Saturday was a beautiful sunny day. We set off to look at flats by the sea on the Maresme.
It is a recent plan – that instead of looking for a new home to move into, we stay based here in Granollers and also rent a small flat, mainly for me to use as a peaceful retreat and as somewhere to put my ‘stuff’. Stuff which is still in packing boxes one year after moving it to Spain.
There is a train line that goes along the coast from Barcelona and ends up at Blanes where it turns inland. If we could find somewhere along that line it would mean an easy trip to and from town – big town I mean. There is a problem with getting across to Granollers – there are no easy connections by public transport so it would mean driving, and more importantly, parking!
And then there is the problem of the coastal towns. They were heavily developed in Franco’s Spain and so appear to my Cornish/Scottish gaze, pretty ugly and sprawly.
But their horrible industrial, modern, high-rise exteriors often hide a central area that is beautiful and more village-like
Canet de Mar is one example of this. Of course there is the busy road and the railway line which cut off the town from the sea but there is also a long sandy beach and on the other side, a town with some interesting Modernist buildings and a peaceful seaside atmosphere
There is a resident radical theatre company called The Comediants.
And posters around town advertised drawing classes and dancing.
My favourite place would be Sant Pol. It is near the beach that we go to regularly and is like a jewel on the coast, the road has turned inward and so the town is much more peaceful. The water is blue and the streets are narrow. We looked at a few flats – one too expensive, one too big, one too dark. There was a lovely one for the right price close to the beach, but far away from shops and cafes.
We picked up a free smile to keep in the car
And then went to the beach for a glorious afternoon of sun and sea air. There was hardly anyone else there – a Friday in October – a gift from the gods
St Pol is marvelous, we’ve been a couple of times, magical indeed.
How beautiful! And a smile for the road, as well. Perfect ~
what about a bike to get you to the shops and cafés? Or is that really dangerous or ‘not done’? I’m sure Bonnie would be delighted to run along beside you! This may of course just be the ravings of someone who has lived a long time in the bike-country extraordinaire, the Netherlands….
The problem is that the road connecting the flat to th cafes and shops is the National II and is too busy for me to drive comfortably let alone bike. Can’t imagine Bonnie there either. I try to imagine myself in that flat – it is very peaceful, at the back are the hills, but still I think I would feel isolated without somewhere to pop to for newspaper or coffee. The right place will come though, I am sure KX