Who wouldn't want to live here !

Hello once again from the Pyrénées-Orientales where winter is upon us and the vineyards are experiencing their second busiest time of the year. That probably sounds rather strange given that the grapes were harvested in September, but now is the time to prepare the vines for the spring by pruning back last years’ growth. It’s a massive task and backbreaking work.
According to our local wine grower, 2016 was an exceptional year as it was very sunny. This means that the grape quality was high, with plenty of sweetness, but quantity was down. A good year!

The fields that are not planted with vines are either ploughed now, or have trees waiting to turn pink with peach blossom. Just a few more weeks to wait and the landscape will be transformed into a blanket of pastel shades.
A wonderful aspect of life here in the Pyrénées-Orientales is the fact that there is always so much choice of things to do and see. And with the winter our local mountain, Canigou (3000m approx.), is now covered in snow and is almost sending a message to those who ski and snowboard. From Perpignan to Font Romeu is just 90 minutes and Soldeu in Andorra just over 2 hours. And so, eat breakfast, on the slopes by 10.30 am., luncheon on the piste and home by 6pm. The next day take a picnic to the beach! With temperatures here not getting much below 12 degrees, a winter’s day on the beach is quite pleasant.

Every Saturday there are markets in Ceret and Thuir. I just love the smells of the market; roasting chicken, prawns on the grill, and even a Chinese takeaway! And in Ceret large groups of people meet for a coffee and a chat at one of the cafes. Inevitably some random band will start up and meander through town playing tunes. All very French you know!
For those of us living here permanently and in occasional need of retail therapy, then the region really does us proud. There is a massive amount of “out of town” shopping available and it’s growing. It’s widely rumored that Ikea are planning a site just north of Perpignan that demonstrates the significance and growing popularity of the region. Meatballs and flat pack for the whole family!

That’s the end of our winter’s tale and we look forward to welcoming you to the Pyrénées-Orientales and introducing you to some great properties.