Tag Archives: Sports

France: Active Weekend in Argelès-sur-Mer

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Beautiful South of France

Hi everyone! I am posting this old article of Argelès-sur-Mer on the front page. An explosion of vitamin D with a blazing sun and temperatures that rise to 39 °. Let's go for a breath of fresh air in the South-South of France!

We landed in Barcelona and we are on our way to Argelès-sur-Mer in a rental with 36°, cause the air conditioning doesn’t, lol! Fortunately the very charming hotel Le Cottage, has a superb swimming pool! I really like this elegant little hotel with a lovely service, in a very pleasant French chic setting. Direction Racou beach (meaning “the corner” in Catalan), where we have lunch at Menje Aqui: really cool atmosphere. This area is preserved from mass tourism. From Now it’s 39 °: back to the hotel, where we cool down in the spa pool. At the beginning of the evening, we have a drink and dine at La Table de Valmy, the Château Valmy wine restaurant. A cosy terrace with stunning view of the vineyards and very good tapas of local products.

Day 2: early in the morning departure for a short hike on the coastal path of the Vermeille coast, accompanied by a very friendly naturalist guide. We discover an ancient buttresses and secret cove and very beautiful panoramas of the Mediterranean, the Pyrenees and the famous peak of Canigou. Later in the morning, we stop at a small producer of olive oil and proud defender of Catalan culture. Beautiful encounter. Its olive trees grows in front of the sea! In the afternoon, we do a little sea kayaking in another beach, the water temperature is almost perfect. But my love at first sight is the Racou, where we dine at Menje E Caille with enchanting decoration, delicious food and the best fake gin and tonic on earth! Then we walk through the narrow streets of the old village of Argelès-sur-Mer, far from the hustle and bustle.

Day 3: around 8 am-8:30am, we start a long electric bike tour, in order to avoid the heat. The route which passes through the domain of Valmy, includes a few sections on small picturesque roads in the countryside. Small stalls sell fresh peaches, the star fruit of the region. We end the tour at the Argelès-sur-Mer marina. From there in the afternoon, we take a boat for a 2-3 hour ride along the coast. One our stops is the port of Collioure (which reminds me of a Game of Thrones setting). Unfortunately we don’t have enough time to visit. Time flies quickly. Soon you will have to go back and get ready to dine in a beach club in Argelès-sur-Mer. Our last evening, a table facing my dear Mediterranean …

                                             Enjoy the travel's pictures below !

Day 1 :

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Hôtel Le Cottage

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Day 2 :

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Where To Dine : Menji E Caille

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Day 3 :

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Photos : © Mademoiselle Le K – Tous droits réservés

Informations

Argelès-sur-Mer Tourism Board

Related articles : Destinations

Many thanks to the Tourism Board of Argelès-sur-Mer for this beautiful invitation. As always, these opinions are my own.

France: week-end actif à Argelès-sur-Mer

“On dirait le Sud… “

Bonjour à tous! Je reposte à la une, cet ancien article sur Argelès-sur-Mer. Une explosion de vitamine D avec un soleil de plomb et des températures qui montent jusqu'à 39°. C'est parti pour un grand bol d'air dans le sud sud de la France.

Nous avons attéri à Barcelone et nous sommes en route vers Argelès-sur-Mer dans une voiture de location, dont la clim ne fonctionne pas par 36°, lol! Heureusement le très charmant hôtel Le Cottage, a une superbe piscine! Je vous recommander cet élégant petit hôtel au service attentionné, dans un cadre très agréable, le chic à la française. Direction la plage du Racou (: « le recoin » en Catalan), où nous déjeunons au Menje Aqui : ambiance très cool et zone préservée du tourisme de masse. De 36, on passe à 39° : retour à l’hôtel, où nous restons au frais dans la piscine du spa. En début de soirée, nous prenons un verre et dînons au restaurant viticole du Château Valmy, La Table de Valmy : superbe terrasse avec vue sur les vignes et de très bonnes tapas de produits locaux.

Second jour : départ tôt le matin, pour une mini randonnée sur le sentier du littoral de la côte vermeille, accompagnés d’un guide naturaliste très sympathique. On découvre d’anciens contreforts, une crique secrète et de très beaux panoramas de la Méditerranée, des Pyrénées et le fameux pic du Canigou. Un peu plus tard dans la matinée, nous nous arrêtons chez un petit producteur d’huile d’olive, ardent défenseur de la culture catalane. Belle rencontre. Ses oliviers ont vu sur mer! Dans l’après-midi, nous faisons un peu de kayak de mer dans une autre plage, la température de l’eau est idéale. Mais mon coup de foudre va au Racou, où nous dînons au Menje E Caille à la décoration enchanteresse, nourriture délicieuse et meilleur faux gin tonic de la terre! Puis nous nous promenons dans les rues étroites du vieux village d’Argelès-sur-Mer, loin de l’agitation.

Troisième jour : vers 8h-8h30, nous commençons un long tour à vélo électrique, afin d’éviter la chaleur. Le parcours qui passe par le domaine de Valmy, comprend quelques tronçons sur de petites routes très pittoresques et peu touristiques, en pleine campagne. De petites échoppes vendent des pêches fraîches, le fruit star de la région. Et nous finissons le tour au port de plaisance d’Argelès-sur-Mer. D’où l’après-midi, nous prenons un bateau pour une promenade de 2-3h le long du littoral. Nous nous arrêterons au port de Collioure (qui me fait penser à un décor de Game of Thrones) sans descendre malheureusement. Nous nous arrêterons aussi dans un second port, mais le temps file. Bientôt il faudra rentrer se préparer pour aller dîner dans un beach club d’Argelès-sur-Mer. Notre dernier soir, une table face à ma chère Méditerranée…

                                             Le voyage en images ci-dessous!

Jour 1 :

L’hôtel Le Cottage

Jour 2 :

Le restaurant où dîner

Jour 3 :

Photos : © Mademoiselle Le K – Tous droits réservés

Informations  

Office du tourisme d’Argelès-sur-Mer

Autres articles : Destinations

Un grand merci à l’office du tourisme d’Argelès-sur-Mer pour cette superbe invitation. Comme. toujours, ce sont mes opinions.

Portugal: Surf & Quad in Alentejo

Portugal-Alentejo-Comporta-Praia-do-Carvalhal-Surf-with-Carvalhal-Surf-School-1-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K

Surf Lesson in Comporta

Portugal-Alentejo-Comporta-Praia-do-Carvalhal-Surf-with-Carvalhal-Surf-School-2-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K

Praia do Carvalhal

I’ve told you about Comporta for years (lol!). This time, I discover the beautiful Carvalhal beach for a surf lesson with Ana, the smiling surfer and owner of the Carvalhal Surf School et Surfincomporta. On the black and white picture above, Ana shows us how to carry our surfboards.

I dread to enter the icy water, even with this thick wetsuit. Before: a short warm-up, we runs, jump and stretch in the sand. This morning, the beach is empty and the sun begins to hit. If it could warm the Ocean. Ana, assisted by another instructor, take each one of us apart to show us the basic moves. And we repeat several times on the board in the sand. And then … well let’s go (lololol)!

M, if you read me you must laugh (my surf coach in another life!), you know I have absolutely no balance on a surfboard! I plunge in the water: banzai! Small waves are finally enough powerful. Wash machine and I am ready to go.

For more than an hour (or two, I do not know) the game is to try to get up on the board: bad start, bad foot, in short always something (lol)! But as I like to be active in the water, it was a pleasure. My arms are dead! Ana is great, always attentive, determinated and patient. Everyone goes at their own pace. And when we come out of the water, we all look happy … and pretty tired too (yes!).

Portugal-Alentejo-Comporta-Praia-do-Carvalhal-Surf-with-Carvalhal-Surf-School-3-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K Portugal-Alentejo-Comporta-Praia-do-Carvalhal-Surf-with-Carvalhal-Surf-School-4-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K Portugal-Alentejo-Comporta-Praia-do-Carvalhal-Surf-with-Carvalhal-Surf-School-5A-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le KPortugal-Alentejo-Comporta-Praia-do-Carvalhal-Surf-with-Carvalhal-Surf-School-6B-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K

Lunch of Regional Cuisine

After surfing, a little cold shower in the dressing rooms of the Parque Desportivo, where we laughed a lot. Then we head to the famous Restaurante A Escola (the chef and owner on the left picture below).

The food is delicious: very good wild rabbit meatloaf with orange slices. I, who never eat rabbit (the first left picture below)! Many different dishes and desserts.

Portugal-Alentejo-Comporta-Restaurante-A-Escola-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K

Quad Near Beja

Portugal-Alentejo-Albernoa-Quad-Tour-at-Vila-Galé-Clube-de-Campo-1-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K

My First Time Riding a Quad

Same team. At the end of the day on quads in the beautiful property of the Vila Galé Clube de Campo hotel. I like motor sports: this winter, I had my first driving on ice. And teenager, I had a scooter. But I had never tried the quad.

I was a bit worried when I read the form to fill and sign in case of accident! Before following the instructor in nature, a drive lesson in the hotel car park. You have to slowly zigzag between the small signaling items. It’s fun.

The ride lasts 1-1h30 and when it was my turn, I really enjoy riding. You can’t see in the photos, some muddy parts of the trail (I managed to save my all white sneakers when rafting, but not here!). If you can, try! Especially in such a setting!

Portugal-Alentejo-Albernoa-Quad-Tour-at-Vila-Galé-Clube-de-Campo-2-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K Portugal-Alentejo-Albernoa-Quad-Tour-at-Vila-Galé-Clube-de-Campo-3-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K  Portugal-Alentejo-Albernoa-Quad-Tour-at-Vila-Galé-Clube-de-Campo-4-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le KPortugal-Alentejo-Albernoa-Quad-Tour-at-Vila-Galé-Clube-de-Campo-5-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K Portugal-Alentejo-Albernoa-Quad-Tour-at-Vila-Galé-Clube-de-Campo-6-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le KPortugal-Alentejo-Albernoa-Quad-Tour-at-Vila-Galé-Clube-de-Campo-8-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K Portugal-Alentejo-Albernoa-Quad-Tour-at-Vila-Galé-Clube-de-Campo-10-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le KPortugal-Alentejo-Albernoa-Quad-Tour-at-Vila-Galé-Clube-de-Campo-9-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le KPortugal-Alentejo-Albernoa-Quad-Tour-at-Vila-Galé-Clube-de-Campo-11-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K Portugal-Alentejo-Albernoa-Quad-Tour-at-Vila-Galé-Clube-de-Campo-12-Photo ©Mademoiselle Le K

Photos : © Mademoiselle Le K – Tous droits réservés.

Informations  

Visit AlentejoVisit Portugal & Surfincomporta

Related posts : DESTINATIONSLIFESTYLEHOTEL REVIEWS

Many thanks to Visit Alentejo and Visit Portugal to this beautiful invitation. Thanks to Ana for the great surf lesson. As always, these are my opinions.