Summer Escapade 2012

Hello friends around the world! Its been a while since I parked my computer and get back to update my blog. Its winter in Paris and I have just starting to post my last summer escapades. I want to post some nice pictures and includes some helpful tips for those of you who wants to travel in south of France.

Every August, I wanna make sure that Jean P and I has a memorable summer vacation. I was started looking at the internet of those places in France. I dont read much of reviews and articles about others travel experiences. This is because I want to visit places which is not known to others. Places that is secluded and unexploited by tourists.

Hendaye France

As I browsing images of  regions in France, I was mesmerized by the beauty of  Hendaye.  This place is the furthest point in the South West of France: a frontier town with Spain and confined on the edge of both the Atlantic Ocean and Pyrenees Mountains. Hendaye is surrounded by beautiful atlantic sea and a marvelous lake. The fact that it is few minutes from Spain I was thinking to visit as well the neighboring country. We spent 3 nights and 4 days to explore this town and the neighboring town of pays basque. And the rest of the whole month of August were spent in different places like Montpellier and Corsica.

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I booked a hotel in hendaye called Orhoïtza it is located in a protected area 100 metres from the beach in Hendaye, Hotel Orhoïtza offers a warm and friendly welcome and is the perfect choice for our leisure holidays.

 

View from our Hotel

One of  the most pleasurable activities on the beach (reading books and magazines)

During our first day in Hendaye we immediately soak into the beach. The weather was so hot and humid. We spent the whole day reading books and watching surfers on the beach. Most of the tourists were from Spain since it is very near from the said country.

The chateau d'Abbadia

Not far away from the beach you can see a beautiful castle on the hill which used to be an observatory of a famost scientist. The "Chateau d'Abbadia": It is situated high on the cliff top of the Corniche on the road from Hendaye to Ciboure, in a natural protected setting of a 60 hectare park (150 acres), which has splendid Flower & Tropical Gardens and Geological sites & history.
Abbadia Castle was built in the nineteenth century by Viollet le Duc for Antoine d'Abbadia d'Arrast, a scientist born in Dublin in 1810 to a Basque father and died in Paris in 1897.

 This impressive neo-Gothic castle reflects his many interests, the Gothic, Celtic culture and his passion for the orient and especially the memories of his explorations in Ethiopia. I bought book inside because I fell in love with the orient interior designed inside the castle

 

 Day 2; we visited one of the most beautiful village in europe called Saint jean de Luz which is only 30 minutes by bus. The town center of St Jean de Luz has a medieval background, with no doubt, a great deal of influence in the past from Spain and the Moors, and with this mixture of architecture, old World charm, old buildings, fishing port and narrow lanes,  and medieval ambience, even if the town is full of tourists of all nationalities, every one gets along, especially at the time of the jazz fete in the streets.

 

Saint Jean de Luz beach

Saint Jean de Luz Port

  Around the main square in the town center, you can find some of the best sea-food restaurants on the Cote Basque, as well as other bars and terraces from which to see and enjoy the regular musical events in the square - including a Basque Choir every Sunday morning.

Saint Jean de Luz Village

 The tour in the pays basque country is not complete without visiting the  Biarritz.

 Biarritz came to fame in the mid 19th Century, when Empress Eugenie (the wife of Napoleon III) fell in love with this part of the Basque country and built a Palace on the beach at Biarritz (which is now the world class Hotel du Palais) and a centre with natural springs at Eugenie les Bains in the Landes. This place is also famouse for surfing. Surfing started in France here in Biarritz in 1957 and surfers come from all over the world to ride the waves.

 

Biarritz France

View from Sta Maria Restaurant

Our last day in Hendaye was not good since it was raining but we tried to enjoyed it by finding nice restaurant on the neighborhood. Near the beach you can find a very affordable and good spanish foods like faella and delicious sangria.

Hegoa cafe in Hendaye Beach

After less than a week of staying in pays basque we booked a ticket by TGV train going to Montpellier. It took us almost 7 hours to reach the place. In Montpellier we visited good friends and gave us 1 week free accommodation ( Thanks to Frederick Patto and his family). We also visited Jean P college school were he took up law degree. I took time to wander aimlessly though the old quarter, where the mysterious labyrinth of narrow stone lanes opens up onto fetching, palm tree-lined squares.
 

Fred took us as well to the country side were we visited one of the most beautiful lake in Montpellier after which we went to a farm where we had a picnic first with some friends and then watched teatro, the very famous Romeo and Juliet in french and italian version.It was my first time watching Romeo and Juliet live, it was funny and tragic. The casts were incredible!

Teatro Romeo and Julieta

After one week of enjoyable moments with friends,not to mentioned the very unforgettable experience in  mouse party for the very first time. Its time to leave Montpellier and headed to Corsica. We then booked again TGV train from Montpellier to Toulon and took an overnight Ferry boat to Corsica. This time we spent 2 nights with Jean P family and another 3 days exploring other beaches in Corsica. 

Going to Corsica, one can take ferry from Nice to Corsica or overnight Ferry boat from Toulon to Corsica. The ferry fare is not expensive at all it cost only from 30 euros per person. Because Monpellier is quiete near to Toulon we dicided to took overnight trip to Corsica. And because it was pick season all cabin room were fully booked. We end up sleeping in the sofa or if you are not lucky on the floor. Most french traveller did sleft on the floor. Overnight trip was worthly when I saw the port of Bastia.

Port of Bastia

From the port of Bastia we were picked up by car by Jean P parents going to their summer house in Canari and travelled one and half hour on a stiffy but breath taking panoramic view of haute corse. Canari is an old and secluded village, only few tourists knew about the place since theres no bus or any public transportation. 

Panramic View of Haute Corse

 

The beach nearby Canari

The three days of staying in Canari was too long for me since theres no other activites aside from going to the beach and eating and roaming around the small village.

View of Canari in Haute Corse

Finally our last and final destination during summer was Calvi. It is located in the Balagne region of north-west Corsica. You will find picturesque views of nature’s scenic beauty at every turn turn, and there are many enjoyable places to spend time both in Calvi itself and the surrounding region. Calvi is like Boracay in the Philippines. At Quai Landry. This is a beachside walkway which connects the port to the marina, and offers restaurants, bars, cafés, side shops, and luxurious hotels.

The Citadel is the main part of the town, and its most important historical monument. It was a military outpost in the 15th century that helped guard the city against international attacks. The citadel sits high above Calvi port from where it towers over the sea.

The room I was booked in Ravellata Calvi was upgraded into a suite room with the most beautiful terrace panoramic view of the hotel. Thanks to the management. There are some other charming hotel in Calvi aside from Ravellata that I really like, one of my favorite is Hotel Saint Christophe their pool has amazing view. 

Calvi is lively during summer, theres a lot of actitivities like bar hopping, scuba diving, island hopping, food tripping and a lot more. Il rousse is only few kilometers from Calvi we took train to visit neighboring town.