Local information
La
Paloma is in the beautiful medieval village of Arles sur Tech. Arles which
is one of the most southerly villages in France and is just a few miles from
the Spanish frontier where you can access Figures, famous for it’s
Salvador Dali connection and the historic Catalan city of
Girona.
The prefecture of Ceret, famous for it’s annual cherry festival and museum of modern art is a short drive away. Beyond Ceret the old Roman road leads to the picturesque Côte Vermeille with the artists’ enclave at Collioure and seafood lovers paradise of Port-Vendres once the home of René Mackintosh.
The regional city of Perpignan is a thirty-minute drive away with its bustling shops, ancient canal network and fascinating Arabic quarter. Further up the coast you can reach Montpelier in one and a half hours and the historic Cather city of Carcassonne in less then two. For lovers of walking Arles is a great access point to the famous GR10 footpath.
We
are gradually putting together our own 'villa
holiday blog' where we
sharing some tips about our favourite restaurants and places to visit.
These all have Google maps included so it's well worth making a note before you set off.
The valley itself is a beautiful place used by ‘Lance Armstrong' as he trained for the Tour de France.
Gourmets Delight
One of the most important reasons for us buying a house in France
was our love of food and wine. The main kitchen at La Paloma usually
becomes the main gathering place we are there with our friends and family.
The kitchen is well equipped with all mod cons and some interesting traditional French features. It has a table that will comfortably sit eight people, an American fridge with ice maker and modern gas cooker along with all the utensils and equipment required for the most ambitious cook.
A small library of cookbooks includes books from Elizabeth David though to Rick Stein should you be stuck for inspiration. Coll Frers, the village butcher has a fabulous selection of meat, poultry, and charcutery and the local Spar has fresh supplies of vegetables each day and a fresh fish stall outside each Friday. A short drive away, the towns of Amile les Bains and Ceret offer a wider range of shopping, daily markets and well stocked supermarkets.
Less than 15 minutes away:
Fishing, climbing, golf, tennis, a sports centre, a theatre/cinema and bird watching.
Less than 45 minutes away:
Beach, sailing, water skiing, boat hire, wind surfing, flying, skiing/snow boarding, scuba diving, a zoo and a theme-park.
Travel information
- 45 minutes from Perpignan airport
- 60 minutes from Girona Airport
- 120 minutes from Barcelona Airport
- 45 minutes from the nearest Beach
- 90 minutes from the nearest Ski Slope.
Flights
There are some great deals to be had from both Ryanair to Perpignan or Girona. And Easyjet To Barcelona.