Collioure exploration

Our first full day in Collioure began with some further exploration of our immediate surroundings. Our apartment is right beside the Chapelle Saint Vincent, which is a tiny little place reached by a breakwater between two beaches (Collioure boasts seven beaches in all). It's an obvious spot to investigate, and we were far from alone going there and continuing on to the old lighthouse. We sat there for a while soaking up the glorious sunshine and getting our general bearings. That's when we spotted a little tourist mini train and decided on the spur of the moment to give it a try, which meant continuing our exploration around the Chateau Royal, a large fortified structure which dominates Collioure.

We stopped for lunch at the prosaically named Bar de la Marine which turned out to serve excellent food. We tried the local speciality which is a square wheaten pancake with the corners folded in to form a pocket for all sorts of fillings (really nice). So on we strolled to the largest of the seven beaches, where we'd seen the mini train pull in. The little train didn't take long before it surprised us by tackling a steep laneway and heading into the heights above the town, taking us up and up until we reached Les Batteries, another old fortification which is now privately owned. From there the train took us down to Port Vendres, a nearby working port and fishing harbour. We had hoped for another picturesque spot, but instead found a rather dull industrialised place where we didn't stay long. We'd intended getting the €1 bus (yes, that's the fare!) back to Collioure, but then the mini train came along on its way back and we hopped on that.

Back home, we soaked up more of Collioure's wonderful atmosphere before retiring for a siesta and not moving out again until 8:30. We opted for a restaurant recommended by our host, but it turned out not to be all that great, neither from the point of view of the food nor the service (our waiter was very gruff and unfriendly). We did our best to find a bar for a nightcap afterwards, but our efforts went unrewarded and we ended up back in our fab apartment before 11:00 pm to watch a DVD.