Project B- Argeles again

Long term followers will know that our  Project B was, after  buying the village house in Campagne- sur- Aude, to find a second seaside bolthole.

We had considered buying in UK, but that made no sense if we are relocating permanently to France. We chose Argeles-sur-Mer, in our neighbouring department of Pyrénées-Orientales, with it’s stretches of beautiful beaches.

Argeles is not as “picture-postcard” as neighbouring Collioure (which always reminds me of a mini Monaco with it’s  cramped centre, lack of parking and  villas on every square inch of hillside) It does, however have a very beautiful 7 km beach bordered by a very civilised, umbrella pine shaded promenade.

Some very clever mayor blocked the building of any more high rise blocks after the first few went up in the 1960’s so it will never look like the dodgy bits of the Costas to the south. It has been developed as a holiday resort and is none the worse for that; bringing much needed opportunity for related businesses and boosting Argeles’ local economy.

It also hosts a major name rock festival (headlined last year by Lenny Kravitz) in the grounds of Chateau Valmy   and has some exceptional restaurants.

Our management/maintenance fees are modest for the area, but I did moan about the extra cost this year for major external facelift on our block. However, having seen how much better it looks with it’s new render and paint I’m a lot happier.

The apartment it TOTALLY different in style to the village house so we were led by it’s date (mid 60s)  and painted it white with a sea green accent wall and furnished with original 60’s hardwood beds , rattan, dark metal framed furniture and funky textiles. Being me, I have dropped in a spot of  hip vintage Moroccan and Indian style with pieces  redolent of that period.

I KNEW you would all want to see my new rug, which is fabulous, and my very mid-century silky cotton bedding. I was getting bored with all that white hotel vibe stuff.

It’s not a hotel; it’s a little holiday home-from-home

 

 

I like to buy something new and gorgous every season, and my guests like it. As well as the rug, I found some chunky blue stoneware in Gifi.

http://www.maison-ursule.fr 

http://www.gifi.fr

My camera took it upon itself to add a random moody filter to the photo below, which I quite like.