[TRAIN JAUNE À 5€]
L’offre Train Jaune à 5€ est de retour jusqu’au 26/02/2023 
Nombre de places limité, réservez vite sur https://bit.ly/TrainJaune_5e
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À environ 16 km (30 minutes) des appartements se trouve le village pittoresque de Py. Il a une population de moins de 100 personnes mais est gonflé par de nombreux randonneurs pendant les mois d’été. il est situé dans la vallée de Rotja sur le chemin de Mantet. C’est un endroit idéal pour se promener et aussi se baigner (bassins rocheux à Sahorre) ou pique-niquer.
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Summer is Here! -
Calçotada – an onion barbecue!
Spring time in this region means Onion Barbecue time or in Catalan ‘Calçotada ! Yeah you heard right Grilled Onions and they are delicious. It is one of the most renowned Catalan traditions – a gastronomic phenomenon in the region surrounding Barcelona and further north in French Catalonia. No calçotada is complete without the typical sweet char-grilled spring onions known as ‘calçots,’ and mountains of grilled meat and sausages. Add some red wine to help wash it all down and you have understood the basics. It is a festival celebrated in the coldest months of the year. From January until April, many towns and villages host these winter food festival. Dinner Dancing and Red Wine How could you beat it?
Calçots on barbecue!
The Calçotada starts with the barbecue. No fancy charcoal here – just scrap timber, old pallets and some vine cuttings. The calçots are placed in wire grills. When the fire is ready, it’s time to cook the calçots. They stay on the heat until they are nicely charred and just starting to turn black on the outside. They do not look too appetizing at this stage! Once they’re cooked, they are wrapped in newspaper, just like Fish & Chips, and then kept in a box and left to rest for about 40 minutes. This leaves just enough time to grill the meats, often lamb or local sausages which are typically served after the calçots as the second course of the meal.
Blackened Calçots
Calçotada – The Sauce!
This is the star of the show. The calçots are served with a sauce similar to romesco sauce. I googled it and discovered that it is usually made of a combination of almonds, hazelnuts, stale bread, garlic, ñora peppers, ripe tomatoes, olive oil, and sherry vinegar. It is to die for! We asked for the recipe but were emphatically told that it was a closely guarded secret. No amount of persuasion worked to change their minds.
a messy eating experience!
Eating the Calçots is a messy operation so gloves and bibs are supplied! Not one for the fashion concious. You peel the blackened skin of the onion revealing the juicy tender inners, dip in the special sauce and eat and eat. They are slightly addictive! Dont worry – they will serve until you can eat no more and of course copious amounts of red wine.
Calçotada
Calçotada – The Afters!
After you can eat no more onions, the tables are cleared. The next course is served – in our case local Catalan sausages and black pudding made and supplied by Chez Alex Charcuterie in Ollette. This was followed by a local cheese and a slice of cake.
Then the dancing begins. Buoyed by the booze the floor is packed. and of course we must have the typical dances of the region – the Sardane.
Sardane Calçotada – the rum punch!
Our Calçotada was in Vernet les Bains and afterwards they served a potent rum punch. There was eight 1.5 litre bottles in it. I counted!!!! The gentleman making it was a real character. He really loved the attention and what resulted was a long and fun preparation and commentary to boot! After our very fortified digestive we made our way home.
A few Local Calçotadas to come this year:-
Check your local press for more details on
Calçotadas near you- 19/20 March Calçotada Festival
Tradilluna i Calçotada 66300 Tresserre - 3rd March 12.30 Calçotada Vernet Les Bains 66820
- 19/20 March Calçotada Festival
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location saisonnière prades 66500
?? Profitez de la Saint-Valentin à Ria Sirach. Poêle à bois, fleurs, vin mousseux et chocolats. Réservez deux nuits entre le 8 et le 20 février pour profiter de cette offre.??
?? Enjoy a Valentine’s break at Ria Sirach. Book any two nights between 8 and 20 February and enjoy chocolates, bubbly, flowers and a wood stove.??
??Gaudeix del Dia de Sant Valentí a Ria Sirach. Estufa de llenya, flors, vi escumós i bombons. Reserveu dues nits entre els dies 8 i 20 de febrer per aprofitar aquesta oferta?? -
? Valentine’s Special Offer ? Book any 2 nights between 8 – 20 February and receive complimentary flowers, chocolates and sparkling wine. Remember all our apartments have wood stoves for that perfect romantic break away! For more information visit our website at www.riasirach.com 
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Irish Dancing Catalan style!
Yesterday we were saying goodbye to a lovely family from Barcelona when they told us they had a surprise for us. They pulled back the furniture in our lounge and proceeded to do a mother and daughter Irish reel to the music of St Patrick’s reel. They are taking lessons in Barcelona from a Catalan teacher. They were really good. Really sorry I did not video it. Thank you Núria & Emma! And for the message in Irish in the guest book. Go raibh maith agaibh!
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Thursday Night At Domain de la Pederix
Thanks to tickets compliments of Kate at P-O Life http://anglophone-direct.com/ we visited Domain de La Pedrix last Thursday night. Admission is normally €14. It includes your ‘glass’, for sampling their fine wines, a plate of charchuterie, use of their barbecues and music. Great idea! The night kicks off with a guided wine tasting and a tasting plate of local charcuterie. Overall we tasted 5 delicious wines – the tasting portions were generous. Afterwards you barbecue your own food – Barbecues are already lit for you. Wine is available for purchase and it is good! We actually had the wine from here for our daughters wedding last year. Afterwards there is a live band and dancing. It is a good night out and highly recommended. Shame somebody has to drive!
Summer programme
les jeudis de la pederix continue on until 7th September. You can see the programme here. http://www.domaine-perdrix.net/jeudis-de-perdrix-2017/ Booking is essential.
Ria Sirach Apartments Prades
Remember at Ria Sirach Apartments we offer spacious one and two bed roomed apartments at reasonable rates. The apartments are located in Ria Sirach midway between Prades and Villefranche de Conflent. See more at our website www.riasirach.com for more details
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Days out From Ria Sirach Apartments
Leaving Prades at 07.35 am and outside Ria Sirach Apartments at 07.40 am the €1 bus will take you to Mont Louis. Sit on the left hand of bus up for some amazing scenery. From Mont Louis there a free connection will take you to the reception car park at Lac de Bouillouses. From there a paid navette (€5 aller retour) takes you to the reservoir. Great place to spend a summer’s day especially as it’s several degrees cooler. There are numerous places to have a picnic or several restaurants to have lunch. There are many marked walks with some beautiful scenery taking you on a tour of the lakes. Another feature is the many wild horses. The cable lifts also operate all summer long taking you down to Font Romeu
Carlit
Carlit at 2921m is the highest mountain in Pyrenees Orientales. While mostly a straightforward trek it does get a little tricky near the top. It involves some climbing and scrabbling over rocks and the path is easy to lose. However it is well worth it. The view from the top is just magnificent. Whats more the first ascent of Carlit was by an Irishman ( Henry Russell) in 1864. From memory the return trip from Lac de Bouillouses was around 14 km and took about 6.30 – 7 hours
Ria Sirach Apartments Prades
Remember at Ria Sirach Apartments we offer spacious one and two bed roomed apartments at reasonable rates. The apartments are located in Ria Sirach midway between Prades and Villefranche de Conflent. See more at our website www.riasirach.com for more details
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A recent Guardian article highlights this great area of France, easily accessible from Ria Sirach Apartments and the market town of Prades
Highlights include the coastal popular town of Collioure, The abbey of st Martin de Canigou, the trip on the yellow train, the annual classical musical festival in Prades, the solar oven near font Romeu and the Spanish enclave of Llivia.
