I love Europe, but a few hours in this country is more than enough
Uninterested guards wave my car over the border. I'm already disappointed. When I visit a fabulous medieval mini-state, I expect soldiers with hauberks stamping my passport with a coat-of-arms depicting unicorns or salamanders.
In Andorra, I cross the border without fanfare or welcome, and am fed through a tunnel whose €7.90 ($14) toll makes Sydney Harbour Tunnel seem like a bargain.
Then I'm descending a valley through modern ski villages whose bulky hotel-apartments lie mostly empty. I doubt anyone ever won a prize for architecture in Andorra. Perhaps caps of snow would make these villages seem more attractive.
This landlocked country in the Pyrenees is one of the world's smallest countries: 468 square kilometres, population 80,000. It has remained independent since 1278. Well, sort of. The feudal principality has two co-regents, one the president of France, the other the bishop of Urgell in Spain, neither elected by Andorrans.
I've always wanted to see Andorra because it sounds like it should be the perfect distillation of my favourite bits of Europe: mountain scenery, an odd and ancient history, quirky culture and politics, Spanish-French influences.
What sounds good on paper doesn't work well in reality. The Spanish influence is far greater than the French, which means dining times are late, pastries unexciting, and baskets of crusty bread with meals have vanished.
Have Andorrans adopted the good things from Spain? Hard to say because I'm not sure who actually is Andorran. Only half the residents are native, and millions of French and Spanish shoppers pour into this tiny country to plunder its tax-free shops.
As I slide into Andorra la Vella, my heart sinks further. Europe's highest capital (1023 metres) sits in a tight valley that blocks views to nice mountains and forces buildings to sit shoulder by shoulder and sometimes seemingly on top of one another.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Herald Sun
a day ago
- Herald Sun
48 hours in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage, the ultimate French beach weekend
Don't miss out on the headlines from Lifestyle. Followed categories will be added to My News. Around two hours from Paris on the train is the French capital's favourite beach resort, Le Touquet-Paris-Plage. On the Opal Coast in the Hauts-de-France region of northern France, the upmarket resort makes the perfect beach break for anyone visiting the city. DAY 1: Morning I live in Kent in southern England, and Le Touquet has become my favourite – and most convenient – beach getaway. Despite being in a different country, it takes half the time to reach, door-to-door, than Cornwall and as such can be a fun bolt-on trip for visitors to the UK. After a short car-train journey on Eurotunnel LeShuttle and an easy drive along France's gloriously-efficient motorways, we arrive in charming Le Touquet. Taking time to orient ourselves, once more, among its neat avenues full of holiday homes, hotels, shops and restaurants, we check in, this time to a chic Airbnb duplex in the centre of town, two streets away from the enormous beach, and two doors down from the all-important boulangerie. My need for good croissants is real. Beachfront holiday apartments in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage, France. Noon We head to Le Touquet's beach, a vast stretch of sand lined with apartments and peppered with playgrounds, beach clubs and watersports. This is northern France, so it's not famous for its high temperatures, but we've been lucky each time we've visited and even in October – when it's wonderfully free of crowds – we've been able to enjoy time on the beach. The more adventurous types can try kite-surfing and sand-yachting, which Le Touquet is famous for, but we fly kites we bought from Decathlon, on the main street Rue Saint-Jean. We stop in for a croque monsieur at one of the beach clubs, washed down with Orangina (always tastes better in a glass bottle in France) and coffee (always tastes worse than you remember in France). Tourist crowds on the beach at Le Touquet in France Afternoon A century ago, Le Touquet was a ritzy resort, frequented by a who's-who of visitors, including Edward VIII, Winston Churchill, Ian Fleming and Princesses Margaret and Elizabeth – the town even renamed its airport Elizabeth II Le Touquet-Paris-Plage in honour of the late Queen. But it also has a long war history and in World War I its hotels became hospitals for thousands of wounded and displaced soldiers – many of whom were Australian. The Étaples Military Cemetery, the largest Commonwealth cemetery in France, is the final resting place of 10,771 Commonwealth soldiers, including 464 Australians. It's a sobering place to visit and in the 80th anniversary year of VE Day, a reminder we should never forget. The Etaples Military Cemetery contains 10,771 Commonwealth burials of World War I. Evening Eventually, following the occupation during WWII, Le Touquet recovered and once again became a holiday destination and now a centre for gastronomy. It has around 70 restaurants, from takeaway booths to brasseries and fine-dining restaurants, such as Michelin-starred Le Pavillon in Hotel Westminster and double-Michelin-starred La Grenouillère in neighbouring town La Madelaine-sous-Montreuil. We enjoyed dinner at Le Touquet's classic brasserie Jean's Café, followed by an ice-cream, then our kids took a spin on the vintage carousel, which sits in the Place du Centenaire on the seafront. Oriental lamb chops, small vegetables and semolina at Jean's Cafe, Le Touquet, France. DAY 2: Morning You could happily spend all your time in Le Touquet, but if you have a car, it's worth exploring the coast. A 50-minute drive away, you come to the pretty town of Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, on the Baie de Somme estuary. It's a town of two halves – one ancient section of medieval buildings where William the Conqueror departed from for the UK, and where Joan of Arc was imprisoned, and a second half of old fishermen's cottages. It's a lovely place to explore on foot or to take the steam train which runs around the coast to neighbouring Le Crotoy with its long stretch of sandy beach. Street view in Saint Valery Sur Somme. Picture: Kerry Parnell Noon We walk along the Quai Jeanne d'Arc alongside the River Somme, then through the medieval part of town to the headland, where there's a pretty church, Chapelle des Marins. Back in town, we eat at Brasserie Le Courtgain,where you're reminded that steak frites are so much more sophisticated in French. Brasserie Le Courtgain in Saint Valery Sur Somme. Afternoon Halfway between Saint-Valery and Le Touquet, we call in at another small beach resort, called Fort-Mahon-Plage. With another vast sandy beach (they're huge on this coast), it's a popular family resort and its extremely long main street, at right angles to the seafront, is lined with restaurants and shops. Low tide and beach of Fort-Mahon-Plage. Evening Finally, you can't leave Le Touquet without a spot of shopping, along its sparkling-clean avenues (you can see shop owners wash the street front every morning). There's a mix of clothes shops, chocolatiers (Au Chat Bleu is a must) and eateries, while on Avenue Saint-Jean you find the designer boutiques. After splurging on souvenirs, we save cash by having galettes (regional savoury pancakes) for dinner. Outdoor dining in the beach town of Le Touquet-Paris-Plage. How to get to Le Touquet-Paris-Plage, France It's two hours by train from Paris to Étaples-Le-Touquet, or three hours by car. If combining with a trip to the UK, it's around 45 minutes' drive from the Channel Tunnel at Calais. Where to stay in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage The five-star Hôtel Barrière Le Westminster celebrated its centenary in 2024 and is on my wishlist. We have previously enjoyed a family stay at The Holiday Inn Resort Le Touquet, set in a quiet spot, and the Airbnb duplex at 48 Rue de Paris, which I recommend. Cyclists pass Hôtel Barrière Le Westminster in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage, France. Best way to get around Le Touquet-Paris-Plage Two great ways of seeing Le Touquet are in the saddle – you can either rent a bike from one of the town's many hire shops, such as Bike4You, or go for a horse-ride at the equestrian centre. You can also zip along the seafront on a Segway. Best food to try when you visit Hauts-de-France You'll see 'Le Welsh' in lots of restaurants in Hauts-de-France – the dish is the regional spin on Welsh rarebit and so much more than cheese on toast. The French version is unsurprisingly heavy on the cheese, with Dijon mustard, ham, beer and bread. Originally published as 48 hours in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage, the ultimate French beach weekend
The Age
2 days ago
- The Age
Loulou Bistro opens at Martin Place with a steak frites sandwich and happy-hour snails
During weekday happy hour (4-7pm) there will be $2 escargots and oysters, while the lunch and dinner carte lists Toulouse sausage with pomme puree, a mushroom and truffle vol-au-vent, seafood platters and French onion soup. Steak frites are having a bigger moment than usual in the CBD, with 24 York opening on July 23 and taking inspiration from Le Relais de l'Entrecote in France, which has successfully leant on the dish for more than half a century. Bouillon l'Entrecote at Circular Quay is another go-to venue for French-style steak and chips. 'Our focus won't be on steak,' says Parker of the opening menu at Loulou Martin Place. However, with steak frites one of the best sellers at the Milsons Point restaurant, it still features on the menu, along with a version encased in a baguette. 'We want to bring that feeling of a neighbourhood restaurant across to the city,' says Parker said. Plans are underway for the brand's further expansion, too. Later this year, a fast version of Loulou Bistro will open at the Qantas Domestic Terminal at Sydney Airport.
Sydney Morning Herald
2 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Loulou Bistro opens at Martin Place with a steak frites sandwich and happy-hour snails
During weekday happy hour (4-7pm) there will be $2 escargots and oysters, while the lunch and dinner carte lists Toulouse sausage with pomme puree, a mushroom and truffle vol-au-vent, seafood platters and French onion soup. Steak frites are having a bigger moment than usual in the CBD, with 24 York opening on July 23 and taking inspiration from Le Relais de l'Entrecote in France, which has successfully leant on the dish for more than half a century. Bouillon l'Entrecote at Circular Quay is another go-to venue for French-style steak and chips. 'Our focus won't be on steak,' says Parker of the opening menu at Loulou Martin Place. However, with steak frites one of the best sellers at the Milsons Point restaurant, it still features on the menu, along with a version encased in a baguette. 'We want to bring that feeling of a neighbourhood restaurant across to the city,' says Parker said. Plans are underway for the brand's further expansion, too. Later this year, a fast version of Loulou Bistro will open at the Qantas Domestic Terminal at Sydney Airport.
