It is getting much cooler in town. I have been craving for some seafood and in particular urchins (now that the season is open). So I decided last weekend to hit the Meditarenean cost.

It is not too far from our house, a mere 45 minutes heading east to Narbonne. A few minutes more on the motorway heading south towards Spain and you come up the town of Leucate.

In fact Leucate is a combination of a few places: Leucate village, Leucate Plage, Leucate Port Nouvelle. It is a real holiday destination which as far as I am concerned needs to be avoided in the high season.

At this time of year, it is of course much quieter. It is even fairly difficult to find a restaurant open.

We letf Carcassonne at 11am with a temperature of 3C. We parked the car at Port Nouvelle at 11:50 registering a very pleasant 18C. What a difference. The place was busy with the weekly market.

There is apparently always an enourmous queue at this stand serving roasted chicken Portuguese art.

And of course what I always love… a harbour with boats and in particular sailing boats.

I think it is always windy there. It is windsurfers, kitesurfers paradise. Yesterday was no exception, surfers were literally zooming along. There is a world championship of some sort every year. I must take the time and have a look at the time.

The area is one long and wide beach after the other.

It has also spectacular views being right next to the snow covered Pyrenees mountains.

Did I find the sea food I wanted? The answer is NO. Shame really but the atmosphere and the views made up for it.

HAd a leisurely drive back to Carcassone cross country, avoiding the motorway, through the Corbière region following mostly the well known Route 20.