These delicious paprika flavoured sausages are made all over Spain, with many subtle regional variations. The tapas recipes make the most of the chorizo’s smoky flavour. All they need is some crusty bread, slices of…

The day arrived and a group of well-coiffured ladies in their sixties and seventies climbed out of their hire cars. Each had a suitcase large and heavy enough to contain a dead body. After hubby and I had lugged these monstrosities upstairs we welcomed their owners with nibbles and wine and I thought I would take the opportunity to explain a little about Mas Pallagourdi and the area.

If you own, or are buying, a property in France and spend time here each year, you need to understand the rules about residency in France and the UK, so that you comply fully with the correct tax regime. Getting it wrong could cause problems with the taxman later, or result in you paying more tax than you need to.

The next day we ventured forth to check our new trap and found it had been disturbed but not detonated. I was in the process of trying to disarm it when it went off with a huge bang and puff of smoke. For a few seconds we both thought we had been blown up. Hubby had actually been propelled across the lawn.

The bright and varied colours of many of the houses in coastal Catalan fishing towns and villages (Collioure, Port Vendres…) began with the fishermen using up paint left over from decorating their colourful Catalan ‘barques’.…

by Elaine Koerner Ceret Tourist Office Opens Its Doors at New Location The newly-relocated Ceret Tourist Office sports everything a traditional tourist office offers plus some impressive new high-tech bells and whistles. Opening day was…