Not moving to France...we withdrew our offer

Monday 11/11/2013.

Public holiday here today and our site at Collioure filled up with so many vans on Saturday and Sunday it was unreal. Then the police turned up on Sunday to check everyone had paid. Fortunately we had paid for our ticket in the evening and it was displayed nicely in a window of the cab. That didn’t stop the police from banging on the door at 9am and checking, yes we knew we had to by a ticket, yes we were displaying it, yes we knew we had to buy another one when it expired. Yes it was still valid. You think I did this in French – Non, non, non, mon ami (mon fils, mes filles) the municipal police can read the GB part of the numberplate, of course, and they know that means speak to the driver in English.

It was blowing a gale here last night and in the morning it had seemed too windy for me to dare taking the bike out to get fresh milk and bread, so we were having a slow weekend. The long weekend had bought in all the French camping car enthusiasts and today we have a British neighbour, who mostly lives in Spain. I should say we haven’t been paying all we owe for our camping, not on account of my dishonesty, but because some eejit broke the machine by jamming her credit card in the payment bit the wrong way round. Anyway the municipal police came and removed the old barriers and locked up the old pay kiosk, so the ticket that I had obtained at the entrance barrier two weeks previously could no longer be fed into a machine anywhere. The new machine is a pay and display and you have to get a new ticket to display each day, but it does entitle you to free electricity, waste disposal, fresh water, and a nice clean set of loos.

The winds are something one has to get used to in Collioure. The three mountains which look onto the coast here cause great winds to roll out over the sea; Mt Canigou 2784m, Mt Carlit 2921m, Mt Puigma 2910m. All are near on the border. Céret, beloved of the expat community, is in the valley and protected from the winds, (and is a very pretty town) and Collioure, beloved of all the tourists, gets blasts of high winds. And our site overlooks the town. Great views, but sometimes it feels like we are in a boat at sea, bobbing about, and rocking side to side. Fortunately we are not yet blown away. However the sat dish stays down, and no TV at night. The Port, Port Vendre, is a very safe haven in what can be quite violent seas, and takes the really enormous ocean going vessels as well as the usual rich and very rich man’s toys.

Going into town today we were being blown all over the road, especially on bends around the costal roads, since we had decided not to risk the viaduct route to Port Vendre shops, where there is a caution high winds sign and a helpful windsock to drive the point home to you.

Being a holiday, most of the shops were shut but we found a boulangerie (bread and croissants, and UHT milk) and a small veg shop for some fresh veg, and went home feeling smug and happy, although we flattened ourselves leaning forward on the bike to keep some weight on the front wheel, and keep us on the road.

What do we do when it is too windy to go out? Well I drew a picture or two of Collioure from photos I had taken, and we both read novels.  I have no idea what all the numerous other van owners did, but no-one went out! They have all gone back home now, Monday evening, and will no doubt tell their friends they had an amazing time at the coast. Lying French b*st*rds! The port was practically deserted, and so was Collioure. Everyone stayed in.

Tuesday 12/11/2013

We came into Céret to see the estate agents and explain that we had consulted with family, and after reflection, wished to withdraw our offer to buy. No problem, and no costs incurred, and no written notice required. They offered to send us particulars of other houses as they found ones in a lower price and smaller properties. We said we would prefer to decide after returning to UK to talk it all through and discuss what rental we could get for Beech Lane if we decided to rent it out.

The drive in was spectacular as we drive towards Mt Conigou, and there is a fresh covering of snow on the mountains since the weekend.

Now for a restful coffee in the cafe in Céret.