Collioure Village

We fell in love yesterday...with the most beautiful spot that we've visited on this trip. We actually almost didn't go as we were looking forward to a day of rest...but we rallied...jumped on a bus, then a train...and within an hour we were in the fishing village of Collioure.


We got off the train at this little station, with no map or idea of what direction to go in or what to look for...so we just started walking down the hill...towards where we thought the water might be.






We walked through beautiful little streets with lots of color, wonderful buildings and great little shops...but were't expecting what we saw when we rounded a corner...



The Royal Castle...originally built by Greeks in 500 BC! Like most houses many owners...Romans, Visigoths, Barcelona, Majorcans, Spanish and then back to France after they surrounded the castle and waited for the occupants to run out of water so they could reclaim the castle! Along with the different occupants...again like many houses...there were a lot of remodels! If there weren't signs directing the way...you would get lost...this is a huge and very impressive castle.



Inside one of the many interior corridors




Buildings within the castle



Fragment on the wall of a sundial wall clock in a main courtyard



One of the numerous lookouts



The cobble streets are very hard to walk on...though worth the walk when you get up to the many look outs and see the view...



Collioure...the fishing village




Notice another equally large castle on a far off hill top, Fort Saint Elme



Notre Dame Des Anges ( the famous bell tower) and Chapel Saint Vincent across the cove



The beautiful Mediterranean...easy to spot enemy ships coming in



The water is crystal clear and many village kids were fishing at the edge with their little tackle boxes and poles...so very cute!



I'm picking out our next home! It actually looks a lot like Catalina Island off the California coast. There are vineyards on the hillsides in the background...it is all a beautiful sight...and I haven't had a bad glass of French wine yet!

I'm glad this was our last adventure in France...it was so gorgeously amazing...it will keep us wanting to come back..and stay! If anyone is planning a trip to France...we highly recommend a few nights, or weeks, or a life in this quiet little seaside village. Now I know why Henri Matisse and so many other artists were drawn to this place...it truly is so colorful and magical!



This is our last day in France, and halfway point in our trip. We'll spend it packing up, resting and getting ready to hop on a train and take on Spain for the next 11 days...see you in Spain!

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Location:France