part 4 returning – storm

I decided to leave a day early as the weather forecast for northern Spain wasn’t looking good – wind and snow – in the event there were a few splats of sleet on my windscreen but nothing more. but I left in the dark and got myself to St Jean de Luz in the south west corner of France in daylight, and in time for a walk on the beach. only a week after the Paris attacks I wasn’t sure about the border arrangements either, but although there were black clad police and guns at the péage tollgate, and they were stopping some people, we drove straight through.

we stayed in a dog-friendly studio apartment hotel on the cliff-top in Anglet, with big sliding windows onto balconies, and a storm view. the wind nearly took off the car door when we arrived. I was pleased to discover there were electrically operated metal shutters for these windows as the nearby lighthouse flashes all night.

we found a steep road down to the beach

behind this particularly hideous hotel – and that’s the one we stayed in on top of the cliff.

the sea was very rough, big waves coming in. I have to say I was very very glad not to be on the ferry for Portsmouth.

we explored the front and found the recommended seafood restaurant

fish supper for me

a noisy night from the wind, but otherwise very peaceful

next morning another lovely walk on the beach. those waves were very intimidating though.

you could feel the impact of them even at this end of the beach defence. I would not have stood there – he must have got a bit wet!

very coarse sand

and Tilda impervious to my slight paranoia, though on our way back along the front, I noted that some waves were washing up where we had walked ten minutes before.