Grand Hôtel Les Flamants Roses Thalasso & Spa ★★★★

We drop our bags in the French region of Canet-en-Roussillon, where the Pyrenees Mountains plunge into the wide blue of the Mediterranean Sea. We fill our lungs with the salty sea air and already the worries of home are far away, a sure sign that our holidays have begun.

Arriving at the hotel, we're all struck by its idyllic location watching over the sapphire sea, such a different shade of blue from anything back at home. Jen thinks it's something about the light out here that makes the colours so vivid and perfect for soaking up on a late afternoon stroll. What a treat to make the five-minute walk to the beach from the hotel! And I can already see her eyeing up the Charles Trenet coastal road for her morning jog. Still, I know that Liz at least will be more than happy to forgo the jog and enjoy a lazy morning with me, back in the hotel's indulgent embrace.

But before I get carried away, it's time to drop off our suitcases. The receptionist greets us with a broad smile and hands us the keys to our rooms. We each have a Double room with a view of the sea, no need to sleep top-to-toe like in the old days! The rooms have everything we could want for a weekend of relaxation: WiFi, cable TV, air conditioning ... all with appealing, fresh decor in shades of grey and taupe. After powdering our noses in a delightful dusky pink bathroom, we head down to the hotel's restaurant, where Vincent Bricaud creates a different menu each day, depending on what comes in off the boats, always based on local, seasonal produce. Delicate dishes enjoyed with a view of the sea, on a shady terrace or inside. We're in heaven.

A hearty meal is the perfect precursor to a restful night's sleep in my spacious double bed, all for me! Awaking refreshed the next day, Liz and I wait for Jen to return from her jog and meet her at the heaving breakfast tables of the Flamants Roses. Fresh, sweet, savoury, fruity... Breakfast here is varied and inviting. It's the perfect start to our seawater spa experience. Speaking of which, I couldn't resist the "Total Beauty" package with treatments for the face and body combined with a relaxing massage and hydrojet relaxation session, for effective yet mellow rejuvenation. Liz went for the anti-stress option, while Jen, of course, chose the "Fitness" package, which blends relaxation with full body invigoration. 

In between walks along the seafront, we love to swim in the hotel's heated swimming pool. Set into the gardens, it's a beautiful bathing spot... all the mineral goodness and character of the Mediterranean Sea, without the waves. More often than not, we later find ourselves in one of the hotel lounges, cuddled up on the comfortable sofas facing the grand bay windows that overlook the sea. It's a good place for confidential huddles and whispered secrets, just like when we were little. We have much to catch up on. The evening sweeps by quickly with the help of an aperitif or two at the Flamants Roses bar, sweetened with nostalgic memories of childhood.

What with the seawater spa, the blonde beach just outside the window, the heated pool and our culinary adventures, the end of our annual escape draws near all too fast. The duties and delights of home await, but our memories of happy times at the Flamants Roses Hotel will tide us over until next year.