Port Vendres in South West France
The port in the Languedoc with memories of Charles Rennie Mackintosh
The restaurants along the harbour wall where the fishing boats unloaded their catch are full of visitors. Here it is mainly French visitors. Most foreign tourists don't seem to get past Collioure 3 km to the east. These days the fishing boats may have to go further into the Mediterranean or even out into the Atlantic but the indoor fish market on the Rue de la Mironde is both a visual delight and a mecca for seafood lovers. There is a supermarket style ticket system to ensure catching that the eye of the salesman is not a game of chance where the tourist is at a disadvantage. this is the perfect place to buy a ready made Fruit de la mer for eating in your holiday villa.
Charles Rennie Mackintosh
In 1923 Charles Rennie Mackintosh, the noted Scottish designer and architect settled in Port Vendres. Here he produced a series of water-colours which perfectly capture the colours of the harbour, countryside and the area as it was in the 1920s. Copies of his prints are available from the tourist office on the Quay François Jolly. Also here you can obtain tickets for walking tours of all the significant sites in Port Vendres.
Polish Air Memorial
At the far end of the Quay Pierre Fougas is a memorial stone to Polish airmen who left from here in June 1940 to join the Allied air force. It also commemorates 20 French airmen who responded to the call of General De Gaulle and escaped to North Africa and Gibraltar. Only six of them returned home.
The central commercial harbour area was once a major port for the fruit trade with North Africa. Now only occasional freighters arrive on the quays. These quays had not been constructed when one of the first English visitors arrived.
Lord Cochrane and the Imperieuse
In 1808 on September the 10th a regiment of French infantry accompanied by a squadron of cavalry were making their way from Perpignan to join the French army occupying Spain. An English naval captain, Lord Cochrane, was cruising this part of the French and Spanish coast, disrupting coastal traffic and generally making a thorough nuisance of himself to the French. Seeing the French troops entering Port Vendres he sailed inshore beneath the guns of the French shore batteries. He tricked the French cavalry into racing to the most western beaches. He then landed his marines to destroy the Port’s shore batteries. When the French cavalry discovered their mistake and raced back to try to cut off the English landing parties Cochrane swung his ship, the Imperieuse, around on her anchor and fired broadsides at the cavalry as they were exposed on the Beach Road. He then sailed away. The French reinforced and extended the batteries defending Port Vendres after this episode.
The sensible English tourists will just enjoy their meals in the restaurants. Take their time to wander around this interesting harbour and not seek to remind their French hosts of the first notable English visitor but bask in the reflected glory of Port Vendres first notable Scottish visitor.
'Cochrane Britannia's Sea Wolf' by Donald Thomas is the source of the story of Lord Cochrane.
Port Vendres
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Yachts and Fishing Boats
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Port Vendres Monument
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