Frédérique and Jean-Marie, two former top athletes with green hearts, decided to settle in the South of France after their professional sports careers. Not to rest on their laurels but to start a bunch of ecological holiday homes in La Palme. And now, they divide their time between taking care of La Poussada and Les Cubes and looking for the perfect waves. Talk about the perfect career change!
Bioclimatic
Because Frédérique and Jean-Marie have travelled the world as free riders in windsurfing (madame) and snowboarding (monsieur), they have been to some incredible unspoiled nature spots. It made them realise that we must respect and take care of our planet. Therefore, the choice to build the holiday cottages in an ecological way was simple. Besides using eco-friendly materials, both interior and exterior, all holiday homes are bioclimatic. This means that the houses are constructed in a way to make the most use of the sun’s heat. In winter, to keep the warmth in, and in summer, to keep it cool.
La Poussada
The family and I were lucky to have been invited by Frédérique and Jean-Marie to spend a couple of days in La Poussada. This location offers three cottages: La Cabana and Tortuga for four people. Our family of five stayed at Plumeria, the only La Poussada cottage with a wooden frame. The two five-people cottages of Les Cubes are in another location, 800 meters from La Poussada. They are both made of wood, like the Plumeria cottage. We loved our stay, with room enough for all of us. The kitchen is well-equipped, the bathroom spacious, and the beds comfortable. But the unique selling point is the view from the terrace. While eating out, the sea and the salt marshes unfold right before you. Of course, La Poussada and Les Cubes also have a shared pool.
Go-toes
The lagoons and the sea are close if you’re into water sports like windsurfing and kiteboarding. There are numerous places where you can rent gear and/or take lessons if needed. Frédérique and Jean-Marie are happy to share their go-tos, also giving great tips for restaurants and shops. Or you could visit nearby Leucate, Narbonne or Perpignan, and even Béziers is rather close. If you’re travelling with kids, they might fancy a trip to the zoo of La Réserve Africaine in Sigean. And we enjoyed a visit to the Forteresse of Salses. You can book a cottage from 700 euros in the low season to 1,500 euros in the high season. For 15 euros per person, you can add a package of sheets and towels, and for 70 euros someone will come to clean after you. We left La Palme completely recharged. And with a ton of sand in our hair.