Take a dip in the water while admiring the Phare de Collioure lighthouse at Collioure beside the Mediterranean Sea. — Photos: DAVID BOWDEN
Don't get me wrong, I’m a big fan of the Olympics, but watching live events with throngs of sports fans just sounded all too hard, so I waited until long after all the events ended to visit France, specifically, the far south of France.
Known as Occitanie, the southeast region takes in a variety of landscapes, from the snow-capped ski slopes of the Catalan Pyrenees to the sandy shores of the Mediterranean Sea.
I had another reason to visit this part of the country, as I had good friends who lived in a village called Nohedes, and simply locating it required considerable zooming on Google Maps.
With just a handful of old stone houses, some of which date back to the 17th century, the mountainside village sounded like the perfect refuge from sport. However, my friends assured me that, once I arrived, they would show me the sights from the Pyrenees down to the surfing beaches of the Mediterranean.
With few direct flights from Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur, specifically) to Europe, a transit stop had to be factored into the travel equation, and KLM’s flight to Toulouse via its Amsterdam Schiphol Airport hub was perfect, as I then had the option of exploring the Netherlands’ most vibrant destination.
I knew very little about Toulouse except that it was France’s fifth-largest city and missed out on hosting any Olympic events. While perfect for me, maybe the citizens of this southern city weren’t as enthusiastic about the Olympics as they would have, had they been awarded an Olympic event.
The other thing I knew about Toulouse was that it’s the home of Airbus, and the airport is lined with aircraft destined for delivery to airlines all around the world.
My time in Toulouse was most rewarding as I explored the Airbus site known as Aeroscopia, the Ariane Space Programme or Cite de l’espace, and the two Unesco World Heritage Sites of Basilique Saint-Sernin and Canal du Midi.
Ancient fortifications can still be seen guarding the valleys of the Pyrenees. — Photos: DAVID BOWDEN
I got on a train and headed south following the clear instructions of my friends, who suggested I first travel to Latour de Carol near the Spanish border and then catch Le Petit Train Jaune (Little Yellow Train) to the small town of Villefranche-de-Conflent near where they lived.
I departed from Toulouse Matabiau Station for the three-hour journey into the Catalan Pyrenees and Latour-de-Carol. The train crossed the flat agricultural plains immediately south of Toulouse, but after an hour or so, it started its slow ascent into the mountains.
I read up on each small town that we passed through and noticed fortresses or ruins in several locations. The train passed fortress-protected towns such as Foix and others that provided access to ski slopes, hiking trails, and thermal spas.
In previous times, battles were fought to control the rich agricultural lands of the southeast. Forts were erected to keep the Moors out, and it was interesting to note that the Catalan people live on either side of the French and Spanish border.
One of the exciting journeys in Occitanie is the famous Petit Train Jaune, painted in the distinctive red and yellow colours so famous in the Catalan region.
The mountainous scenery along the 63km-long line was picturesque and made even more enjoyable by an open-air carriage. We passed Bolquere-Eyne, France’s highest railway station at 1,593m.
The railway is highly regarded for its technical and architectural significance, including Pont Gisclard, a 250m-long suspension bridge, and two viaducts over the River Tet.
While I didn’t alight from the train, I read that it can be used to access villages along the route in places like Font-Romeu-Odeillo-Via, which, depending on the season, is a hub for winter alpine sports or hiking.
Others offered caving, rafting and canyoning.
Mountainous retreat
The only way up into the Regional Park of the Catalan Pyrenees is via narrow, winding roads, one of which leads to the village of Nohedes and the various properties of the River Mountain House that my friends make available on Airbnb.
The setting is most picturesque, with snow-capped peaks off near the mountain summit and tranquil streams flowing down the mountainside.
Admire the scenery of the Pyrénées Mountains from various train journeys in the region.
I never found out why people were attracted to this remote location for several centuries, but I’m sure it had something to do with sheep grazing on the lush alpine meadows near the top of the mountains.
Climatic extremes are dramatic here, from the Mediterranean heat of summer to snow-drenched winters, and sometimes howling Mistral winds called the Tramontane. The 17th and 18th century houses are made from locally sourced stone with slate tiles on the roof to ward off these extremes.
In all, there looked to be a hundred or so houses, no shops, and just one restaurant that’s only open on weekends outside of the season, so it really is a destination that calls for self-sufficiency, as the nearest supermarkets are in Prades at the bottom of the hill.
However, it was perfect for me, especially as I was staying with friends who were used to the isolation and remoteness, as this is what attracted them to the village.
They operate a four-bedroom secluded river house, a studio suitable for a couple, and another house in the village with two bedrooms, both with stunning views. All are self-contained and especially appeal to city residents from France and Spain who want to escape the city heat, relax in the village’s tranquillity, and go walking in the national park to visit the scenic mountain lakes at hiking distance from the houses.
Regional escapades
During my time in the southeast, I explored some exciting destinations from my mountainside base of Nohedes.
These side trips included discovering the vineyards of Roussillon-Languedoc and Banyuls, which produce some wonderful wines at prices that will put a smile on the faces of most Malaysian wine drinkers.
Chateau Royal de Cotillure is the old fort that protected the port of Collioure.
The small village of Belesta, which included a tasting room for the wines from Domaine Riberach and a stylish hotel overlooking the vineyards, was a great place to visit, as I was able to sample wines made from Grenache, Syrah and Carignan grapes that go into most red wines of the region.
Belesta was but one of several pleasant stops on the way to the popular coastal town of Collioure, with its fortified church that is so close to the Mediterranean that waves lap along its surrounding walkways.
This delightful but popular coastal town has been a port for centuries, and the Phare de Collioure, or lighthouse, at the end of the main beach has long guided ships sailing on the Mediterranean.
At the turn of the 20th century, the light, fresh air, and historic fishing village attracted artists such as Henri Matisse and Andre Derain, whose bold brushwork and vibrant colours initially shocked the art world.
Just behind the historic church, a narrow alleyway led to the top of the cliff, where Rue de la Carranque stands lined with beautifully restored fisherman houses, and it was thoroughfares like this that inspired some of the paintings of both Matisse and Derain.
Admire the stone houses along Rue des Caranques in the historic port town of Collioure.
Seaside restaurants and bars line the main beach, and it’s easy to imagine these artists enjoying a chilled local rose or two, in order to become more inspired to put brush to canvas.
Spanish artists Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali also lived and painted in the 1950s in the town of Collioure. Rumour has it that they too enjoyed the fruits of the vines and would pay for their drinks at local establishments by creating works of art.
On much of our road journey beside the Mediterranean, we followed the railway line along the spectacular coastal region known as the Cote Vermeille (Vermilion Coast). It passes through the highly regarded vineyards of the Roussillon-Languedoc region and picture-perfect seaside towns like Collioure and Banyuls-sur-Mer.
French trains terminate at Cerbere, where a change of train is required for those heading into Spain via the border railway station of Portbou.
While it was still a bit chilly to swim in the Mediterranean, at certain times of the year, intrepid travellers could take a dip at beaches like Collioure and then head back to Nohedes to chill down in the snow-covered national park.
After a very relaxing few days, mostly away from crowded tourist towns, I returned to Toulouse for my flight back to Amsterdam and then onto Kuala Lumpur.
Travel notes
How to get there: Several international airlines like KLM fly from Kuala Lumpur to the Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. From there, make your way to Toulouse, France. The fastest option is via flight, which will take about 90 minutes.
Getting about: While French trains (sncf.com) can be used to access many destinations, a car is needed to reach remote villages such as Nohedes. Train passes are available, but these can only be used on local trains and not the high-speed TGV trains.
Contacts: Destination Occitanie (visit-occitanie.com), Conflent Canigo Tourism Office (tourisme-canigo.com), The River Mountain House (therivermountainhouse.com).
Henri Matisse painted ‘Les Toits de Collioure’ in Collioure in 1905.
