Valras Plage is a typical Mediterranean coastal town in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of southern France. It has few distinguishing features and doesn’t even merit a mention in the Rough Guide to the area. It is so similar to countless other towns along this coast that it is instantly forgettable. Indeed, Mark tells me that we first visited the place in 2005 when we spent the summer in nearby Pezenas, but, coming here in 2016, I had no recollection of it at all!
However, now that we have been here for four summers, I have grown to love the place.
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Climate
The town benefits from a lovely sunny climate and a beautiful sandy beach. Despite summer temperatures often reaching the mid-thirties, the sea remains invariably cold – too cold for me to swim in, but fine for a refreshing cool-off when the sun gets too much.
Food and Drink
There are numerous bars and restaurants in town, especially in the attractive, pedestrianised square. They all offer similar fare at comparable prices, but we are usually drawn back to Bar le Sud for its good food and friendly staff. In a back street away from the main tourist drag, we also enjoy Restaurant les Anais, which is cheaper than the eating places in the square and which serves the best beef carpaccio starter ever!
Shopping
Valras has several streets full of shops selling the usual tourist tat. Colourful and lively as they are, I’m never tempted by their wares, but, in between, there are several classier shops selling local hand-made biscuits, exquisitely fragranced soaps, and regional wines. The daily fish market is a riot of colour and activity, though I am often disturbed by the small size of the fish on sale. More to my taste is the twice-weekly street market where you can sample artisan cheeses, olives and breads.
Festivals
There is a real sense of pride in Valras’s heritage, especially during the festival of St. Peter, the patron saint of fishermen, in late June each year. For three days, the streets come alive with musicians, performers and food stalls with parades and fireworks to round off the celebrations.
The main tourist season in Valras begins on July 1st and ends promptly on August 31st. Many of the holiday homes along the seafront are only occupied for two or three weeks within this period and remain firmly shuttered for the rest of the year. This seems a shame as the weather is usually really good in May, June and September and, yet, the place is practically deserted. These are the times I like the best, though!
As we prepare to pack up and leave in a couple of months, I will certainly feel a pang of regret that we won’t be coming back next year!
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