After arriving in Spain, we were charmed to find out how close we were to the border with France. Staying in the province of Girona in the region of Catalonia, we were only about an hour away from the French border. Of course, that meant that we would have to make a trip across the border. We chose Perpignan in southern France as our destination and set off on our last full day in Spain.
After a slow start and a charcuterie breakfast on the morning of December 29, we got ready and packed up the car for our day trip. Unfortunately, Michael had come down with what appeared to be a flu bug, so he had to stay behind at the AirBnB to rest before the long day of travel the next day. At least the house would be quiet, since I would be taking the rest of the family. We made a quick stop to fuel the van before hitting the AP-7 toward La Jonquera and França.
The drive was thankfully uneventful. The day was cloudy and cold, but not so cold to make it uncomfortable, and while the weather looked like rain, it held off. France and Spain are divided by the Pyrenees, the mountain range that forms a natural border between the two countries and span from the Atlantic Ocean to roughly the Mediterranean Sea. Thus, we had the opportunity to go over what seemed to be the less dramatic parts of the Pyrenees, but it was still a pretty mountain drive.
After arriving in France and paying our toll, we drove on to Perpignan. After parking the van in a structure not far from the city center, we set about exploring this historic town. Perpignan is a French medieval city that also has a strong Catalan influence. According to Explore France, the country’s official tourism site, Perpignan is the capital of the Pyrenees-Orientales, the southernmost region of France. The city was once the capital of the Kingdom of Majorca back in the 13th century and has a rich cultural heritage.
Our first stop- after Starbucks, that is- was Les Halles Vauban, an indoor-ish food market. While we arrived at an odd time, about 2:30 in the afternoon when many of the food stalls were closing, we were still able to purchase some lunch. The girls and I found a place that served up patatas bravas, Spanish fried potatoes with a creamy, spicy brava sauce. It kind of reminded us of the Taco Bell fiesta potatoes back home, though much more authentic of course. Mees went for a charcuterie plate. And of course, we did order a couple glasses of French wine from the bar. Indeed, this was where most people seemed to be on a Friday afternoon; enjoying a December day with a drink and friends.
As our visit took place at the end of December, the remnants of the Christmas market were still up. Sami had been searching for Christmas gifts for a few of her friends, and was hoping to find the perfect souvenirs. We found several cute stalls selling jewelry for decent prices, so she was able to pick out delicate bracelets for four of her friends. At less than 15 euro apiece, this fit within her souvenir budget. Emily picked out a necklace for herself, and a couple stalls down I was able to find a selection of jams and jellies to bring back for my colleagues.
After dropping a few more euro on gifts and baubles, we walked over to Palais des Rois de Majorque, the Palace of the Kings of Majorca. The fortress was constructed in the 13th century during Perpignan’s time as the center of the kingdom. The architectural style is both Romanesque and Gothic, and the fortress offers views of the city below to the coast. We unfortunately arrived too late in the day to join any tours; it was nice, however, to just walk around among the olive trees. Sami and Nate took photos overlooking the city, and I enjoyed visiting a medieval citadel.
Soon enough the announcement was made that the palace would be closing. We started off, trying to calculate whether we would have time to visit the Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Perpignan, another historic landmark and French national monument. Alas, we felt it was getting late in the day, so we felt it would be best to start back toward Spain. There was still so much more to see in this lovely city, but it would be dinnertime by the time we arrived back in Girona. Hopefully we’d be able to return one day, perhaps when the weather is warmer and we can see the sights we missed, and even visit some of the wineries in southern Occitania.
We took a few more photos on the slow walk back to the car, savoring the last few moments in France. Though too short, it was a lovely day exploring another country. And with the sun setting over the Pyrenees, the drive back was pleasant. La vie est une aventure.
References:
France.fr. “Perpignan, the Catalan.” In Occitanie, France FR, 30 Nov. 2023, http://www.france.fr/en/occitanie-south-of-france/article/perpignan-catalan-0.
“Climate of Pyrenees.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., http://www.britannica.com/place/Pyrenees/Climate. Accessed 20 Feb. 2024.
Bonus: Patatas Bravas Recipe
I have been making these lightly seasoned, roasted potatoes for many years. To give them a more flair and inspired by the tapas we tried in Barcelona and then in Perpignan, we’ve added the bravas red sauce, along with some garlic aioli. While not exactly authentic, as patatas bravas are typically fried, these potatoes yield a nice crisp and are quite versatile.
Ingredients:
2 pounds of peeled russet or Yukon gold potatoes
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
4-5 cloves of garlic, peeled
Sea salt
Bravas Sauce
Garlic Aioli
- Cut potatoes into 1 ½ inch chunks and place them into a large bowl. Toss with olive oil, salt, and garlic cloves. Let sit for a few minutes to allow the seasoning to absorb.
- Transfer the potatoes to a roasting pan. Bake in a 450-degree oven for about 10-15 minutes. Turn the potatoes over and reduce the oven temperature to 425 degrees. Bake for another 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and crispy looking. Let sit for a few minutes.
- While the potatoes are roasting, prepare the bravas sauce and garlic aioli. For the bravas sauce, heat up ¼ cup of olive oil in a small saucepan. Add two cloves of sliced garlic to the oil and allow to cook for about one minute. Remove the garlic pieces; this is just to flavor the oil. Mix in 1 tablespoon of flour, then add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, 1 tablespoon of sweet paprika, 1 teaspoon of spicy paprika. Slowly stir in 1 cup vegetable broth. Add in 1 tablespoon red wine or sherry vinegar and a dash of salt to taste. Simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. If it thickens too much, you may add more broth or water to thin it.
- For the garlic aioli, mix ¼ cup mayonnaise, 1 clove of minced garlic, and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice.
- Drizzle the sauces over the hot potatoes and enjoy! Serves 4-6.
The Cranky Camper 