Took a short drive (40 mins) from Villa Failte to Figueres to visit the Salvador Dali museum.

Really interesting and a good day out whether or not you are particularly interested in art.  The variety of work (paintings, sculptures, jewellery, etc) is fantastic.  We have left a book that is full of illustrations and background in the Villa.  See also this website that has 25 of his most famous paintings.

Parking (early July) was relatively easy (10 Euros) and entry was 12 Euros each (9 Euros concessions).  One word of warning ... although Figueres and the Dali Museum are well signposted as you head South on the motorway ... once in Figueres it is a bit more tricky and we relied on the Sat Nav !

Figueres itself looks a nice little place itself.  There are many catalan style restaurants that surround the museum so light refreshments / lunch afterwards is a good option.

We then drove 20 minutes to Roses, a small beach resort town ... just to have a look but it looks nice and maybe worth a separate day trip in the future.

1st proper visit to Perpignan a few weeks ago ... we weren't disappointed.   

Walked to the Argeles Sur Mer train station from Villa Failte and took the train to Perpignan (about 15 mins / 36 Euros for 4 of us).  When we got there weren't sure what way we should go (typical tourists !) but on leaving the old station we were pleasantly surprised by the clear directions and the wide tree lined street that leads to the city centre (12 minutes walk away).

On arriving at the centre there are loads of cafes and restaurants as well as a well signposted tourist information office.  If you look down the beautiful canal you will see a bridge at the end ... this is where the tourist train/bus starts / finishes.  It is a 45 minute journey through the streets of central Perpignan and is a great way to start your visit.  Note the journey is not "hop on / hop off".  Cost was 7 Euros per head and we though was well worth it.

We followed that up with a nice al fresco lunch at one of the cafes overlooking the canal and then a spot of shopping ... there are two or three excellent streets for shopping just beside the train/bus stop.

Ashamed to say that we never visited any of the fantastic historical sights in Perpignan ... next time !!  Most definitely recommend going there and spending some time.  The train is a great way to get there and back too.

One of our recent guests recommended paying a visit to Port Leucate to sample some of the local oysters and sea food platters (served from a series of sheds / restaurants located right next to where they land the local catch !).  We have not managed to do this yet ... but certainly will.

In the meantime we hear that there are fantastic oysters and other seafood available at the local markets in Port Argeles on several days of the week.  

When we were at Villa Failte in late June we cheated and went to the local Intermarche ... impressive array of fresh fish ! ... where we bought a load of fresh oysters along with the essential fresh lemons and tabasco sauce.  All I can really add is that, as well as being the largest oysters we have ever eaten, they were simply delicious ... served on a plate of ice and eaten that evening out in the Summer Kitchen. Fab !

We had read about this on several occasions and really fancied giving it a go ... so in April, during a short visit to Villa Failte we took the plunge and went along to the Canyoning Park (website link).  This was the 1st week it was open in 2015 so was relatively quiet ... we turned up without booking and got on just after a group that was nearly finished.

"We" were Stewart (48), Donna (42) and Jake (14).  On arrival we were greeted and kitted out in wet suits, helmets and safety harnesses, followed by a short safety talk and demonstration.  So far so good !!  Our instructor spoke decent English as well.

The course basically consists of a series of about 12 jumps / slides / abseils of varying height and difficulty ... ending with a zip wire into a plunge pool to finish the course.  The course is designed around an artifical mountain / canyon range with fresh water pools and waterfalls throughout.  

The highest jump into a deep pool was about 10m / 30 feet ... which when you are up there looks a LONG way down !!!  But the exhilaration once you have jumped is great !!  You can opt out of any of the activities if you wish and if the group would like an easier route they will also accommodate this.  The scariest bit for me was an abseil down a waterfall where you had to move sideways with the water crashing over you before dropping into the pool below.  For Donna it was jumping from height !

At the end we all completed every activity, in some cases doing more than once ... not bad for a couple of old duffers !!!  We all enjoyed it and especially Jake.

All in the course took about 1hr 45mins.

Highly recommended if you fancy something different during your vacation !

This is a fantastic and highly recommended French / Catalan restaurant located in Argeles Village and about a 12 minute walk from Villa Failte.  It is relatively expensive (about 40 Euros per head before drink) but not in terms of the quality and dining experience it offers. 

We have had an evening meal there on several occasions and have NEVER been disappointed.  The food is a delight and the wine list full of local and regional produce.  Stephanie is a great hostess and will explain / recommend in perfect French or English.  We have always chosen the set menu (everyone else seems to do this also !) which usually consists of 3 courses with 1 or 2 smaller surprise dishes in between !!

On the website the introduction reads :

Welcome to La Bartavelle ... innovative cuisine restaurant.

Situated in the heart of the village Argèles sur Mer, La Bartavelle serves Mediterranean-inspired cuisine mixing Catalan gastronomy and creativity, never compromising product quality.
 
Thibaut Lesage and Rémi Parageau play their part in the kitchen, while Stéphanie Hug welcomes and advises you, the guest: a trio of chefs and pastry chefs for whom the only motto is the eternal pleasure found in the dish...
 
You are welcome to visit us any day from Tuesday to Saturday for lunch or dinner (from 12:15-1:15pm and from 7:30-9:15pm).

Dress code is relaxed ... smart or casual.  Only other thing we would say is ... book in advance the restaurant is fairly small and intimate and frequently fully booked.

Had a great day on Wednesday at the water park in St Cyprien.  There is a good selection of rides for all ages and the park is clean and well run.  Food options are pretty standard for a water park but the quality is not bad.  Remember to bring your own towels ... you can either use them to sit on or rent sunbeds for approx 3Euro each when there.

Easy to get to from Villa Failte and Argeles Sur Mer, the park is well signposted on the road into St Cyprien.