Roussillon Christmas

How to celebrate the holidays in the region

Like the rest of France, Christmas in the Languedoc-Roussillon is a family holiday, a religious celebration and an occasion for merrymaking, marked by traditions that have become popular in many countries across the world, including a Christmas feast - called the Reveillon, Christmas trees and nativity creches. In certain parts of the region specific cultural traditions seems more prevalent than in others - this is largely due to the fact that the Languedoc-Roussillon is home to a varied and diverse population with historical links that place them culturally closer to neighbouring regions such as Provence, where the celebrated santons de noel are a big part of Christmas, and Catalonia, where Christmas celebrations focus on the arrival of the Three Kings on Epiphany. 

In France and some other French-speaking places, a réveillon is a long dinner, and possibly party, held on the evenings preceding Christmas Day and New Year's Day. The name of this dinner is based on the word réveil (meaning "waking"), because participation involves staying awake until midnight and beyond. In Portuguese-speaking countries, it is also a designation for the party preceding the New Year's Day.

Food

The food consumed at réveillons is generally of an exceptional or luxury nature. For instance, appetizers may include lobster, oysters, escargots or foie gras, etc. One traditional dish is turkey withchestnuts. Réveillons in Quebec will often include some variety of tourtière.

Dessert may consist of a bûche de Noël. In Provence, the tradition of the 13 desserts is followed: 13 desserts are served, almost invariably including: pompe à l'huile (a flavoured bread), dates, etc.

Quality wine is usually consumed at such dinners, often with champagne or similar sparkling wines as a conclusion.

Montpellier a Noel

34 Montpellier: What's On

·  External Montpellier events website

CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR

La Hotte du Père Noël

From: Friday 4 December 2009 To: Saturday 19 December 2009

Operation 'J’offre un jouet'. New toys and games to be given to disadvantaged children, can be left at the Chalet de la Ville in Place de la Comédie from 10:00-20:00.

Christmas Ice Skating

From: Friday 4 December 2009 To: Thursday 31 December 2009

The patinoire is open on the Esplanade Charles de Gaulle everyday from 10:00-20:00 and until 23:00 on Friday and Saturday evenings. Gloves are obligatory. Entry €2 and €4 with skates hire.

Les Hivernales

From: Friday 4 December 2009 To: Thursday 31 December 2009

Christmas festivities include a torchlight descent on roller skis from the Peyrou to place de la Comédie on the 7th at 17:00 and the snow garden for children at Esplanade Charles de Gaulle on the 12th, 13th, 19th & 20th from 10:00-17:30. The Villages des Délices is open everyday for hot chocolate, mulled wine and all sorts of gastronomic specialties. See the website for full programme details or ask at the Office de Tourisme: 04 67 60 60 60.

More Info...

December in Perpignan

66 Perpignan: What's On

·  External Perpignan events website

ART & EXHIBITIONS

Exhibition of Restored Renaissance Paintings

From: Tuesday 15 September 2009 To: Friday 15 January 2010

After a two year period of restauration the CCRP present an exhibition of Roussillon paintings from the Renaissance period. The exhibition is held at Chapelle Notre-Dame des Anges, 32 rue Foch, and is open from 09:00-17:00. Tel: 04 68 85 89 40.

CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR

Christmas Ice Skating

From: Friday 4 December 2009 To: Thursday 31 December 2009

The patinoire is open in Place de la Victoire at the foot of the Castillet, everyday in the school holidays from 10:00-22:00. In school time, opening hours are Monday to Friday from 12:00-20:00, Saturday 10:00-22:00 and Sunday & bank holidays from 10:00-20:00. Christmas Day 14:00-20:00. Entry is €5 and €4 for children under 12, skates are supplied. Tel: 04 68 66 30 30.

Noël à Perpignan

From: Friday 4 December 2009 To: Thursday 31 December 2009

Lots of Christmas festivities in the town include rides for children in Place de Catalogne, bell ringing concerts from the 17th to the 24th in front of the Eglise St Jean Le Vieux at 17:30 and Christmas carols in English, French and Catalan on the 19th and 23rd in the town centre from 15:00-17:00. Full programme details are available from the Office de Tourisme, telephone: 04 68 66 30 30.

Ceret In December

Further information about the Ice Rink and other events in Ceret, this Christmas.


Thing to watch out for in Ceret........................

• Giant crèche - place des 9 jets
• Giant Santa - rue Saint Ferréol
• Ice rink - place du Barri (12th - 31st December)
• Letter game to Santa - 1st - 20th December 0 -> 7 year olds write a letter and put it in Santa’s letter box at the bottom of rue Saint Ferréol
• Advent calendar - 1st - 24th December Every evening at 17h30, Santa will be in a shop window somewhere in the town.
• Grande Christmas Parade 13th, 16th and 24th Decemberfrom 17h30 with "CIELO"
  Distribution of choccies and hot wine to anyone in fancy dress. 
• Sleigh rides with Santa - les 12th, 13th, 16th, 19th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd and 24th from 15h.

’Foire au gras’ and Christmas market "Magie de Noël "
10h30: opening with Harmonie Fanfare in the streets
11h30: English choir in front of the town hall (carols)
14h: Parade with Père Noël accompanied by "Els Companys" and distribution of sweeties
14h30: Rendez-vous with NITHUL, magic elf in his house in the place du Barri
15h -16h: Father Christmas, music, sweeties....
16h: NITHUL invites the children to his magic world in the place du Barri
17h30: Concert of Christmas songs by the Madrigal choir at the Eglise Saint Pierre ...

Looking for accommodation in Roussillon

See which Village or town comes next................................
If you would like me to highlight your Village or Town then sent me some details and I will add it to the Blog
ceretproperty@yahoo.com

Ice Skating

In Céret! 

This Christmas!

Another new property

I am delighted to introduce La Ferme, our latest addition at Ceret Property. This is a Delighful country farmhouse with prival pool.

Located in a quiet hamlet a couple of minutes from local shops and restaurants and 5 minutes from the busy market town of Ceret, this delightful detached house with private pool has attractive tiled and wooden floors, exposed beams, beautiful mountain views and offers accommodation for up to 8 people. This property makes an ideal family holiday. The kitchen leads out to a large decked terrace for al-fresco dining with breathtaking views of the mountains and river tech. From the deck wind your way through the garden to the pool area for a spot of sunbathing and swimming. There is a beautiful coastline within a short drive of the house. The long golden beaches around Le Racou and Argeles are around 25 minutes drive away with great snorkelling and the beautiful fishing villages of Collioure and Porte Vendres on the Vermillion coast are only half an hour. Visit the charming market town of Ceret with its shops, cafes and bars along with the weekly Saturday market.

Fruit garden of France

Have just spent a lovely morning in the Garden, well mostly the morning and some of the afternoon, as it was a little difficult getting up this morning after the Beaujolais Nouveau evening last night at the tennis club.
Anyway I am now going to spend the rest of the day figuring out what to do with these beauties.

Thought I might try a mandarin marmalade from my grandmothers recipe (Best marmalade recipe in the world). The Roussillon is the garden of France, producing massive amounts of Fruit and wine each year.

we start with the Cherries in May, then come the peaches, pears, apricots......There is of course the grape harvest and then we go onto Kiwis and the citrus fruits. Wonderful

New Property

I am delighted to introduce this new property for rental, near Perpignan

Villa Olivier
The villa is comfortably furnished and sleeps 4 adults and up to 8 children and is situated on the outskirts of a small town. The large garden provides hours of fun for the children with a swing area and a beautiful non-chlorinated swimming pool.


The villa stands in its own garden of 2000m2. It is comfortably furnished and sleeps 4 adults and up to 8 children. There is also a playroom with toys and books and children. The large garden provides hours of fun for the children with a variety of trees to climb, a swing area, a table tennis table and a beautiful non-chlorinated swimming pool. There are 2 barbecues and also plenty of room to park cars.
Ground Floor: Large living area with 2 sets of French windows opening onto a terrace and looking out onto the garden. It is furnished with sofa, armchairs, has a TV and DVD player and a fireplace.
Kitchen: well supplied with fitted units, electric oven, conduction cooker, dishwasher, fridge, doors open onto terrace.
Breakfast room/Eating area: Adjoined to the kitchen, table and chairs, fridge-freezer
Playroom: sofa, small table and chairs for children, plenty of books, toys and puzzles, CD player
Garage area (not for car): washing machine
Bedrooms: 2 double bedrooms one with ensuite shower/bathroom
Main bathroom and separate lavatory
First floor:
Small landing with armchairs leading onto:
1 bedroom with 4 bunkbeds with built-in cupboards
1 bedroom with 4 bunkbeds and a baby cot if required
Fully equiped bathroom
The villa is situated on the outskirts of Banyuls-dels-Aspres, a small town with a supermarket, bakers, newsagents and bar. From the garden you can see the peak of Mount Canigou and the area is well-known for its vineyards. The town is near Perpignan, a pretty historic town, and also Ceret.

Further details............... Make an Enquiry Further properties in the area

wifi in the Roussillon

Should you bring your laptop with you when you come here on hols?

Bringing your laptop to France? Unless you plan ahead, it might be a worthless piece of equipment you end up lugging around. Be sure you have everything you need to travel with your laptop.

There are a few aspects you need to consider: the electrical current, having the right plug, wi-fi versus ethernet cable, and getting online. Here is a key to being sure you have all those elements in place before you leave.

Laptop Travel and Electrical Current

If you don't address this issue, your laptop could be destroyed by a power surge. Hopefully, you won't need to do a thing. Although the U.S. and Canada's current is 110, Europe (and indeed most of the world) use 220-240 volts. To find out if your laptop can convert to the new current, look at the box on your power cord. If it has small print stating, "110-240v" or something similar showing a range, you are OK.

If it doesn't, you will need to buy a electrical current converter (this is NOT the same as the plug adaptor discussed below). I suggest visiting Magellans, which has a guide to choosing the right converters and plugs by country. They also carry an extensive selection of adapters, converters and other supplies needed for using your laptop abroad.

Plugging it in

France's plugs look nothing like the prongs you see on your power cord's plugs, so you will need to buy a plug adaptor. Don't waste your money on those international adaptors meant for use around the globe (unless you really need them), as they are large and more expensive. One that converts to French plugs alone is fine, and France's plugs are the same as most of Europe.

Laptop-free Travel Options

There are cyber-cafes and Internet access points throughout France, which usually charge a small fee. If you will be in a hurry, however, allow some extra time. The French keyboard's letters are arranged in a different order than American keyboards.

Many hotels have a computer in the lobby available for use. Some also feature in-room Internet access (for a fee, of course), with TV-based Web access. My experience has been that this sounds very cool in theory, but is less useful in practice. Many Web pages have trouble loading on the TV version of the Web.

Self catering rentals with wifi?

Cyber cafes in Roussillon

Apartment with wifi

Bon appetit

Since we are nearly in winter, 21st December according to my Banque Populaire calander, I thought it would be nice to share some recipes with a traditional Catalan stance. Here are two dishes for today that I think resonate Catalan cuisine more than any others. No doubt you will have other ideas......

 

Boles de Picolat

Cooking this to a traditional recipes and not  taking it out of a packet makes all the difference.

As always with these types of stews, there are many versions, which means you can play and be as flexible as you want. You can make it with ground beef and pork, or pork and veal, or any combinations of the three. You can even add sausage meat to the mix, depending on how lusty you want your dish to be. Cinnamon is an important seasoning according to Eliane Comelade, the foremost expert on French Catalan cooking — it adds great depth and complexity to the sauce. Just as important are dried hot peppers; they play nicely against the sweetness of the cinnamon and cut through the richness of the sauce. Dried cèpes or chanterelles are often added toward the end of cooking lending an extra layer of flavors. But some cooks prefer to add few pieces of dry-cured ham instead. Last, traditionally, and everybody agrees on this, Boles de Picolat is served with warm fresh shell beans tossed with olive oil and a hefty amount of minced garlic. I didn’t have any and used chickpeas as a subsistute. They worked perfectly.

Boles de Picolat
Adapted from La cuisine Secrète du Languedoc-Roussillon by André Soulier (Les Presses du Languedoc, 1997)

Serves six

• ¾ cup dried cèpes
• 1 ½ to 2 inches day-old piece of baguette
• 3/4 cup milk
• 11/2 pounds ground veal and pork mixture
• 2 small onions, finely minced
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• ¼ cup minced parsley
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 3 small dried chili peppers, or to taste, minced. You can also use hot pepper flakes, about ¼ teaspoon, more or less according to taste
• 2/3 cup crushed plum tomatoes
• ¾ cup pitted green olives

Soak the cèpes in hot water for 30 minutes. Drain.

In a bowl soak the bread in the milk for 10 minutes. Remove from the milk and squeeze out excess liquid.

In a mixing bowl, combine the meat mixture, 1 onion, 1 garlic clove, bread, parsley, egg and 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon. Season with salt and pepper and blend until well combined. Form mixture into medium-sized balls and set aside on a baking sheet.

Place the flour on a flat plate. Lightly coat the meatballs with the flour, shaking off the excess. Reserve any lefover flour. In a large heavy skillet, heat ½ cup of oil over high heat until hot but not smoking. Fry the meatballs in batches without crowding, until deeply brown on all sides. Transfer the meatballs as they brown to paper towels to drain. Continue until all the meatballs are browned.

Heat the remaining olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining minced onion and garlic, and cook, stirring until lightly golden. Stir in the reserved flour from the dredging and cook for 1 minute, or until golden. Add the tomatoes, hot peppers and remaining cinnamon and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the meatballs and cover with about 3 cups of water. Season lightly with salt and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the olives; bring back to a strong boil and drain.

Add the olives and cèpes to the pot. If the sauce seems too thick, stir in a little water. Cover and continue simmering for another 30 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste and serve with warm white beans or chickpeas tossed with garlic and olive oil on the side.

Cassoulet

I make no excuses for using the recipe by my favorite chef  "Rick Stein" This comes from his series, French Odyssey, when he took the time to find out how traditional Cassoulet is made.

Rick Stein indulged his passion for hearty fare in this programme with a visit to Toulouse market in search of the famous Toulouse sausage. He was seriously impressed with the abundance of fresh, whole fish on sale at the market and sampled some of the region's most quaffable wine.

But it was his quest to discover the definitive cassoulet that caused him to loosen his belt a notch or two. Mr. Stein admitted he sampled up to two servings of cassoulet a day, in different restaurants, to try and solve the mystery of what should and shouldn't go into making this notoriously substantial dish.

Cooking cassoulet

"It's essential to drink lots of red wine with cassoulet because it's so fatty it glues your mouth together!" advised Rick.

Cassoulet is not a dish for the faint-hearted and a good appetite is an essential ingredient for the enjoyment of this dish. The debate rages as to what traditionally makes up cassoulet, whose name comes from the earthenware bowl in which it is cooked.

Rick Stein indulged his passion for hearty fare in this programme with a visit to Toulouse market in search of the famous Toulouse sausage. He was seriously impressed with the abundance of fresh, whole fish on sale at the market and sampled some of the region's most quaffable wine.

But it was his quest to discover the definitive cassoulet that caused him to loosen his belt a notch or two. Mr. Stein admitted he sampled up to two servings of cassoulet a day, in different restaurants, to try and solve the mystery of what should and shouldn't go into making this notoriously substantial dish.

Broadly speaking the dish should consist of haricot beans, goose or duck fat, plenty of garlic and a selection of meat such as confit duck and goose, Toulouse sausage, pork and even mutton. Once cooked the cassoulet is often sealed in jars and preserved.

Rick discovered that trying to understand cassoulet is 'impossible' and says: "For me it's like trying to understand the Common Fisheries Policy. You might as well just decide what you like about cassoulet and put those ingredients in. But duck or goose fat is essential for the flavour."

"It changes from town to town and village to village. I've been told that families have been known to fall out over what makes the perfect cassoulet."

Ingerdients

• 500g/1lb 2oz home-salted belly pork
• 65g/2½oz duck or goose fat
• 1 head garlic, broken into cloves, peeled and sliced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1kg/2¼lbs dried haricots, blancs beans, soaked overnight
• large bouquet garni made from leek, celery, thyme sprigs, bay leaves and parsley stalks
• 6 good quality Toulouse sausages
• 4 legs duck confit, cut into two at the joint

Method

• Cut the piece of belly pork lengthways into three thick slices, then cut each piece across into two.
• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
• Heat 50g/1¾oz of the duck fat in a six-litre flameproof casserole dish.
• Add the garlic and onion and fry gently until soft but not browned.
• Add the beans and the pieces of salted belly pork, cover with 1¾ litres/3 pints water and push in the bouquet garni.
• Bring to the boil, skimming off any scum as it rises to the surface, then cover, transfer to the oven and bake for one hour or until the beans are just tender (this will depend on the age of your beans).
• Heat the remaining duck fat in a frying pan and brown the sausages all over.
• Lift them onto a board and slice each one sharply on the diagonal into three pieces.
• Remove the cassoulet from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 220C/425F/Gas 7.
• Add the sausages and the pieces of duck confit to the casserole and push them down well into the beans.
• Return the casserole to the oven and bake uncovered for a further 45 minutes or until the liquid has reduced and the cassoulet is covered in a dark golden crust.
• Serve straight from the pot at the table.

These boots were made for walking

Hiking in the Aude

France is rarely thought of as a destination for hiking, walking and outdoor adventures, but the amazing Aude Department in the Roussillon is proof that's a mistake. Find out about some of Europe's best hiking and walking in the Roussillon's Aude

Hiking the Aude's Trail of Stones and Vines

This scenic walk might be a bit long (15 miles, or 24 kilometers, each way) and a little steep in some spots, but the Trail of Stones and Vines, or Péiras e Vihnas trail, yields views of wildlife and beautiful flowers as it passes through several charming, tiny villages.

Find and remain on the trail by looking for the markers with a yellow line, an arrow pointing to Le Cité or the Abbey of St. Hilaire, and the "Péiras e vihnas" logo. Follow the trail from Carcassonne’s Le Cité to Palaja, Cazhilac, Cavanac, Leuc, Verzeille, and ending in St. Hilaire.

There you can visit a Benedictine Abbey dating back to the 6th century. If 15 miles sounds a bit too long, just do one leg of the journey (from one village to the next) and then return. The easiest sections are from Leuc to Verzeille and from Verzeille to St. Hillaire. You can also follow the route on horseback or bicycle. In July, the Romanesque festival is held at the abbey in St. Hilaire.

Walking in La Bouichere Garden in Limoux

For a more leisurely stroll, visit La Bouichere Garden in Limoux or with 150 varieties of native plants which are organized by various themes, such as color or aroma.

Quillan as Hiking Trip Base Town

The village of Quillan is centrally located, charming in its own right, and makes a great base for hiking adventures around the Aude Department.

A path connects the villages of Belvianes, Cavirac and Saint Martin Lily across the Défilé de la Pierre Lys in Quillan, a stunning river gorge. Visitors can go rock-climbing, or participate in various water sports. Travel to Quillan’s visitor’s center for information on hiking or on guided tours.

Be sure to purchase the “Topo Guide” at the tourism office. This book is filled with 27 routes to follow to discover the flora, fauna and history of the area.

Hiking the Pine Route

Walk along the Route du Sapin (Pine Route) to see bold sequoias as you hike through the woods of Callong, Picaussel, Puivert, Fanges and Comefroide. Some of the trees here are more than 150 feet tall. The route is in the southwestern corner of the Aude, and Quillan is the nearest major town.

Walking Tour of Aguzou's Cave

Aguzou’s Cave in Mijanes features guided tours to see the amazing rock formations inside. Reservations must be made in advance year-round (phone number 033-04-68-20-45-38, e-mail grotte.aguzou@wanadoo.fr). Bring lunch, walking shoes, a warm jacket and a camera with a flash. The tour provides helmet, lighting and overalls.

Walking holiday accommodation

Self catering accommodation

How to visit Carcassonne

I saw this on "Visit France" and thought it was worth passing on. As we all know Carcassonne is an amazing place to visit but not if you get it wrong.......

Carcassonne has an entire city that is a castle, in La Cite, the fortified upper city. These massive ramparts atop a hill provide broad views of the lower city below. In Carcassonne, visitors stroll along the cobblestone streets, browsing shops selling Medieval wares, or nibbling on the classic peasant stew cassoullet at various cafes.


Although this city is one of France's top tourist destinations, drawing an average of three million visitors yearly, it mostly attracts Europeans, so it can feel especially exotic. Some describe it as a tourist-trap, and there are a bit too many shops hawking tacky souvenirs, but it is still and enchanting and interesting place to visit.

Getting Around

You can fly into Carcassonne's airport, although if you are departing from the U.S., count on a layover somewhere in Europe. Once you arrive, there is a free shuttle into the city. There are also free shuttles from May through November (an electric car during the early spring and late fall, then a shuttle bus during the summer) running from La Cite to the lower city. The city's bus can be used during the winter. A key warning, though. The bus system doesn't run on Sundays.

You can also book a French Rail Pass (Book it Now!) if you plan to fly into Paris and/or visit other French destinations. If you are arriving by train and staying in La Cite, you will need to navigate the city's bus system or catch a taxi.

When To Go

There isn't really a bad time to visit, since the weather here is quite temperate year-round, but select a season based on your own tastes. In winter, many of the city's attractions are closed or run on limited hours. Spring and fall can be ideal. The most will be happening during summer, but Carcassonne will also be the most packed with tourists that time of year.

Top Attractions

La Cite may be small, but there are many things to see here. Take a tour of the ramparts, visit some of the museums, and be sure not to miss visiting the Basilica of Saint Nazaire. For more information on tours, visit the tourism office's Tours of Carcassone page.

• Castle and ramparts tour, which is available in various languages, is well worth your time. There is also a museum of Carcassonne's history, and a gift shop.
• The Basilica of Saint-Nazaire is filled with wonderful stained glass, and has detailed carvings both inside and out. It is located at Place de l'Eglise.
• Les Aigles de La Cite (the Eagles of La Cite) is a great exhibit featuring the largest collection of birds of prey in the world. They are trained in the Medieval methods of flying freely, then coming to the falconers when called. It is at Pech Mary and demonstrations are held from March through November, although groups can schedule appointments year-round.

Outside The City

There are many wonderful spots that are a short drive outside of Carcassonne, and are certainly worth spending a day with a rental car the explore. Carcassonne is the heart of Cathar Country, and there are many Cathar attractions nearby. This is also the heart of the Languedoc wine country, and there are many wonderful vineyards to visit.

• Don't miss Limoux, a village just south of the city. This is the home to the annual Carnivale from January through March, and is also a thriving wine-making community. They even claim to have been the true inventors of sparkling wine, and that Dom Perignon stole the idea.
• Rennes le Chateau is a very creepy little village where the Baron Sauniere, at the turn of the 20th century, erected a church and other religious structures. There are many rumors about the baron's work, including allegations that Mary Magedelene stayed there after the crucixion and that the Holy Grail is hidden there.
• Montsegur is the site of the biggest stand the Cathars made against the Crusaders during the Middle Ages. Make the grueling climb to the ruins of their castle stronghold, where they held off 10,000 Crusaders for months. When they were finally conquered, many of the Cathars chose to march into the flames rather than convert.

Booking options and comparing rates

• I have stayed at Hotel Le Donjon before and believe this is a wonderful stay for the price. Technically a Best Western hotel, this clearly was once a family-owned hotel and has far more character than any typical chain hotel. The staff is quite friendly. When you enter, you already feel you are in a Medieval castle by the dark lighting and the deep red decor. It also has a wonderful location inside La Cite. Find the best rate!
• If you have the money, stay at the four-star, luxurious Hotel de la Cite, with its own gardens and well-situated in La Cite next to the Basilica. Find the best rate!
• Search for other hotels and compare hotel room booking rates
• Self catering 
• Compare airfare
• Compare car rental rates