Winter on the Canal de Perpignan - Images et Réflexion Vers le Sud du France (French Reflections)

Salut, mes amis!  Thank you for all your emails and posts. Your support is so appreciated. It's time once more to find beauty everywhere we look.  Sometimes, it's just right there, in a place you pass everyday.  I thought about that when I was in Perpignan last week and realized that it was just as wonderful as the Canal du Midi.  Let me share a few of my winter reflections on the Canal de  Perpignan.

     The canal cuts through the old center of the city and existed as long ago as the 12th century.  Today's canal dates from the 15th.  Here, you get a lovely view of Mount Canigou from the bridge that connects Place Arago with Place Gabriel Péri.  Is it any wonder that they chose this site for the office of Tourism for Perpignan?  It just says, "Photo Op" all over it.  But this is just a small part of the beauty of the canal.

     Turn around and look down Quai Vauban and you will see just what you'd expect in France, a series of cafes that spill out onto the sidewalk - in this case all the way to the canal's bank.  The

weather in the south of France lends itself to outdoor dining. It will take you about four minutes to walk along this boulevard and all along the way, you will be tempted by the scents and sights from the cafes, the pastries and baked goods of the patisseries, gelato ice cream stalls, waffles, Catalan nougat, and goodness knows what else! The city can be very fattening, but you also have plenty of opportunity to walk it off again.

     Later on this year, I will bring you photos of the canal when spring has burst into flower along the banks and as summer brings on the glory that draws the tourists from all over Europe.  But now, before all that begins, here are a few of my absolute favorite 'reflections' from the winter.

     Christmas in Perpignan was absolutely beautiful, but during the daytime, the lights are not obvious and sometimes it can be a bit grey.   Then, as the night draws in, it transforms into a fantasy land. These few shots taken during the festivities will give you some idea of what I mean.  The cafes recede and one of several Christmas Markets takes their place on Quai Vauban.

  This year, boat rides were added to the fun of the ferris wheel at the Castillet.  From the stalls of the markets, the scent of roasting chestnuts and mulled wine mingled with the frying of churros and candied popcorn.  The sidewalk along that side of the canal was a busy as any summer's day.  The only difference being the heavy coats and scarves people were wearing.
The annual ice skating rink was set up on the other side of the bridge, Pont Magenta, located near the wheel.  The lights and the water made for some very memorable images.

I will leave you with this one last reflection - of happy people boating on the Canal de Perpignan on Christmas Eve. We can imagine that next year, it will be you and I who enjoy the sights of the city as seen from the water.  Jusqu'à la prochaine fois mes chers amis!
(Until next time, my dear friends!)
We'll be in my favorite place, Collioure.  If you want to see it now, Click Here.