We just love this little apartment in Narbonne because of the kitchen--and the nearby market. It means we can head out during the day but plan to cook and eat at home each night. To us this is the absolute best way to explore places.Take today for example, we headed out around 9:00 am after a breakfast of toast and jam and coffee made here in the Bodum. Our direction today was south and we didn't know exactly how far we would get. We took the side roads beside the etangs (the salt marshes between the highway and the Mediterranean. Sadly I can't show you pictures of the étangs because we were deluged by a strong rainstorm as we drove along them. However when we got to Argelés the rain stopped and we joined in a fête de fleurs.
We enjoyed a cafe au lait there and then headed south to a couple of other spots down near the Spanish border. It's like a mini French Riviera there, but maybe less crowded, although maybe not. It turns out that today is in the middle of yet another long weekend. May is full of holidays and when they occur on a Tuesday people choose to bridge the gap and make it a four-day weekend. This is the second weekend in a row that this has happened. Good for the French for taking holidays at this time of year!
We ended up visiting three different spots: Argelés sur Mer, Port-Vendres, and Banyuls-sur-Mer. All had a very French Riviera feeling, probably because there were lots of visitors due to the long weekend. After a lovely lunch of seafood we lingered in these spots until around 4:30, when we headed back north to Narbonne. When we arrived we found that the wind was gone, the air was warm and everything was perfect for a dinner of soup that was waiting in the fridge, as well as salad with tomatoes and delicious strawberries. We so enjoyed being home in our little apartment looking out on the canal as evening came on.
There were some other residents of Narbonne who were also looking forward to cooking tonight. Three fellows were fishing along the canal. I hope they enjoyed their dinner as much as we did.
Lovely, You take the best vacations. So how soon will you be moving here ?
ReplyDeleteLove the flowers and kumquat tree. Very lush green and beautiful. The view out your door is perfect.
Lucky French to be allowed or just take 4 days off. It is not that way here. If you have a job (lucky to have one) you go to work, or they will hire someone who will work for less money (money under the table) and longer hours. The French have a great life.
cheers, parsnip
Ha ha! we won't be moving here but it is idyllic. France is a very appealing country and we've met nothing but kindness from the people we've met. Plus it's just so darn beautiful. They do have a good life.
DeleteYour photos show how beautiful France is. I would take four days off any chance I I could.
DeleteIdyllic shots!
ReplyDeletePerfect day! Just what we like to do there too,
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