A major change of plan. From Chateauneuf du Rhone we were intending to drive down into Provence for a few days and then head for the islands of Corsica and Sardinia. However, the weather forecast for those areas is not good – rain and/or strong winds. Instead we are going to make our way to the southwest of France and then on into Spain. We’re on tour for the best part of three months and will therefore have plenty of time to catch up on Corsica and Sardinia later.
It was Vanya’s idea to book in at Yelloh’s Brasilia over the Easter Holiday and a good idea it was too. We usually book campsites one day at a time during our tours but at weekends we invariably book both the Friday and the Saturday because, so popular is motorhoming in France, it can prove very difficult to find empty spaces on a Saturday. Vanya suggested it could be the same over the Easter Holiday weekend and so reserved a space in Le Brasilia (located just outside Canet en Roussillon) for the Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. It was an inspired thought because the place proved to be packed all over the Easter break with French and German holidaymakers. Of course, Le Brasilia is also Vanya’s most favourite campsite of all those that we have visited during our tours and it came as no surprise when she later booked us in for the Monday night too. No problem. What’s not to like about the Le Brasilia?
Canet en Roussillon is not one of my favourite places but the weather forecast for the area was promising and it does serve as a great place from which to take day trips out. On this occasion we visited nearby Le Barcares, Elne, Saint-Marie La Mere and, of course, Saint-Genis des Fontaines; although the latter was business in that I wanted to buy some wine from my favourite wine producer in the area. I do it every time we are down there.
No more about either Le Brasilia or Canet en Roussillon (you can refer to earlier blogs for further information on those those places) but, since I have not done so before, I will make brief mention of Saint Genis-des Fontaines. Individual blogs on Le Bacares, Elnes and Saint-Marie La Mere can follow.
We have visited Saint-Genis des Fontaines at least four times before (probably five) and never mentioned anything other than that I favour one of the local wineries – Les Vignerons des Alberes.The most significant building in the village (after the winery) is the Abbey of the Saint Genis which dates back to the 8th century. There’s not a great deal left of the original abbey but the cloister is remarkably well preserved and the lintel above the front entrance, which I understand dates to the early 11th century, is supposedly one of the oldest traces of Romanesque art anywhere.
So, here are a few photos.
The restaurant with the amazing sign is on Avenue des Ecoles, almost opposite Les Vignerons des Alberes. It’s name is “Y en aura pas pour tout le Monde” which translates to “There won’t be enough for everyone” – there’s confidence.
That’s the entrance to the winery, Les Vignerons des Alberes. While we were in there, a Pays de Catalan Choir entered and started singing. I don’t know what that was about but as they they left, they were gifted a couple of boxes of wine. We saw them later in the village exiting a small grocery store with a couple of boxes of eggs.
As for this year’s wine I left with a few boxes of the usua; 5 x 3 litre boxes of Cotes du Roussillon Rouge (Vanya added in a couple of the much larger boxes of Chardonnay) and a couple of bottles each of two reds recommended by a local; the first is a Premium Cotes du Roussillon Rouge and the other being a Cotes Catalan Grenache. I’m looking forward to tasting those.