Jonoush go forth: Sunday 25th May Argeles sur Mer to Collioure

After a sketchy start to the day our luck changes! We have scampered off to Collioure up the road. We park up in a lovely spot in the aire there, but then realise that the tariff in the aire book does not match the actual tariff. You get an hour free but then it’s €15 for 24hrs rather than the 10€ advertised. We have a conflab and a look at the acsi book and realise there is a campsite just around the corner, walking distance to collioure, private beach that is about the same price. We decide to go there instead. Despite only being in the aire for 40mins we get ransomed for the full €15. Much aggrieved and cross we leave anyway. Stupid aire, don’t go there people. Instead go the campsite Les Amandiers. Initial slightly scary narrow access resolves itself into one of the best campsites ever in the world ever. It’s French Mother’s day today and with this being a family run campsite there’re generations of women all about to sit down for lunch. Despite this they greet us like friends, get us settled in and even put the Grand Prix on in the background for our pleasure. By the end of lunch Nonna is braiding Noush’s hair and children are hanging off Moo’s fur and capering about with Norm.

The family are lovely, the campsite is down to earth and peaceful. The Beach is a five minute walk, crystal sea, fishing, Collioure a twenty minute walk, free wifi, great bar, possibly the best food in the restaurant in the form of homemade Catalan specialities (and a large free bowl of cherries from their orchard after lunch), excellent little shop, bread and croissants in the morning, excellent sanitary block (even got a doggy shower!), sun, shade, just perfect. We resolve to stay put for a week and just enjoy it. Why leave paradise when you’ve found it? As a sign from the Gods Noush even manages to catch her own first ever fish. We are indeed being smiled upon J

Moo and Norm mooching on old fortifications