IN A CORNER - CERBERE

A new visitor to '3 corners' may ask why the title? - we used to had 3 properties in France, spread way apart but if joined up their positions formed a large triangle, therefore 3 corners. When we sold up in the Alps the third corner became a portable one, going wherever we happened to visit.

Cerbere is very much in a corner of France, bottom left where France meets Spain and the Mediterranean.

I have been through the town once before and judged it hadn't much going for it, but it was exactly because of the faded prosperity that we went back, in fact just to see one building.

The Belvedere du Rayon Vert.

 

Sitting there in the middle of the railway tracks it doesn't look like much (and this is in fact the view of currently it's best side) but this is an amazing place - historically and architecturally - which hopefully is taking it's first steps into being reborn as THE place to visit in Cerbere. Formerly a hotel, frequented by a busy influx of railway travellers awaiting visas to travel into Spain in the 30's it featured tennis courts on the roof, a cinema/theatre inside and a casino. And I am sure I heard somewhere there was a zoo in the basement but as yet have found no proof of that on the internet.

But it's glamorous hey days were short lived as the boarder crossing was shut during WW2 and the glory days never returned to Cerbere.

 

 

The hotel was designed to mimic a cruise liner, all be it moored between a train track and a road at the top of the hill over the little port of Cerbere. The bedrooms were more akin to suites, beautifully tiled floors (throughout) and quality wood fittings. 

 

 

Restoration currently being carried out on the stern of the building.

 

Although there was evidence of work in progress there was no one about when we were there, there was a sad scrappy sign for a 'musee' beside a door that didn't look like it had opened in a decade. I had hoped the bar area would still function and we could have had a drink in the art deco interior, but that is secreted away inside.  The rooms are in a bad state but are a time capsule which I would love to see. I believe it does open for tours for local historic groups. And there had been some apartments available for holiday lets up until recently - I was very excited when I read that - but no more, the information on the web was out of date.

 

 

Some interior shots 'stolen' from the internet

 

 

 

 

It seems looking on 'trip advisor' the rooms were still available in 2014 all be it in an ad hoc way and the few reviews speak evocatively  of the place; ' To stay here is an experience' - 'like nothing I've ever seen' - 'The best 'suite' we stayed in was one that has a dual sea and train track view, with all the associated sounds - yes you have to like trains, sea and wind (the very exciting Tramontagne) to truly appreciate staying in this wonderment of Belle epoch architecture.'

 

Hopefully the restauration will not be 'too much' the shabby chic quality must be retained to maintain the charm, as one reviewer states, all it needs is a modern mattress rather than dodgy springs. It became a protected building in 1987 so I'm guessing it may be a while before the work is eventually completed.

 

Post Script.

I have searched again on the internet for some mention of the zoo - to no avail. But there are old photos on display in Cerbere railway station of caged exotic animals, why? And my other theory now is maybe it was just a storage facility for animal acts that appeared in the theatre.

We shall see, because thanks to the weird and wonderful '6 degrees of separation' I have discovered a contact in Northern Ireland who has family connections with the building of the Rayon Vert!

 

 

Concrete at it's finest.