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Port-Vendres-to-Elne.kml
2009-05-26-Port-Vendres-to-Elne-Walk.gpx
2009-05-26-Port-Vendres-to-Elne-Unedited.gdb
2009-05-26-Port-Vendres-to-Elne-Walk.gdb
Entire Route (KML)
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Google Earth
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Garmin Altitude Plot
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Garmin Mapsource
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Port Vendres Dawn
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Disused dam
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Sun rise
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Castle
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Old and new road
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Wild rose
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Wild rose
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Wild rose
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Footpath sign and view
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View
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Mediterranean pea
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Mediterranean pea
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Unknown bulb
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Unknown bulb
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Unknown bulb
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Unknown bulb
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Unknown bulb
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Unknown bulb
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Old and new road
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View
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Antirhinum
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Antirhinum
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Antirhinum
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Orobanche white
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Orobanche white
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Orobanche white
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Orobanche white
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Orobanche white
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Road old and new
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Stream
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Traverse du Petit Consolation
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Garden cherries
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Garden cherries
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Garden cherries
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Wild rose bank
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Castle
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Broom seed pods
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Viburnum
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Viburnum
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Viburnum
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Stream
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Stream
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Stream
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Cork Oak Forest
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Cork Oak Forest
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Geckos
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Silver bark trees
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Silver bark trees
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Sign in French
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Sign in Dialect
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Ants
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Horses
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Horses
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Argeles Sur Mer
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Horses
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Sorrel
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Sorrel
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Sorrel
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Sorrel
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Sorrel
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Unknown yellow
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Unknown yellow
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Unknown yellow
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Unknown yellow
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Pyrenees
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Pyrenees
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Prickly pear
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Alium
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Alium
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Alium
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Poppies very dark red
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Elne
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Elne
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Rond Point
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SNCF, the French railways were on strike and there were no trains. There was one replacement bus at 05:40. We had a 60 minute walk to the bus stop in the pitch dark so we set the alarm for 03:40. Oddly this is not all that tiring because we just go to bed earlier assuming our transport home works as planned. Today we waited for a normal bus but this must have been on strike too. That would have got us home in time for eight hours sleep. We had to catch a later bus also run by SNCF. We still got home shortly after 19:00 leaving 40 minutes to get to bed four our eight hours.
The first half of the walk was very nice. We were on a deserted mountain road, without traffic and sometimes without tarmac. This ran parallel with the main road but far enough away not to be troubled by noise. The road went through a tunnel. We crossed the col. After a steep drop on a fairly obvious path, we joined another narrow lane with little traffic. At the end of this we found edible wild cherries. They were ripe and there were more than we could eat. Delicious.
We walked between Argeles sur Mer and Argelès Plage. This stretch had more traffic. Outside town there were quite a lot of horses, similar to the Camargue breed. This road eventually merged with the increasingly busy coast road but now there was a Chemin Rural. This narrow agricultural access road was almost empty so the walking was nice apart from the parallel traffic noise.
We had to cross the river Tech. We were not sure of the French rules regarding walking on main roads but there was no alternative so over we went. Straight after the bridge we were able to escape onto another Chemin Rural. As we approached Elne, most of the traffic bypassed the town and our route was bearable. In the town we found a historic walled centre. This had been well maintained and was attractive.
We stocked up on food after giving up on the bus. This was a good decision because we got home after the Village des Aloes shop shut. Back at Elne station we had a sandwich and waited. A fierce Mistral was blowing and as we lay back relaxing we were gradually being buried under new green leaves torn off the surrounding trees. Fortunately it was not cold.
The SNCF replacement bus was late and we were in a bit of a panic because we were the only people waiting. We were not sure if the bus would stay on the town centre road or go to the station. On our outward bus ride, both scenarios occurred. Luckily we guessed right and caught the bus. The A4 sheet detailing the replacement bus service lacked these essential details.
The strike, poor maintenance of the ticket machines and lack of staff resulted in us traveling without tickets although we made every effort to be legal. That was one unintended bonus.
Back at base, we had trouble keeping out footing because of the wind. Neil got blown onto the railway bridge parapet railings. Had this been a cliff walk he would have been no more!
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