Autumn is beach time in the Pyrenees

 

It’s that time of year again when everyone is back at work and school and hence the beaches, both Mediterranean and Atlantic are now empty. Which means that it is also the ideal time of year for a day at the seaside. The difficult thing living here is not just the decision which beach but, firstly, whether it will be Mediterranean or Atlantic beaches, both being almost equidistant, a bit over two hours and a very easy drive along almost empty motorways; I can never get over that – living somewhere that gives us the choice of not just one but two oceans to visit.

The forecast promised much better conditions on the Atlantic when we looked the night before so it got the vote on this occasion. We always set off early to make the most of the day and arrive in time for coffee and Gateaux Basque in the sunshine at one of the many lovely cafes in St Jean de Luz before heading off to the sandy beach for a day of swimming, sandcastle building, cricket (just to keep the locals guessing) and people watching, all of course punctuated by a delicious seafood lunch. By the time we arrive home in the evening, it really feels as if we have had a mini-holiday and certainly recharged our batteries, ready for another (not so manic) week in the foothills of south west France.


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