Monday 26th May – June 4th Collioure

Having made the decision to stay for a week we spend our time wandering the hills and cliffs, exploring the collapsed coast road, attempting more fishing and generally lounging around and enjoying this little slice of heaven. We continue to be welcomed into the bosom of the family even Norm and Moo feel so at home that they have started getting very  territorial. Eek. However, the time passes slowly and gently and we are happy. Angels smile on us too in the form of a lovely family from Amsterdam who, upon leaving, donate all their unconsumed food…. Apricot jam, avocados, baby courgettes, pasta, rice, olive oil, yummies and everything, thank you lovely people J

With it being Jon’s 40^th birthday on the horizon Noush prepares a surprise meal in conjunction with Elie, our kindred soul of the family. As suspected she goes far and above the call of duty and we are plied with a bottle of rose champagne, a chocolate cake of pure devilry and muchos Cognac on the house. Naughty Elie, we love her! Her daughter even makes us friendship bracelets and we have got the champagne cork, inscribed with the date as a memento of the evening. People’s generosity is sometimes just overwhelming, we’re not ashamed to admit to a few tears.

The next morning, somewhat worse for wear (what 40^th Birthday dinner?) we make our way a bit blearily to the bar to say thank you. While nursing our coffee and a multivitamin fruit juice number, Dimitri (Elie’s husband, we think?) appears and offers a medicinal 10.30am Cognac to Jon!! Wethinks he may have needed one himself after the celebrations last night! Tempting, but no…it really was fun tho. Noush remembers that Elie is supposed to be giving her a cookery lesson in the arts of proper Aioli and Moules Gratinee Catalan style. This is postponed until the evening a cause de la maximum shab.

Unfortunately today is our last day here and tomorrow sees us back on the road, back to Marseillan plage to meet with friends and family, so with great reluctance we pay up and a represented with an unfeasibly cheap bill, this really is the best campsite on the planet.

The following morning dawns, Norm and Moo make a complete spectacle of themselves - almost as if they are kicking up a fuss that we are leaving. We go and say goodbye to Elie, there are more tears and we get underway sharpish before Noush decides she’s never leaving! Thank you very much Elie, Les Amandiers and just life generally for letting us “tombee dans” such a refuge.