Port-Vendres holiday apartment: Port Vendres

What a lovely week we have just had in this clean, well equipped and convenient apartment. When we arrived we were shown around and made to feel very welcome by Yves, the local english speaking contact. We would agree totally with all of the previous reviewers comments about the apartment. It was extremely well equipped and we all (family with 2 children aged 12 and 14) felt 'at home.' We enjoyed exploring the local area, especially the beaches. We had some fantastic meals out and particularly enjoyed the food La Tramuntane and Le Chalut.
I would not hesitiate to recommend this apartment, it makes a perfect base from which you can visit many contrasting places such as the stunning scenery of the Pyrenees to the vibrant city of Barcelona. Alternatively, the accomodation is so comfortable that if you prefer to take things easy you can spend your days lazing on the sun terraces and barbecuing fish from the local market for your evening meal!
Finally, the booking process was extremely efficient. The owner of the apartment was very helpful and responded promptly to any queries we had. Overall. an excellent experience!

We booked this apartment at the last minute and were not disappointed! The apartment was clean, well equipped and spacious. Everything was new and to a high standard.The descriptions were all accurate. Wonderful! We loved the wide terraces which could be used any time of day- one evening we barbequed fresh fish bought from the harbour!
The views towards the harbour and hillside were good (although we did overlook the supermarket and there was some noise from passing trains- not a problem!)

We flew with Ryan air to Girona and picked up a hire car, then drove along mainly motorway to Port Vendre - an easy journey taking about an hour and a half. We crammed as much as we could into our week's stay.

We ate out every night except one and the best restaurant we found was the Tramontane in Port Vendre.
Colliourre was beautiful for sight seeing and mooching around. Arrive early to be sure of a parking space.There is a market on a Wednesday.
Best sandy beaches are at Argeles. A gem of a beach can be found nearer at Le Racou.
Perpignan is worth a visit if you want large shops and culture. Girona's old centre is well worth visiting if you have time en route to the airport.
We have no hesitation in recommending this area and in particular this apartment to anyone for a brilliant holiday.

The greatest features are the high level of comfort and the large outside space on the terrace. The apartment was spotless- so pleasant to have everything brand new. We were highly satisfied with the contact with the owner, who was efficient and helpful throughout. We found it very convenient being next door to the Super U supermarket, especially for excellent bread in the mornings ( to our surprise, as we expected it to be inferior to a boulangerie) and a short walk from the superb fish market, open every day until 8.00 p.m. in the summer ( very handy for popping in after a day out). The kitchen facilities in the apartment were excellent, so we could prepare our own meals easily and simply- especially with such a wide choice of fresh ingredients on the doorstep. Eating was such a pleasure on that wonderful terrace! There are some very good restaurants in the area-our favourite was the Ferme-Auberge at the Clos de Paulilles, which is situated in a vineyard. You are given different wines to taste with each course- amazing! ( but get a taxi back!) There are numerous beaches of all types within 15 mins of the apartment. Our favourites were Le Racou at Argelès- a
(course) sandy beach and the rocky coves at Paulilles/Elmes near Banyuls ( good for snorkelling). Within an hour's drive, you can visit the Modern Art Museum at Céret, the perched Cathar castles in the Corbières, hike in the Albères or the Pyrenees, visit Spain and so much more. Port Vendres is not the most charming of towns in the area, as it is a working port. However, it is very well situated for food shopping and has very easy access to the main road for getting about. Collioure is prettier and great to stroll around in the evenings- artists to watch, all sorts of entertainment, but it is a nightmare for traffic and parking- and it can be more expensive. It is only a 40 minute walk along the coast road, so is quite manageable to get to ( or there is the tourist train, boat or taxi). This apartment does have its own parking space in an underground carpark, which is an absolute boon and keeps the car lovely and cool! As we left, it was announced that during the high season, the public car parks in Port Vendres, which were free, were going to charge, so this facility will be an even bigger plus. We would have no hesitation in recommending this apartment and hope very much to return.