Main Photo by Matt Brace
By Matt Brace
It’s our favourite time of day. The full heat of the late summer sun has passed and the light is mellowing. The nut-brown Italian couple that has shared this stretch of beach with us every day for most of the week are waving ciao as they head off.
Apart from them, we have had the sand to ourselves, which seems remarkable for such an idyllic spot that would give any beach on the Cote d’Azur a run for its money.
This is Leucate, about half way between Narbonne and Perpignan in southwest France. We are beach junkies and we rate it as one of the most romantic we have visited, partly for its beauty but equally for its lack of pretension. Unlike the glitz of the Cote d’Azur, Leucate is demure, quiet and unassuming – and all the more alluring for that.
We favour the smaller section of sand north of the main beach but south of the more popular La Plagette. There’s less sand here but it means you can find your own little beach niche between the salmon-pink rocks, your little fiefdom to occupy for the day.
The perfect romantic mix
We languidly sink into the clear, turquoise Mediterranean for our last swim of the day. It’s the perfect temperature and salty enough for us to float easily on the gentle swell. Also – a huge bonus – there’s not a shark or bluebottle in sight.
Two women show up, strip naked and walk hand-in-hand into the water where they kiss. Leucate has a nude section but it’s not clear where it begins or ends and because this is France, which embraces love and refreshingly flouts rules and regulations, nobody cares.
When we do finally leave for the day, we drag our sandy selves back to our little rented Peugeot and drive with all the windows down, letting the sea breeze blow-dry our hair into birds’ nests. We’re heading for a wooden oyster shack just a couple of kilometres away. We’ve been coming here every day for the past week and the waiter now welcomes us like locals and knows our order: a dozen oysters with lemon, half-a-dozen prawns with aioli and local white wine from less than 10kms away.
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We sit and eat near the drying oyster crates, feeding a small flock of resident sparrows with seeds that we bring just for them. When it’s time to drive home to our rented house, we take the D267 along the isthmus between the Leucate lagoon and the sea. We usually stop for a few minutes to marvel at the swifts darting for insects and watch the kite-surfers out on the lagoon, silhouetted against the setting sun.
We want for nothing: perfect beach, perfect weather, perfect seafood feast, a gloriously romantic sunset to drive into each evening and the promise of doing it all again tomorrow.
Die-hard romantics’ guide
We spent a month in this secret corner of southwest France, eating like royalty, exploring the beaches and rocky inlets all the way to the Spanish border, and trekking in the nearby Pyrenees and the mountainous principality of Andorra. Here are some top tips for a romantic visit.
Most romantic stays
This is not five-star hotel land but there are a few romantic gems. The one we liked best is the Grand Hotel du Golfe, between Port Argelès and Collioure. It has 36 rooms, some with breathtaking sea views, and there’s a beautiful pool and a lovely al fresco restaurant. https://www.grandhoteldugolfe.com/en/
Another top spot is Hôtel des Roches Brunes in the charming harbour town of Port Vendres, where the sea rooms and suites are the go and the restaurant serves divine seafood. The rooms are a little small but the views are amazing. https://www.hotel-lesrochesbrunes.com/
Most romantic beaches
As well as our beloved Leucate, it’s worth trying these three plages:
- Sana, a locals’ favourite just north of Banyuls-sur-Mer, which sits in a protected bay ideal for swimming and is backed by vineyards that come down almost to the water’s edge.
- Ouille, a lovely little beach between Port Argelès and Collioure, tucked in between rocky headlands and accessed by a half-kilometre walk.
- Torreilles, part of a long expanse of sand stretching from Barcarès south to the Bourdigoul river, this section has the Nomad beachclub and a tasty bistro called La Baraquette, both decorated in ‘driftwood chic’.
Best food
This corner of France is full of exceptional food; a piquant mix of French and Catalan cuisine. We had an incredible lunch at Les Jardins de Cédre, which has a cedar-shaded terrace overlooking Port Vendres and the deep blue Mediterranean beyond. Fresh anchovies (caught in the same patch of ocean we were gazing at) were followed by turbot with a fennel fondue and vodka beurre blanc, and a coconut sorbet, all with matching local wines. It is one of the best meals we have ever eaten. https://www.lesjardinsducedre.com/fr/hotel-port-vendres
A close second is La Table d’Aimé, a charming locals’ restaurant in the Cazes Estate wine maison in the northwest Perpignan suburb of Rivesaltes. The crispy prawns with bisque-infused risotto and chocolate mousse with strawberry sorbet were both total knock-outs, and the Cazes Clos de Paulilles Blanc grenache gris (from coastal vineyards just north of Banyuls-sur-Mer) was insanely moreish. https://www.latabledaime.com/
For a stylish lunch at Leucate try Aphyllanthe, a cute bistro on the clifftop directly above where we swam every day. It’s big sister, the Michelin-starred, fine dining restaurant Le Grand Cap, is on the top floor. Sadly both were booked during our stay. https://www.restaurant-grand-cap.fr/; https://www.restaurant-grand-cap.fr/aphyllanthe/
Day trips for couples
If you can tear yourselves away from the beach, head inland to the foothills of the Pyrenees. We spent a delightful afternoon taking the famous Train Jeune (Yellow Train) from the ancient fortress town and UNESCO World Heritage Site of Villefranche-de-Conflent to Bolquère-Eyne, the highest train station on France’s national rail network, at 1,593m. Take warm clothes! https://www.tourisme-pyreneesorientales.com/le-train-jaune-0
We also visited several historic castles (known as the Cathar Castles), which were fortresses guarding the ancient kingdom of Aragon (in modern-day northwest Spain). Our favourite was Château de Quéribus, which stands high and proud on its rocky ridge near the village of Cucugnan. https://www.cucugnan.fr/en/queribus-castle-and-his-history/ https://www.catharcastles.info/
Best adventure
We were too lazy to go kiteboarding but if you fancy it the Leucate tourist site has info on how to learn and practice on the Leucate lagoon (or etang) or on the Mediterranean. https://en.tourisme-leucate.com/discover/riding-in-leucate/leucate-top-spots/kitesurf-in-freedom/
A slightly more sedate but still exciting adventure is walking a section of Le Sentier Littoral long-distance path. It runs between Argelès-sur-Mer and Cerbère on the Spanish border, dipping into secret bays and idling through coastal vineyards. You can get more information from the Pyrenees–Mediterranee tourism site. https://www.tourisme-pyrenees-mediterranee.com/en/move/hiking/the-coastal-path/
Further afield
We spent a fabulous weekend driving up into the tiny Pyrenean country of Andorra, tucked in between France and Spain. It is quite a drive along mountain roads and hairpin bends but it’s worth it to experience the principality’s precipitous valleys and alpine forest trails. Andorra is also meant to be a good spot to buy tax-free goods but we didn’t see anything we’d call a bargain. Being in nature among the peaks and valleys was way more exciting than shopping, anyway. Treat yourself and book a room at the super-romantic hotel Les Pardines.
Matthew Brace
Matthew Brace is a British award-winning travel writer and hotel reviewer, and the author of five travel books including Hotel Heaven. A former foreign correspondent for The Independent, The Observer, The Times and other leading newspapers, he has covered everything from world news to luxury escapes. Also a published photographer, Matthew has spent the past two decades living and working across Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra and Abu Dhabi as a writer, editor and communications advisor. His work combines the authority of a seasoned journalist with a storyteller’s eye for the people and places that define a destination.
