port vendres (and collioure)

I WOULD NOT SEND YOU TO PORT VENDRES for a lighthouse experience and we didn't breeze into the place that first time with phares on our mind at all. As mentioned in the previous post, PV is tucked behind Cap Béar, on its north side, sheltered from the minor climatic disturbances that is all the Mediterranean can usually manage. On the other hand, the juxtaposition of moderately high mountains coming right down to the coast can set off right stonkers when it comes to thunderstorms. You may detect such a storm approaching in the general view above and coming up fast behind the môle de l'est feu snaps. 

The town is a busy little fishing and ferry port. Oh yes, and tourists, who are more discerning than those that flock to nearby Collioure, quaint though that little harbour town most certainly is. The fish market in PV,  not far from the Fort du Fanal light, is wonderful when fully stocked. You can buy straight off the quay and get almost any sort of fish because in season there are Atlantic species brought in to satisfy the buyers. We have not yet taken a holiday let here but it is something we have planned to do, and will plan again, if we are spared a bit longer. Port Vendres is the place where we witnessed, from the safety of a cafe frontage, a car driving at speed through the town and amongst traffic with its bonnet fully raised; as if this way of proceeding was quite normal, an everyday event. The driver seemed to be staring right through the raised hood, as if it were made of glass! One of those fleeting moments of the surreal…

This is not a travel log, damn it. I have brought you here because Port Vendres runs to a number of feux, most of which I shall not trouble you with. I shall only feature the lighthouse in the Vauban Fort du Fanal which I picture top right, together with surely the finest feu in all of France, namely the Môle de L'est on the Pointe de la Presqu'île. It gets honourary lighthouse status from this quarter, I can tell you: I love it.

What an original object. My picture, upper left, is just one of its magnificent iron feet! It has six!! If this isn't a Monument Historique I shall want to know the reason why… The spiral staircase leading up to the watch room and gallery is cruelly truncated to render the upper portions out of reach to any riff-raff intent on ascending the feu to 'chill out' in the edifice, so one has to imagine how fine the whole would be if it were, well, whole. I guess they use a ladder to get on to the stairs these days. Pull it up after them no doubt. What a palaver…

The tower was constructed in 1885. It offers a red light occulting three times every 12 seconds, with a range of eleven nautical miles. It is 17 metres tall (56ft) and is a hexagonal cast iron tower with lantern, gallery, and enclosed watch room mounted on six iron legs.  Huelse offers an historic postcard view to delight one and all.

This unusual lighthouse (The Lighthouse Directory reports) was designed by the engineering firm of Parlier and Cutzach, who were asked to design a tower of the least possible weight. Apparently they did a good job, since their work has stood for 135 years. Not bad!  What a shame JBH hasn't seen fit to illustrate the Môle de l'Est, a good postcard would sell like hot cakes! And yes, I have just discovered, it is a Monument Historique… my cup overfloweth…

On the north side of the harbour entrance we have what is definitely a lighthouse, albeit modest and functioning primarily as a humble harbour light. The lighthouse is part of the Fort du Fanal a defensive fort for the harbour entrance constructed by Vauban, at a station established in the 14th century. The light has a focal plane of 29 metres or 95ft and displays a green light, three seconds on, one second off. But a rather small range for a lighthouse: just nine nautical miles. The tower is 18 metres tall. Apparently beacon fires were displayed from a tower built here in the 14th century, but that tower was destroyed around 1610. As I have said, the present tower was included in the fort built by Vauban for Louis XIV in 1684; it became known later as the Fort du Fanal, fanal being a lantern or beacon. Lights were shown from 1700 to 1710 and then continuously from 1770, with more modern equipment being installed in 1843. Thanks to The Lighthouse Directory for this illuminating background information, freely edited and adjusted by my own good self.

I know. Fanal not Fanel. So there's a spelling mistake in my montage at the top of this page. I acknowledge the fact. Now just leave it, will you?

WE COME NOW TO COLLIOURE. This little port is what I always call a honey pot. Droves of folk. Can't move there in season, can't stop because all the parking taken, best avoided. Go to Port Vendres instead. But here is a youthful Mme Melling in front of the famous tower of Collioure, taking time out from representing her employer in Spain (she has the lingo). Not busy is it? So when we started our 'arrangement', some time after this picture was taken, by an unknown hand, and after we had became (ugh) 'an item', Mary insisted on calling in at Collioure, to show me the place. We did so; it wasn't busy then either, I liked it and was shown the sights (although I failed entirely to clock the only thing remotely lighthouse–like in C; the famous tower isn't and never was a lighthouse as far as anybody knows). No, there is a modest feu at the harbour mouth. I have ringed it in the distant view from up on the Albères Massif, in case you are unfamiliar with the way things are, harbourside in Collioure. And included a snap of it at the foot of this offering.

So Mme Melling's visit with myself was probably as pleasurable as her earlier ones, with the added bonus of having yours truly on the scene. Once again you will notice that there is no one whatsoever cavorting in the sea below the tower, OK? 

Do you have any idea just how rare that is in Collioure? 

I tell you, dear reader, it is close on to a bloody miracle! I am pointing this out because later attempts to visit the place, en famille, resulted in disappointment, unparliamentary language, tears even. The place throbs with sun seekers, beach bronzers, day trippers and the unnaturally beautiful, seemingly now at any time and in any season. For my money, there are better places to feel the vibes of being on the side of the Med.

So here below is a view of Collioure last time we were down that way. Even at this distance you can see the beach is heaving.

The only feu Collioure has is also shown in a photograph I have 'borrowed' from The Lighthouse Directory. One can hardly blame me for missing it, back then. I wasn't on to the lighthouse kick, after all. I won't trouble you with any of the light's characteristics either, you will manage perfectly well without them, I am sure…