From oysters in Arcachon to dinner on the Loire

 Leaving early from San Sebastian, we drove into France and along the coast of the Bay of Biscay. We were headed to Arcachon, where oyster cabanes line the bay, as many of France's oysters are farmed in astonishing numbers here.

We had a memorable lunch at Cabane des Aiguillons, sitting on the simple wooden jetty in a working oyster bed on a stretch of beach with the boats at low tide.

Little sparrows danced on the table, pecking at the food. We ate fat, fresh oysters on big plates with white wine, bread and butter. It was perfection, including the setting. As memorable as the fanciest of excellent  dinners we'd had on this trip (St James outside Bordeaux, Pateo in Lisbon, Kokotxa in San Sebastian).

From Arcachon we drove four hours north into the Loire, to spend the last night of our trip in Rochecorbon.

What a beautiful surprise this place was. A chambre d'hôte in the most gorgeous home of classic French white stone and grey tiled roof. Where we were met by a warm friendly host, his golden retriever, and the most laid-back, affectionate ginger cat.

We were welcomed with a bottle of chilled white local Loire wine and a tarte citron to eat in the front courtyard, surrounded by lavender, orange trees and rose bushes.

Compared with the traditional exterior, the inside of the house was an interesting surprise - contemporary furniture mixed with traditional pieces.

We set off for a slow walk down to the river, through the village of Rochecorbon, picture perfect with winding narrow roads and gorgeous well-to-do homes and gardens.

The village sits just above a northern bank of the Loire, where all was bucolic and peaceful.

Showered and dressed for dinner, we found our lovely host had prepared a simple feast on a garden table under the trees with fat candles. There was a salad of leaves and spring onions with vinaigrette, sliced tomatoes with a sprinkling of goats cheese, local cheeses and charcuterie, sliced filet mignon, rillette, a baguette and butter. Perfection again, and the best final night of our trip I could imagine.

Arcachon, Loire, France

Day 17, Iberian road trip, June 2017

A passeio and dinner in San Sebastian

Winding down from the Serra da Estrela and crossing the border, it took us the better part of a day to drive 600 kilometres to the north of Spain - bypassing Salamanca, Valladolid and Burgos - to reach San Sebastian in the late afternoon.

Walking through the old town before dinner, we passed the huge town hall where food stalls were lined up in front of the park with delicious smells of pintxos, and grand old terraced apartments with upmarket shops below on wide tree-lined esplanades. 

It was our second trip to the city since the memorable lunch we'd had at Akelarre two years before, and we were just as impressed with this organised, impressive and pleasant city with great public spaces and evident quality of life.

We were headed down to La Concha. The weather was overcast, but extended families of all ages and their dogs were doing the passeio.

On the beach a man was carving huge writing in the sand - we made out a statement about the ETA and independence.  

We had gin and tonics in big round wine glasses with lime and ice outside the hotel Londres on the beachfront while people watching.

Later that night we had a lengthy dinner that was quite wonderful at Kokotxa, just off La Concha with windows facing the back streets and the Santa Maria basilica.

Through the windows we were entertained by the street scenes - people walking outdoors to late at night, drinking and eating in the streets - as well as singing from a bar opposite by Basque separatists in berets.

Afterwards we walked back to our hotel, over the river with the sight of the lit-up Kursaal concert hall facing the Bay of Biscay, and the grand Maria Cristina hotel.

Kokotxa restaurant, Donostia, San Sebastian

San Sebastian, Spain

Day 16, Iberian road trip, June 2017

Climbing in the Serra da Estrela

 Leaving after breakfast at Memmo, we drove north out of Lisbon. We'd planned a scenic route through the Beira Literal but switched last moment as the news filled with the terrible loss of lives in forest fires around Pedrógão Grande. It was the beginning, as it turned out, of a devastating summer of wild fires across Portugal and Spain.

Sticking to national roads we drove instead via Castelo Branco, into the Serra da Estrela. Up and up, along hectically winding roads to Manteigas in the huge mountainous Parque Nacional nature reserve ...

and from there climbing even higher to Penhas Douradas, at one of the highest points of the Serra.

Next morning we took a long walk along a mountain trail, passing occasional homes. 

While wondering whether anyone really lives up here, we crossed paths with an elderly couple who actually do live in one of these homes with extraordinary views across the mountaintops and valley. 

As we stopped to chat and asked them the way to a Miradouro we wanted to climb to, the man and his wife bickered pleasantly about which path we should take, but ultimately reached consensus, and so we set off.

With these views over the county seat (Manteigas) and the Zêzere glacier valley, with its huge granite formations and wild pine forests, it felt to me like the roof of Portugal. 

Reaching the final ascent to the miradouro and the rock climbing it entailed, we agreed we'd probably been over-ambitious ... but conquer it we did.

 

It was back to lie under the trees next to the pool for the rest of the day, before an early start the next morning.

There was time for a last look across the beautiful Serra before a long drive across the border and northern Spain ...

Serra da Estrela, Portugal

Day 15, Iberian road trip, June 2017