The train took us through Mediterranean wetlands as we headed south towards Perpignon, France. An incredible sight along the way: flocks of flamingos!
We picked up our rental car in Perpignon and immediately drove an hour west, up into the mountains, through villages and past fortresses, to our next destination: Serdinya, France, in the eastern French Pyranees. This area is part of The Calalanes, the primary language spoken here being Catalan.
This Airbnb was a beautiful, newly remodeled apartment, an entire floor with a large terrace overlooking the village and Le Tet river. The 4-story house was originally a 17th century mail stop, similar to the pony express, but along an oxcart road. Our wonderful hosts and new-found friends were Robin, an opera singer and voice coach, and her husband Michel, a concert pianist and music teacher. During our stay, they performed for us. A completely magical experience.
The climate in early November was sublime. In our few days there, we watched the steep, rocky hills and deep canyons change from green to burnished gold. Our day trips included VilleFranche, a tiny village completely surrounded by the walls of an ancient fortress, where we enjoyed authentic local cuisine . We also explored the region known as Pyrénées Catalanes, where Werner went explored the high elevation trails while Abby wrote and walked by the lake.