French coast from Cap d'Adge to Colliure?
 

Hi all,
My wife,six year old son and I will be staying in Caunes Minervois (10 miles nw of Carcassonne) for a week at the end of September. We are interested in making one of our day trips to the coast and would go as far south as Collioure or as far north east as Cap d'Adge. We'd appreciate any feedback or ideas with regard to peoples personal experience in any of these coastal areas. We would be having lunch while on the road but either eat at a restaurant closer to Caune or eat in that evening.If any one knows that area well and can make suggestions of things to see on the way to our coastal destination that would be great too. I realize this is a fairly general request but I'm looking for gut reactions. We'd rather see smaller and charming than larger and/or highly over touristed. Any thoughts will be greatly appreciated.

Regards,
wvdthree

Have been in Collioure twice, the first time in the 80's when it was still a small tranquil village and later in the late 90's when it had been transformed into a mega tourist destination with bus tours, narrow streets impassable with cars, pedestrians and vehicle exhaust fumes and restaurants, tee-shirts and tourist trinkets every few feet. It might be different at the end of September and the location is gorgeous but it's been ruined!

I don't have GEsssa's long-term experience with Collioure, but I had a negative reaction about the swarms of tourists and the touristy-feel, and I visited about 3 years ago (early May). It's a wedding picture destination now.

But there have been major brawls on this message board from boosters of the town who think it's just perfect.

I had a more positive reaction to the next town nearer the French border, Banyul-sul-Mer, which makes a sticky sweet wine but also processes a lot of anchovies, and while people in search of an outdoor meal pile in to soak up sun and hang out around the pleasure craft marina, it just wasn't so much of a cute tourist destination. I've heard Port Vendres is less spoiled.

Since you are driving, and will have already eaten lunch, you might find it more pleasurable to drive up above the towns (even above the major road) and have a nice walk through vinyards and olive groves, with vistas of the sea below.

If you scroll along the pictures at the very bottom bar of the website, you'll get a fair sense of Collioure in September

http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=54948

http://gofrance.about.com/od/destina...ermeille_2.htm

Whilst Cap de Agde is a wonderful town its not a patch on Sete which is a little further east - if you can stretch that far go there. You have the added pleasures of driving less direct through Bouziques (Im sure this is mispelt) where the mussels are farmed and other delightful places.

We visited Collioure mid-week in September and thoroughly enjoyed it. The little Tourist Train is well worth taking--it winds it's way up from the quai, through the vinyards and cork trees and makes a photo-op stop at the summit/Castle befored descending into the neighborning town and returning along the professional fishing fleet side of the port. The light in the afternoon filters through the different mountain chains, setting them apart in differnt hues. Lovely!

Excellent seafood to be had in Banyuls s/Mer at El Farragut (sp?), a logis de France restaurant.

Collioure may be touristy, but that's because WE have made it that way. Really doesn't matter...I will always be a tourist in a foregin country, and Collioure is still worth a visit. We were there once in September and another time in late October...not very crowded and we enjoyed it immensely.

hi wdvthree,

sounds like zeppole and I were at collioures at the same time - it was "complet". i can endorse the idea of Sete though - it's lovely.

if you want a big town experience, try Perpignan - we did a day trip there and thoroughly enjoyed it.