We spent the morning on the beach with the dogs and then, while Vanya chose to chill by one of Le Brasilia’s many swimming pools, I elected to go for a hike around the Tet Estuary to a gem of a town called Sainte-Marie La Mere (not to be confused with Saintes Maries de la Mer in the Camargue) .
Saint-Marie is similar to Canet en Roussillon in that it is has two very distinct parts, the old town and the beach except they are divided by a road in Sainte-Marie La Mere while in Canet en Roussillon they are a good mile or two apart . I wasn’t interested in seeing the beach on this occasion. I simply wanted to see the old town – the heart of Saint-Marie La Mere.
A pleasant two mile walk in the sunshine by the side of the River Tet and then through fields of artichokes (did you know that artichokes are a species of thistle?) took me to the Rue de Canet and then on to the centre-ville by way of Avenue Arago.
Sainte-Marie La Mere is a small town (it has less than 5,000 inhabitants) and a half day is sufficient to see most everything. Moreover, I had downloaded a useful brochure (a leaflet really) produced by the local tourist office which both helped me find my way around and ensured I didn’t miss anything of note – see www.saintmarielamer-tourisme.com
I actually downloaded three items from the website – the ‘leaflet’ I’ve already mentioned; a three page brochure identifying when and where all the local farmer’s markets are held (that was for Vanya) and; finally a lengthier brochure produced by the Perpignan tourist office entitled ‘Randos & Balades’ (Hikes & Walks); which gives brief details of 38 circular routes of varying lengths and difficulties in the area. Not all of these are available in English but, trust me, you don’t have to be fluent in French to follow them.
Amongst other things, the Sainte-Marie La Mere leaflet made reference to various “trompe l’oeil” which are dotted around the town. These are life size murals which look real from a distance. Most of those in the town were painted by a self-taught local artist, Bernard Gout, and they can be found in numerous towns and villages in the area. I really like his work and, to be honest, it was fun seeking them out.
I worked up quite a thirst during my search for the trompe l’oeil and made time for a long cool beer in a friendly bar on Rue de la Paix before making my way back to Le Brasilia.
We would stay one more day in France (and do nothing but enjoy Le Brasilia’s abundant facilities) and then make our way into Spain. The weather forecast in Catalonia and Spain in general is good for the forseeable future and I read somewhere that the restriction on taking a motorhome into the beautiful village of Cadaques has been lifted. Both Cadaques and the nearby Parc Natural de Cap de Creus have long been on my wish list of places to visit. At last!