Summer = Moliets Beach and Mussels

Mussels in spicy sauce

When the real summer heat kicks in, we go to the beach in the afternoon and after a couple of hours there, we often end up at the Cave aux Moules - Mussel Cave - in Moliets. They open at seven and we try to be there by then, because it usually fills up real fast. So here we are, in flipflops and salty hair, enjoying our mussels with french fries and a draft beer or sangria. Last time I didn't take my usual cream and white wine, I took spicy and my husband Roquefort sauce. Both delicious....

Moliets, one of 58 beaches in Landes

The beach is guarded from 11AM to 7PM in summertime

Mussels in Roquefort sauce

Pau, nested at the feet of the Pyrenees

Monday I went to Pau for a lunch date with my friend Nathalie. We took a short stroll in the old centre and then had lunch at Brasserie Royal. We had such a nice time, talking about old times and discussing projects for the future....  I really like Pau! The contrast between the palm trees and the view of the Pyrénées at the same time, it is such an incredible mix!


Last time I went to Pau it was to see our friends Sébastien and Stéphane (yes, she's a girl). Pau is the second biggest city in Aquitaine with about 80 000 inhabitants. They live in the old historic centre, one block from the famous Boulevard des Pyrénées, a street where you have a view of the Pyrenees mountains. We love Pau, says Sébastien, it's close to the mountains, one hour from the sea and next to two extraordinary wine areas, Madiran and Jurançon. Pau is an excellent stepping stone for many day trips.

Sébastien tells me how Pau was constructed around the castle along a steep cast, which means the city has developed, like many beach resorts, in waves. The Englishmen have had a strong influence, which you still can notice for example in the Trespoey area where many houses have big gardens, stables and greenhouses. Pau is also the place for the first golf course.

Among many others you find the oil company Total in Pau. They have many employees working abroad with high salaries, which might explain the extraordinary supply of chic clothes stores with luxury brands. According to reliable sources shopping is much better than i Biarritz for example. I saw many well known brands as we walked around, Prada, Miu Miu, Yves Saint Laurent... Best shopping streets are Henri IV, Joffre, Latapie and Barthou.

We end our walk admiring the magnificent castle, recently renovated to its original splendor. It is one of the main attractions in Pau. The older part contrasts with the newer parts of the castle. The streets next to it is full of terraces and restaurants.

As I mentioned, the Boulevard des Pyrénées is known for its fantastic view of the mountains. It starts at the castle and stretches all the way to the Beaumont Parc. The contrast between the snow covered mountain peaks and the palm trees on the street is quite startling! Our day here was quite grey, so I didn't see any of this at this occasion....

For Swedes Pau has an importance for another reason. It is the birth place for the founder of the current royal family, the Bernadotte. He was born as a simple soldier but managed with his loyalty towards Napoléon, some courage and quite a bit of luck to end up as the king of Sweden.

Don't miss the funiculaire, a kind of elevator that takes you from the train station to the Royale Square next to the castle. Sébastien also tells me about Grand Prix, a formula 1 competition where most parts of the circuit goes through the very centre of Pau.  It draws a big public and is a tradition since 1930.

Typical architecture

Tea with view over the mountains?

Our restaurant

The castle with its two parts in different styles

Breathtaking walk along the Basque Coast (Guèthary - St Jean de Luz)

What an incredible day we spent here, doing part of the Sentier Littoral, a walking lane along the Basque coast stretching from Bidart to Hendaye.  We had to stop many times in awe... as one viewpoint after another opened before us.

 If you like the pictures, let me just tell you that they only show part of the beauty of this trail. The immensity of the sea and the sky here is bound to impress you.

We started with lunch in Guéthary at the Bar Basque.

We pretty immediatly started with this stony part of the path.

I was afraid the children would get hurt on the stones, but they thought it was great fun to find their way on them.

Then we came to this pretty beach with stony sand and few people.

Wow!

By the way, this is what the sign looks like.

Sometimes we walked in a soothing shadow, more protected than I thought.

Then it opens up again....

Behind us, the Rhune mountain.

A break for refreshments!

We are close to Saint Jean de Luz now and we see some houses and walk a short while on the streets.

This is the final destination, the Bay of Saint Jean de Luz with the Rhune mountain in the back.

A well deserved icecream for our little walkers. 2,5 hours including breaks and time to admire the views.

The beach is more crowded than we are used to in Landes, but we go to the right and find a calmer spot to swim and relax. We enjoy the view of the bay...

... until it is time to walk through the city to the train station to get a bus back to our car. But we actually end up going by taxi!

An incredible day in many ways.

The total length from Bidart to Hendaye is 25 km and around 7 hours are needed to do the whole length.

You can enter at several points to do part of it. The path from Bidart to Saint Jean de Luz is 13 km, so I think we walked 7-8 km as we started in Guéthary.

Too hot

Melting away with 35 degrees C.....  cut the grass in the morning, then I decided work was done for today. I am my own boss and sometimes I make some good decisions. 

I exceptionnally took the children home for lunch so they could have a quick swim. My good action for the day.

Then we spent an hour or so in the pool after school. The following hour they stayed in the water and I supervised in my chair with a glass of chilled rosé. We were all very happy.