Blackbat

Hi all,

We are a family of 5 (3 young girls) and big fans of Italian holidays,
and have recently been to Umbria, Le Marche & Tuscany in the last 3
years.

However we fancy a change next year although want to retain something
of that style of holiday. ( Cottage/ Gite / Farmhouse with pool etc).

We are considering the Perpignan region or environment (radius up to
75 miles). One of the reasons is we intend to visit some friends on
the Costa Brava in Spain.

We do not like touristy areas or large crowded beaches.

Any thoughts on whether this area would be suitable?
Any advice as to which villages / regions to stay in?

Any recommended places to visit?
Any small rocky coves on that area of coastline?
What about food in that region? My wife is a vegetarian.

We do like to have the odd day out to a larger city to take care of
those materialistic tendencies :-)


tia

blackbat /\x/\

John Owens

Hi

We have a place in that area, though not with our own pool. See
www.goodviews.co.uk for some comments on the area. It has plenty of space
and plenty to do so it never feels overcrowded or over touristy.

It is French and Catalan, and full of interest to suit all tastes. Walled
villages, Cathar Castles, hills and mountains, water sports (even inland,
try 'canyoning' and lake swimming/playing ! ).....

Beaches from Argeles nothwards are generally wide and sandy. Further south
(Collioure, Banyuoles etc.) you get combination of beach and rocky bay i.e.
Costa Brava type scenery. We found nice beach north of perpignan which is
not so 'anonymous' as some, St Mary's I think it is called.
Prices for most things probably a bit cheaper than Italy. (My wife and kids
did a few days in Italy this June . Liguria - more vivid colours than
Languedoc and wonderful sea cliffs)

Perpignan and Gerona are good cities. Probably not stay IN Perpignan though
!
Do be careful about choosing your village. Peace and quiet is nice but some
get so sleepy that you must go in a car to get anything (though this gets
worse further north in the canal du midi area).

We are a family of 4 with kids of 11 and 13 , and we are vegetarians who
eat fish.
Feel free to ask more directly.
Good luck


John

--
John Owens


Fax 44 1509 89 08 22
www.GoodViews.co.uk
"blackbat" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Hi all,
    > We are a family of 5 (3 young girls) and big fans of Italian holidays,
    > and have recently been to Umbria, Le Marche & Tuscany in the last 3
    > years.
    > We are considering the Perpignan region or environment (radius up to
    > 75 miles). One of the reasons is we intend to visit some friends on
    > the Costa Brava in Spain.
    > We do not like touristy areas or large crowded beaches.

Blackbat

Many thanks for such an in-depth reply.
What do you know of 'Arles Sur Tech' and 'Thuir' ??
Just a couple of places we've seen with decent accomodation.

I know Girona quite well. Never been to Perpignan - if it's as nice as
Girona that would be a good place to be relatively near.

Presumably remove the 'NOT' to email directly if I have a question or
two a bit later on?

Thanks again








On Mon, 1 Nov 2004 10:51:00 -0000, "John Owens"
<[email protected]> wrote:

    >Hi
    >We have a place in that area, though not with our own pool. See
    >www.goodviews.co.uk for some comments on the area. It has plenty of space
    >and plenty to do so it never feels overcrowded or over touristy.
    >It is French and Catalan, and full of interest to suit all tastes. Walled
    >villages, Cathar Castles, hills and mountains, water sports (even inland,
    >try 'canyoning' and lake swimming/playing ! ).....
    >Beaches from Argeles nothwards are generally wide and sandy. Further south
    >(Collioure, Banyuoles etc.) you get combination of beach and rocky bay i.e.
    >Costa Brava type scenery. We found nice beach north of perpignan which is
    >not so 'anonymous' as some, St Mary's I think it is called.
    >Prices for most things probably a bit cheaper than Italy. (My wife and kids
    >did a few days in Italy this June . Liguria - more vivid colours than
    >Languedoc and wonderful sea cliffs)
    >Perpignan and Gerona are good cities. Probably not stay IN Perpignan though
    >!
    >Do be careful about choosing your village. Peace and quiet is nice but some
    >get so sleepy that you must go in a car to get anything (though this gets
    >worse further north in the canal du midi area).
    >We are a family of 4 with kids of 11 and 13 , and we are vegetarians who
    >eat fish.
    >Feel free to ask more directly.
    >Good luck
    >John


blackbat /\x/\

mpprh

Hi

The whole of the Languedoc region is fascinating.
And it is within a days drive of Costa Brava AND Provence.

Peter
The Languedoc Page
http://tlp.netfirms.com

John Owens

"blackbat" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Many thanks for such an in-depth reply.
    > What do you know of 'Arles Sur Tech' and 'Thuir' ??
    > Just a couple of places we've seen with decent accomodation.
    > I know Girona quite well. Never been to Perpignan - if it's as nice as
    > Girona that would be a good place to be relatively near.
    > Presumably remove the 'NOT' to email directly if I have a question or
    > two a bit later on?
    > Thanks again


Sorry I only know Thuir to drive through. Don't know Arles sur Tech.
My opinion may be shaped by only having limited experiences but Perpignan
is not quite as nice as Gerona - but still ok as a city to visit.
The other poster who said that the whole area is fascinating was correct.
e.g. Public monuments flying the Catalan flag and no French flag - all
without trouble and strife.

Yes, remove the NOT to get me directly.

--
John Owens


Fax 44 1509 89 08 22
www.GoodViews.co.uk

Patrick Hernan

I think you Argeles Sur Mer:

http://www.argeles-sur-mer.com/

Argeles is mainly a family vacation place. The beach is beautiful if you
can ignore the campgrounds behind it. The town of Argeles, about a mile
from the beach, is nice and a center of the local wine trade. There is a
train that runs between them.

Collioure, a few miles away, is a better choice. Really beautiful.

http://www.collioure.com/

Both towns are on the main Paris-Barcelona train line and
near the Costa Brava.


blackbat wrote:

    > Many thanks for such an in-depth reply.
    > What do you know of 'Arles Sur Tech' and 'Thuir' ??
    > Just a couple of places we've seen with decent accomodation.
    >
    > I know Girona quite well. Never been to Perpignan - if it's as nice as
    > Girona that would be a good place to be relatively near.
    >
    > Presumably remove the 'NOT' to email directly if I have a question or
    > two a bit later on?
    >
    > Thanks again
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    > On Mon, 1 Nov 2004 10:51:00 -0000, "John Owens"
    > <[email protected]> wrote:
    >
    >
    >>Hi
    >>We have a place in that area, though not with our own pool. See
    >>www.goodviews.co.uk for some comments on the area. It has plenty of space
    >>and plenty to do so it never feels overcrowded or over touristy.
    >>It is French and Catalan, and full of interest to suit all tastes. Walled
    >>villages, Cathar Castles, hills and mountains, water sports (even inland,
    >>try 'canyoning' and lake swimming/playing ! ).....
    >>Beaches from Argeles nothwards are generally wide and sandy. Further south
    >>(Collioure, Banyuoles etc.) you get combination of beach and rocky bay i.e.
    >>Costa Brava type scenery. We found nice beach north of perpignan which is
    >>not so 'anonymous' as some, St Mary's I think it is called.
    >>Prices for most things probably a bit cheaper than Italy. (My wife and kids
    >>did a few days in Italy this June . Liguria - more vivid colours than
    >>Languedoc and wonderful sea cliffs)
    >>Perpignan and Gerona are good cities. Probably not stay IN Perpignan though
    >>!
    >>Do be careful about choosing your village. Peace and quiet is nice but some
    >>get so sleepy that you must go in a car to get anything (though this gets
    >>worse further north in the canal du midi area).
    >>We are a family of 4 with kids of 11 and 13 , and we are vegetarians who
    >>eat fish.
    >>Feel free to ask more directly.
    >>Good luck
    >>John
    >
    >
    >
    > blackbat /\x/\

Blackbat

Thanks for your reply,
Collioure seems worth a visit.
(Arles Sur Tech is a small village on the River Tech near the Spanish
border)



On Tue, 02 Nov 2004 09:51:05 -0800, Patrick Hernan
<[email protected]> wrote:

    >I think you Argeles Sur Mer:
    >http://www.argeles-sur-mer.com/
    >Argeles is mainly a family vacation place. The beach is beautiful if you
    >can ignore the campgrounds behind it. The town of Argeles, about a mile
    >from the beach, is nice and a center of the local wine trade. There is a
    >train that runs between them.
    >Collioure, a few miles away, is a better choice. Really beautiful.
    >http://www.collioure.com/
    >Both towns are on the main Paris-Barcelona train line and
    >near the Costa Brava.
    >blackbat wrote:
    >> Many thanks for such an in-depth reply.
    >> What do you know of 'Arles Sur Tech' and 'Thuir' ??
    >> Just a couple of places we've seen with decent accomodation.
    >>
    >> I know Girona quite well. Never been to Perpignan - if it's as nice as
    >> Girona that would be a good place to be relatively near.
    >>
    >> Presumably remove the 'NOT' to email directly if I have a question or
    >> two a bit later on?
    >>
    >> Thanks again
    >>
    >>
    >>
    >>
    >>
    >>
    >>
    >>
    >> On Mon, 1 Nov 2004 10:51:00 -0000, "John Owens"
    >> <[email protected]> wrote:
    >>
    >>
    >>>Hi
    >>>We have a place in that area, though not with our own pool. See
    >>>www.goodviews.co.uk for some comments on the area. It has plenty of space
    >>>and plenty to do so it never feels overcrowded or over touristy.
    >>>It is French and Catalan, and full of interest to suit all tastes. Walled
    >>>villages, Cathar Castles, hills and mountains, water sports (even inland,
    >>>try 'canyoning' and lake swimming/playing ! ).....
    >>>Beaches from Argeles nothwards are generally wide and sandy. Further south
    >>>(Collioure, Banyuoles etc.) you get combination of beach and rocky bay i.e.
    >>>Costa Brava type scenery. We found nice beach north of perpignan which is
    >>>not so 'anonymous' as some, St Mary's I think it is called.
    >>>Prices for most things probably a bit cheaper than Italy. (My wife and kids
    >>>did a few days in Italy this June . Liguria - more vivid colours than
    >>>Languedoc and wonderful sea cliffs)
    >>>Perpignan and Gerona are good cities. Probably not stay IN Perpignan though
    >>>!
    >>>Do be careful about choosing your village. Peace and quiet is nice but some
    >>>get so sleepy that you must go in a car to get anything (though this gets
    >>>worse further north in the canal du midi area).
    >>>We are a family of 4 with kids of 11 and 13 , and we are vegetarians who
    >>>eat fish.
    >>>Feel free to ask more directly.
    >>>Good luck
    >>>John
    >>
    >>
    >>
    >> blackbat /\x/\


blackbat /\x/\