One of the many great things about the South of France, is of course the beaches, but how would you like to get a taste of the French culture, whilst at the beach? If that’s the case, then make your way down to Portiragnes Plage.
A very big tradition in the South of France, is what we call a Toro Piscine, which involves sitting in an arena, with a bull in the middle of it, and watching people play games with it, such as football, trying to get a ticket off of its horns, trying to get it to run around as much as possible. This is in no way cruel to the animal, as it is not harmed in the slightest, it is being played with!
This event is open to people of all ages, so whether your child is 4 years old or 30, you should definitely have the experience.
Another big tradition is an Abrivado, this is a little more scary. It involves standing in the street, behind (or not) protective gates, as fully grown bulls run through the streets, being chased by horses. I personally can’t go to the events, due to the fact that I’m a big scaredy cat, and although I was very scared the first time I experienced this (in my defense, I was only about 9 years old), I can definitely say that it’s a must-do in France, it is so entertaining and something you’ve never seen or experienced before!
The reason that Portiragnes Plage is the perfect place for these activities, is due to the fact that Portiragnes has its very own bull arena, and often has Toro Piscines and Abrivados throughout the summer months. The town is literally seconds away from the beach, so if it gets to 1 o’clock and you’re feeling a bit peckish, then all you have to do is throw on your flip flops and off you go to one of the many sea side restaurants.
Portiragnes Plage is always full of tourists as well as the friendly locals, there is often evening entertainment like foam nights, concerts, live bands, magicians etc and the restaurants always provide delicious food. If you’re lucky, you can also experience the night time market that the town has to offer.
