South of France

Off to the south of France I went for a long weekend to the area of the Pyrenees-Orientales which is located 36 kilometres from Perpignan and what a pleasant surprise when I arrived. I was fortunate enough to stay in a very beautiful villa owned by the Griffiths family which is situated in the village of Cerbere. Their villa provided the most amazing views of the Mediterranean sea. Villa Ambience really does say it all in the name. As soon as I arrived I felt calm and relaxed, this spot is great for both couples, friends, families and this particular villa being equipped with every thing you need for a beautiful escape. Let me add a long weekend isn’t enough and you will want more time. Rental Link www.villa-ambiance.iowners.net Exploring the area was to help me get some ideas on retreats. This is still in working progress but this area would be ideal. Some times we all need to shut off to the world and take some time out.

Areas Cerbere is situated in a great spot which with a car is accessible to all other local attractions, given more time I would have liked to have explored some more. My current recommendations are the beautiful beaches located in Argeles-sur-Mer 16km from Cerbere. Port Vendres, Collioure , Banyuls & Perpignan in no particular order are all great towns and villages that are well worth exploring. With a little bit of internet research you will find plenty of camping sites and local villages to rent villas in.

Things to do Being bored here is not an option! Firstly i could have spent hours around the pool looking over the Mediterranean Sea and just relaxing and unwinding. If you like to be a little more active you have the local beaches and pools. There are plenty of places to walk and lots of beautiful bars and restaurants that are reasonably priced. I would most definitely recommend the Paco bar a Vin Tapas in Collioure which if I confess was proberly one of my favourite places during this trip. If you like camping there are numerous camping sites which offer swimming pools on site and are all close to local amenities. Boating, water sports, bike riding, walking, swimming and exploring are just a few things on the list to do and of course eating which is always on the top of my list. Always!

Places to eat. Please let me start with that the French no how to eat a great meal. My mouths watering at the thought of it. No matter what your dietary options are the Mediterranean diet is one that will suit all. All the above locations that I have mentioned have local cafes, restaurants and shops that cater for those who love their meat, those that love their fish and those who are Vegan. I can safely say no one will be going hungry. Local Airports. There are three main airports which can be used which are Barcelona El Prat airport, Perpignan and Beziers. Summary I would most definitely recommend this spot to everyone its abstotely fantastic and such a lovely find. May is a good time to travel as the weather is generally nice and its still a little out season so its not as busy as the summer months will be. I would recommend a car as its a little way from the airport but well worth the 1.5 hour drive to your location. In the winter this area is great for skiing and being so close to Spain you have options to explore other areas. Although we might start with a Balance Fitt retreat in the UK to begin with, this beautiful little area in the south of France is most certainly now on the list.