restaurant, a hotel and a real museum, all within 50m. from the port and the beach. Double room from 79 euros.
Hotel Restaurant les Templiers, 12, quai de l’Amirauté, 66190 Collioure. Such. 04 68 98 31 10.
Ballet
Chef Laurent Lemal has been awarded a Michelin star for his creative and modern cuisine, between land and sea. La Ballet, located on the water’s edge, offers a great view over the entire Collioure. “Certitude” menu with 8 courses, €90; “Confidence” menu with 12 dishes, €150.
Restaurant La Balette, Route de Port-Vendres, 66190 Collioure. Such. 04 68 82 05 07.
Port Vendres, industrious
Port-Vendres attached to Collioure, located at the foot of Cap Bear, is a major deep-water port on the Cote Vermey. Fruit trade and fishing from the Mediterranean basin provide much of the activity in this city, which has retained its folk charm. On the docks, tuna boats happily rub shoulders with sailboats, yachts and small fishing boats. Scottish artist Charles Mackintosh fell in love with this marine atmosphere. Between 1925 and 1927 he stayed in Port-Vendres and created paintings that can be admired while walking along the docks. When he died in 1933, his ashes were scattered in the waters of Port-Vendrese. A little further south, past Cap Béar, you can’t get out of Port-Vendres without detouring through the bay of Polilly. Until 1991, there was a dynamite factory here. The site is beautifully decorated by the Conservatoire du littoral, with a paradisiacal beach that can be reached by paths through the heart of the botanical garden. You can also visit a workshop where traditional Catalan boats are restored.
DO: Back from Fishing
Along the piers, a few fishermen sell shrimp, prawns, prawns and other flounder right out of the sea in small oxidized steel shacks. If you want to taste them on the spot, go to La Côte Vermeille restaurant, located 50 meters from Quai Fanal.
Banyuls, wine region
The aromas escaping from the cellars are not deceptive. Banyuls is truly the wine capital of the coast. On the steep slopes of Alber and down to the sea, the vines are rooted in burlap and produce exceptional wines. The local specialty is the naturally sweet wine, but local winemakers also dust off the appellation with original white and red nectars that draw the essence of this terroir between the sea and the mountains. Several cellars can be visited. Big and impressive like the Templars. Some are more discreet, such as the excellent Domaine de la Rectorie. Also not to be missed is the Harvest Festival, which takes place every year on the second weekend of October.
A city of wine, Banyuls also rejects multiple identities. The birthplace of sculptor Aristide Maillol (you can visit his house, which has been turned into a museum), it is both a port and a seaside resort, which includes the harmonious shapes of its mosaic beach, a mountain village where dolce vita reigns and even . a small university center thanks to its oceanography laboratory and aquarium.
THE GOOD TABLE
Flashlight
Star chef Pascal Borel is undeniably the culinary beacon of Banyuls. At Fanal, fish is king and… local. Every day the restaurant offers a “return to the market” menu, or rather “return to fishing”, which is very affordable for a starred establishment (from €28 to €38).
Restaurant Le Fanal, Av. Pierre Fabre, 66650 Banyuls-sur-Mer. Such. 04 68 98 65 88.
Cerbère, railway work
Of the four Cote Vermey pearls, Cerbère is the one that shines with the most subdued brilliance. This city, which protects the gateway to Spain, was born in 1878 with the opening of the railway line connecting France to Spain. Located in a narrow bay, Cerbère seems to be crushed by the sea with its huge station built over 30 hectares. As the gauge of the rails differed between France and Spain, goods were moved by hand from one car to another. At the height of the railway’s golden age, the town had 2,600 inhabitants, including 500 SNCF employees.
Today, rail activity has declined, but its footprint remains strong, like the beautiful Art Deco houses of former freighters that line the tracks or the Riberal. At the entrance to town, the Belvedere du Rayon Vert is Cerbere’s real flagship. Above the railway line, towards the sea, the silhouette of its facade, its stern, rounded passageways, the staircase resembling a ship’s chimney, the building has dominated the city since 1932. It was built to accommodate travelers passing between France and Spain. because at that time it took two to three days to get a visa. When it opened, it was the most modern palace in Europe. Crowned executives frequented it and the establishment played host to many stars: Orson Welles, Michelle Morgan, Burville, Francis Blanche, Maurice Chevalier and even Fernandel.
WHAT TO SEE?
Because of the difference in gauge, for almost a hundred years, 5,000 people, mostly women, hand-processed 20 million tons of Spanish citrus fruit. It took five people to transport the wagon: 3 loaders and 2 unloaders. The baskets they used to transport the oranges weighed up to 20 kg. A carriage next to Cerbère Beach repeats this story. “Cerbere ferryboats” is also known for organizing the first all-women strike.
Source: Le Figaro
