At this moment you are seeing the French Red Coast, Cap de Creus and the Badia de Roses in a motorhome in 11 plans by @viatjantjutspelmon
Collioure by motorhome and Roses by motorhome

French Red Coast, Cap de Creus and the Badia de Roses in a motorhome in 11 plans by @viatjantjutspelmon

Discover an 8-day trip through 11 essential plans along the coast of the South of France and North of Catalonia, the Red Coast, Cap de Creus and the Badia de Roses by motorhome.

A route through Fortesse de Salses, Le Bacarès, Collioure, Canet Saint Nazaire, Canet et Rousillon, Collioure, Roses, Cap de Creus and that ends in Empuriabrava, the Catalan Venice. An inspiring route from the great instagramer family @viatjantjuntspelmon.

Without a doubt this Catalan family of 4 are one of our favorite instagramers in the world of caravanning and campering. Their posts on Instagram add value to the world of motorhome and camper and help inspire us to plan and decide on future routes. 

They are a family of the Seu d'Urgell made up of 4 members: Vane (V), Júlia (J), Pere (P) and Martina (M), from his initials comes his name "Viatjant Junts Pel Món" or what is the same in Spanish "Traveling the world together"

Passionate about sports and nature, family activities and discovering the world, at any time and time of the year! 

Since August 2020 they have their ViPcavana with which to travel to see the world and share adventures with us.

Today they tell you about their first great adventure in a motorhome in the Côte Vermeille, Collioure and Cap de Creus!

Forteresse de salses in motorhome

8 days of route through 11 essential plans of the French Red Coast, Cap de Creus and Badia de Roses by motorhome

VISIT THE FORTESSE OF SALSES BY MOTORHOME, A XNUMXTH CENTURY CASTLE AND FORT

 We start our adventure with a cultural visit to the Forteresse de Salses del Segle XVI.

A lock between Catalonia and France. Built at the end of the XNUMXth century by the great Spanish architect Francisco Ramiro López in an ideal location due to its invaluable resources in case of siege, the building maintains the old frontier. 

Besieged, taken in 1503, 1639 and 1640, the place was definitely conquered by the French in 1642. The Treaty of the Pyrenees of 1659 redistributed the territories: less strategic, the fortress then lost its importance. Starting in 1691, it will be partially restored by Vauban.

We loved the visit and Júlia, the older sister had a blast, reliving the story of princes and princesses.

 The entrance to the Castle costs € 8 per adult, and is free for those under 18 years of age.

PARKING IN A MOTORHOME IN THE FORT OF SALSES

You can park your motorhome practically next to the Castle, before crossing the train track, in a free public car park, next to a cooperative cellar, 5 minutes on foot.

VISIT LE BACARÉS BY MOTORHOME

Once we had contemplated this wonderful Fort and Castle, we took our ViPcavana towards Le Barcarés, where we parked next to the Port, in a permitted place that we found with the park4night app.

 After eating, we spent the afternoon strolling through Le Barcarés, visiting the Port and its promenade with beautiful palm trees.

CAMPING LE FLORIDE ET L'EMBOUCHURE

The day before, looking for information, we saw that there were some very beautiful campsites in the area, and as we were going as we went we called to see if they had availability to spend a night. They were all full, except from Camping le Floride et l'Embouchure, But being from one day to the next, it was not possible to make a reservation online and they told us to go first thing in the morning to make sure and see if our ViPcavana could fit in the plot they had free. We did so, and we were lucky!

After settling in, we enjoyed the campsite facilities with a spectacular water park and some of the entertainment activities they did, respecting the COVID19 security measures.

In the late evening, we went for a walk to a large fair that was nearby and took the opportunity to lie down on the sand on the beach and watch the moon rise.

VIA VERDE DE L'AGLY IN LE BACARÉS BY MOTORHOME

Morning of cycling tourism. After breakfast we took our bikes and did about 7 km of the 14 that has the Voie Verte de l'Agly, a beautiful route that follows the course of the Agly river and that goes from Rivesaltes to the mouth of the river in Le Barcares. They are 14km of easy difficulty since it is a practically flat route. We did only half, because Martina (1 year old) was in the car, but Júlia, 4, who also likes sport, wanted to come with her bike. She is all a champion!

CANET SAINT NAZARE POND AND FISHING VILLAGE BY MOTORHOME

Back at the campsite we took a dip, ate at the campsite's pizzeria and followed our route towards Canet et Rousillon, where we parked our ViPcavana in a place that we also found through the park4night app, in the Vila de los Pescadores del Étang de Canet Saint Nazare, between this town and Saint Cyprien. At first, there were only 2 motorhomes and everything else was cars, but as the day progressed, more motorhomes and campers were added.

Here we take advantage of the afternoon to enjoy nature and walk around this beautiful pond, in the shape of an inverted L and about 4 km long, it is a remarkable representative of the ecological heritage of the territory that reveals many plant and animal riches. At the same time, we were able to visit the "fishing village", reconstituted according to its traditional form, which is home to some thirty active fishermen.

At the same time, we were able to contemplate a magnificent sunset from our ViPcavana while Júlia continued her process of learning to read with a game that she loves. In this adventure, there is time for everything!

 CANET ET ROUSILLON BEACH BY MOTORHOME

After 4 days without practically stopping to see and visit things, we needed a little relaxation, and we decided to spend the whole morning on the beach, which we had just 5 minutes on foot, given the good location of this location, in the middle of the pond and the sea Although we are more mountain, and we love winter, in summer we like to enjoy the beach.

Here we tell you a surprise we had. When we were about to go to the beach, a van appeared beeping, it was the baker, bringing bread. So we buy the fresh bread without having to move.

We had a good time on the beach, playing with the sand and bathing in the water. How good to be on vacation and carefree!

With the bread of the day, the food felt so much better!

 VISIT TO COLLIURE BY MOTORHOME

And after eating, I played a little nap for the little ones, they were exhausted from the morning. So we took the opportunity to move 25km more to the south to Collioure.

The first thing to take into account when going to Collioure is the problem of finding a place to park, and more so in the summer months. Looking for information online, we found this solution. Just get to the entrance of the town, at the top, they have a parking for motorhomes with surveillance at € 16 with emptying service, electricity and water supply. At the same time, and this is what prompted us to park here, there is a minibus service every 30 'to go and return to the center of Collioure.

Collioure, is an old fishing village, known for its anchovies. At the same time, Collioure has been a source of inspiration for many painters (Matisse, Picasso, Dalí, Derain ...) In its cemetery are the tombs of Antonio Machado and Patrick O'Brian.
Without a doubt you have to get lost in its streets and the port, visit the castle, bathe or have an ice cream next to the picturesque bell tower of the parish church, go up to the Sant Vicenç chapel and contemplate the cliffs and the immensity of the sea ...

For us one of the most romantic towns in the South of France.

 VISIT OF ROSES BY MOTORHOME

Route day, we leave France, and return to Catalonia to tour the Alt Empordà area and the Cap de Creus Natural Park. We head towards the capital, Roses, to establish our base camp there. 

We park in motorhome park roses, an area at a good price, good services and with a good location. In summer its price is € 14 per night, electricity and water charge € 3. At the same time, it has toilets, showers, surveillance and Wi-Fi.

 
Once settled, we went for a walk through Santa Margarida and Roses. The beach is 300m and the center of Roses 1km. We walk a bit along the promenade and rent a bike of these that is like a stroller and that you can ride all 4.

ROAD ROAD FROM ALMADRAVA TO CALA MONTJOI, ROSES BY MOTORHOME

ACCESS BY BUS TO THE ROAD ROAD, FROM THE ROSES AREA IN A MOTORHOME

We get up with a trempage, have breakfast to gather strength, prepare our backpacks and leave on foot from the motorhome parking to the Rosas tourist office (1km approx), to catch a L2 bus that will take us to the Almadrava beach, our point starting from the Camí de Ronda. 

This line has a frequency of every hour, and it only works from June 1 to September 30 and I think I remember that the price is € 1,30 per adult.
When we went with a 1-year-old baby and a 4-year-old girl, we decided to take the bus and save this section. For those who want to, they can also do the section from Roses to Almadrava on foot. It is a 2,5km paved section with little unevenness that begins at the Roses lighthouse, below the Santa Trinitat castle.

THE ROAD TO RONDA DE ROSES

So, we got off the bus at the Almadrava stop to start our route on foot along the Ronda road to Cala Montjoi.

A fully signposted route that will follow a path through the Cap de Creus Natural Park for about 4,4km (2h30 '- 3h one way), with about 193 meters of unevenness and that will allow us to enjoy a wild landscape, full of cliffs and typical Mediterranean pine forest and scrub vegetation with formidable sea views. 

LA ALMADRAVA BEACH 

Before starting, say that Almadrava is the last great beach south of Cap de Creus before entering the Parc Natural area.

FALCONERA POINT

After walking a kilometer, we will arrive at Punta Falconera, habitat of the falcons (falcons) and with a spectacular view of the Badia de Roses. Here we can also see the bunkers of the 8th battery built to defend the coast during the Second World War.

RUSSIAN MOUNTAIN OF CALAS  
From this point the path becomes a kind of roller coaster, where the unevenness gradually increases and decreases, going up and down, and passing through different coves of clear and transparent water. The first, but difficult to access, is the Lladó cove, where you can still see its old shipper and the ramp where the stone was lowered. Passing Cap Trencat, which receives its name thanks to the fragmentation of the rocks that have been falling into the water, we arrive at Cala Murtra (nudist beach) and later at Cala Rostella, both separated by Cap Blanc.
In front of this stretch of coast, there are numerous submerged rocks a few meters from the surface, called baus, which have been the cause of boats and ship sinks, an attraction for divers. 

MONJOI COVE

And finally, we arrive at Cala Montjoi, where we can distinguish two buildings: the one in Montjoi de Baix and the one in Dalt, which formerly gave life to this corner. Today there is a campsite.

 And after this long walk, what better way than to relax, bathe and spend the day in this wonderful cove, before going back the same way.
By the way, if someone still wants to walk, the path continues to Cadaqués.

Our first idea was to go to Cadaqués and spend the night in the area (see POST about Cadaqués by motorcar or van and if you want POST about Port de la Selva by motorhome or van), but with how well we were in the Roses area We looked for an alternative, and that was to do a boat trip.

So at 09.45:XNUMX we took the boat at the Santa Margarida breakwater to spend a morning sailing and enjoying a visit to Cadaqués. 

We skirt the entire coast of the Natural Park to the tip of Cap de Creus, observing from the sea: Punta Falconera, Cala Monjoi, Cap Norfeu, Cala Nans Lighthouse, Illa Plana and Cova de l'Infern. 

On the way back, we enter the Badia de Portlligat where you can see Salvador Dalí's house-museum before stopping for an hour and a half to visit and get lost in the streets of Cadaqués.

Excursion of about 4 hours (1:30 in Cadaqués) € 22 Adults and children under 6 years old do not pay. 

And we finish our first adventure, leaving Roses, a place that we have loved as a base camp for the amount of things you can do around it, and we head to Empuriabrava. Here we park in a parking lot next to one of the multiple channels that there are.
Empuriabrava is known as the Venice of the Costa Brava, where the streets are made of water and the cars boats, people can go out of their house navigating the canals.

 
So, can you imagine our activity? Well, yes, we rent a small, easy-to-use and ecological boat at “Bateauxelectriquescostabrava” to navigate its canals. We took a tour of about an hour through these curious streets of water enjoying an environment and a half that is not usual for us. It is important to say that the boat has a map, which must be followed, without being able to deviate through private channels. The price is € 40.

Apart from the Empuriabrava canals, we can enjoy a great variety of other options. For us the most interesting were “els Aiguamolls de l'Empordà” or “Empúries”, the most important Greco-Roman site in Catalonia. We leave it for another time!

Conclusion of our first adventure: we wanted to be able to travel like this, on our own, without a route, without schedules, with total freedom!

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