Saturday 25th May 2013 - Tuesday 28th May 2013

Collioure, Camping Les Almondiers continued.....

Saturday, and Kathleen is washing her hair. The site's "Frenchness" ie shabby chic, has been a plus point, but, there is no hot water in the hand basins, the novelty has worn off!

The recommendations of the French Lady we met in Valencia count for nothing.

I decide to walk into the town (Collioure) to buy some bread.

It is a beautiful little place, so, I assume the French Ladies recommendations were more to do with the town, than the actual campsite.

Bread bought, I fail in my second task, ie to find the church, but, I do explore enough to be pretty sure there is an easier way to get to town than walking along the road.

After lunch, we set off again, and sure enough, just to the left as you approach the town, there are a flight of steps, alongside some houses, which provide a short cut into town.

The route jiggles about a little, but, basically, is not difficult to find, if you remember you just have to keep heading down hill.

This is much shorter, prettier, and quieter, than the route I took this morning, which simply followed the main road into town.

We do our exploring, find the church, establish the time for Mass (18:00 Sunday).

By chance, we meet our Scottish neighbours, who, earlier, had set off on their first ever ride on their new Yamaha motor scooter. Obviously, they survived the experience.

We then retire to a café on the harbour, to sit in the sun, savouring a glass or two of Rose Wine.

This is what I love about France!

We return to the site, to find, there have been lots of new arrivals since we left to go to town, the place is bursting at the seams!

On our way back, I cannot resist this road sign, one especially for our

friends "The Cricks" (aka Bryan and Joan).

Third place name down, it must be their summer residence.

Church, when we find it, is right on the waters edge, so, that is Kathleen's venue for !8:00 on Sunday evening.

Usually we would have lunch out on Sunday, but, given the late time for Church on Sunday, this event is postponed to Monday, when we have an excellent lunch (marred only by Kathleen's complaints, that a litre of Rose is too much at lunch time, I thought it washed the Moules down a treat).

Tuesday, we leave Collioure, but, not before checking out the Aire nearby. The Aire (N43 46.733' E6 43.997') is excellent, 10Euro/24 hours, but, that includes Electricity, and Toilets, plus usual services, and there is a shuttle bus to the town.

Next, we check out Port Vendres, about 4 miles South, another good Aire (N42 31.063' E3 6.815'), 5.50Euro/night, no electric, but has Toilets. On edge of town, near the harbour, but, unfortunately, no view of the harbour.

Finally, we arrive an Narbonne, or, to be more precise La Narbonette, an Aire with Electric Hook up, about five minutes easy walk from the centre of Narbonne.

Very organised. Not cheap at 7Euro/24 hours, plus an extra 2Euro for Water/Chemical Toilet Emptying.

As we arrive, the heavens open, I get soaked, just opening the barrier to get in! (Kathleen cannot do it, her hair may frizz).