Through the Pyrenees

Last week we went from arty Céret near Perpignan through the Pyrenees into Spain on a tiny mountain pass that was actually sign-posted as "interdit", but we ignored that and crossed on the mud track in 15 minutes. The road from Céret winds up the hill, affording stunning views of the Pic du Canigou and the plain to Perpignan. It's about 14km to Las Illas through idylic and isolated countryside, but to cross from there into Spain, one has to retrace ones step and go by a complicated road; hence the need for the shortcut. On the Spanish side the road is large and well made up and everything is suddenly quite different. Food and drink at the large border restaurant is much cheaper than in France; the smells, the flavours, the little coffees served in glasses, the sound of Catalan being spoken, made us feel as though we had travelled much farther.

After this little excursion we passed back into France via the village of St. Laurent de Cerdans where the now famous Toile du Soleil company weaves its Catalan fabrics in an artisan workshop. They have an outlet shop which is well worth a visit. (We already work with their sister company, Quinta who make our Catalan furniture.) There are also two companies in the village making traditional espadrilles. We sat in the sun outside Laurence's little pizza take-away which was pretty good too.