Costa Brava: on the way to France

French Border

Port Bou last town in Catalunya

So here there are some photos from my last trip to the French border. The route was to drive all along the coast from St Pol, about 50 Km from Barcelona to Cadaques, which is a pintoresque Mediterranean style small village about an hour from France .

Costa Brava Map

The best partner for the trip was the Honda CBR 929 RR which is the perfect mate for long journeys, just 153 HP of pure power!.
I am really looking forward to make a long distance trip this summer around Europe and there are some possible destinations on the cards. I haven't decided where yet, maybe the Isle of Man which is a dream I have since I was a teen. Would love to get there driving first through Paris, Amsterdam and then get into Great Britain with a Ferry or maybe across the Channel tunnel..... we will see.

At the bottom of the hills we have France

Llança

Here is the missile

There were some stops on the route as I wanted to take some photos from the places I found all the way. First I pulled over in Empuria Brava then Llançá and the next village Cadaqués which It supposed to be the end of the trip, but somehow I missed it and appeared in Port Bou which the last town ever before you get into France.

A great blue Skies day!

Winter? What winter?

The further up you go the wildest the coast line gets, you only have to leave behind the crowded places in Costa Brava like Platja D´Aro, Lloret de Mar or Roses and no more massive constructions and overcrowded villages will be seen.

Getting closer to the border

A view of the Cap de Creus

The good thing to drive in the French side its that speeding radars wont work for Spanish plates so you can drive on a more relaxed way . The road was ace, and very curvy.

There are loads of unspoiled beaches all along the way, no one to be seen aside of me and the odd fisherman. Unfortunetly there are less and less places like that in the Spanish Coast line.

Great place to camp with a tent!

View from Port Bou

Port Bou

Honda CBR 929 RR

I did my last stop right in the french border. There was no one there, nor even Police border patrols or anything like that. Port Bou entrance to Catalunya isnt as popular as other border places like La Junquera for example. I guess its because there are no motorways there, just narrow curvy roads.
So you know now which way to get in Spain if you do not want to be noticed!.

No one land, right in the middle!

Unspoiled Coast

All the places you can see above Cadaques it proves you how Catalunya coast was 100 years ago, time before the massive crowds of Tourists choose d our place as a summer destination.

French side

In Port Bou coast is where the Pyrenees Mountains ends. There are routes to walk from the mediterranean to the other side in the Atlantic, but you would need about 15 or 20 days to do that. Sounds like a good plan though.

The beaches had pristine clean waters, and instead of sand you get those small round stones [Pebbles?], so I guess that helps to not to make this part very very popular when it comes to tourism.
You know what? ......better leave it like this!

So overall it was a fantastic trip, and a good test for my Honda 900 RR .......to get ready for what is coming next!

Isle of Man TT races official website link

http://www.iomtt.com/

By Pedro Vila