# Day 14 Saint Cyprien

Dark clouds and strong winds. That's how Sunday morning greets me. A desperate look at the weather map gives little hope. It remains this way.

The wind blows so strongly that it's difficult to hold the door open. It doesn't make sense to stay here. I decide to drive towards Spain. Actually, I had planned to watch live handball in Montpellier in the afternoon. Cancelled.

Sundays are good travel days. If it weren't for the weather. The wind lashes the sea towards the land, in some places even onto the land.

Driving is quite exhausting, the camper van is quite susceptible to wind. Nevertheless, I choose the route along the coast towards Sete. It runs directly along the sea, with water on both sides in some places because there are inland bodies of water called 'étangs' on the land side.

Behind Sete

the road continues further inland, the wind subsides a bit, but then the rain comes. Heavy showers come pouring down and make me wonder if a catastrophe is brewing in the region.

And suddenly the navigation system - Lilly stops talking. Sulking, drowned? All attempts to change the settings while driving fail. Actually, she annoys me with her constant announcements at roundabouts, but when she's gone, something is missing too. So I stop briefly and turn off the engine and the navigation system. They call that a cold start. Then I continue and listen eagerly at the next roundabout - there she is again.

My destination is a parking lot in the seaside resort of Saint Cyprien, near Perpignan. We were here many years ago when Liane was still living in Perpignan and spent some holidays here. Somehow one is drawn back to these places.

The coast is flat here, the mountains lie further inland. The whole region is completely geared towards tourism. The towns have grown in the last 50 years and don't have anything historical. In the 11,000-inhabitant town of Saint Cyprien, 200,000 people gather during the summer months. The port, the marina, has 4,000 moorings. And the sailboats are still in the water, waiting for better weather.

The motorhome site is right on one of the harbor basins and is already well filled by 3pm. For a fee of €10 at the entrance machine (only accepts bank cards, no cash), I can go in and find a spot in row 2.

There is even electricity. The weather is currently taking a break from the rain and people are coming out of their hiding places. During a walk along the beach promenade, everyone takes out their mobile cameras and captures the waves crashing against the beach fortification.

Yes Liane, and the sea is overflowing onto the road behind, so it's closed. You still know your way around here.

The dark clouds don't let up and somehow have a symbolic meaning right now.