France – Le Barcarès (En)
Le Barcarès is located in the region of Occitania in the Mediterranean Sea. One of the main attractions of Le Barcarès is its impressive saltwater lake, known as the Étang de Leucate. In addition, it has an important fishing port and you can practise water sports such as kayaking, paddle surfing or even sailing.
Where to stay
We stayed in the Barcarès caravan area (42.802004, 3.033504 lat, long), which costs 8 euros per day without electricity. If you want electricity it is 12 euros a day. Within 8 euros a day, it includes filling and emptying grey and black water, showers and toilets with paper and seats! We stayed without electricity. The area is next to the port, and you can walk to the centre of town and the main port where there is an open-air exhibition of forty artists, which is impressive!
What to see
We walked first to the port, on the way you can already see very cool painted buildings. When we arrived at the port, we were pleasantly surprised, because it had an impressive art exhibition! It is an opportunity to discover or rediscover many painters who have left timeless masterpieces. There are also many restaurants and bars.
One of the main attractions of Le Barcarès is its old town, full of narrow cobblestone streets and picturesque fishermen’s houses. In the town’s central square, you find the Notre-Dame de Bon Secours Church, a sculpture of a sailboat and the lighthouse where the tourist office is located.
The square is located next to the beach. The beaches of Le Barcarès are spectacular, with kilometres of golden sand bathed by the waters of the Mediterranean Sea.
What to eat
Typical regional dishes, such as fresh seafood and cassoulet, will leave you wanting more. In addition, the city has numerous restaurants and bars where you can enjoy a good meal or a glass of local wine. We decided to have lunch in the port at a restaurant recommended to us by a local who was Catalan and therefore spoke Spanish. We ordered two of the dishes of the day to share. Mussels with chips and barbecue sardines which were small and delicious!
Our next stop is Balaruc-les-Bains, located on the shores of Lake Thau, the largest pond in Languedoc, which you can see in the next blog!
