Galdric FloristWhen the family roots are such that it’s hard not to answer the call of the Argelès town. That’s how Galdric Macabiau continues the family line of shopkeepers that began five or six generations ago. He shares with us his vision of Argelès-sur-Mer, his home town.
Galdric PaysageWho are you, Galdric?
I’m a native of Argelès-sur-Mer and a florist in my family’s “Art Floral” store in the village. I was born in this store, which was first run by my grandmother, then my mother. I’ve always been surrounded by florists. At home, we’ve always been shopkeepers, so even though I studied law and business, and travelled a lot, the family roots were stronger and I came back to Argelès.
How do you feel about Argelès?
Argelès is where I live, where I work, where I come from. What I love is the singular, contrasting nature of life here. You go from calm to storm, from the sweetness of life to social life. In winter, Argelès lives on with a peaceful village life where everyone knows each other, its markets, empty beaches, the sea, its powerful sea winds, its tramontane, and the Albères mountains whenever you want to refocus. Then comes the almost urban activity of summer, which we look forward to with the fine weather. Then comes the Indian summer, in September, when you can have a bit of both: fine days, close to nature where there’s no one else around. As the years go by, I like this mix of the two and I adapt to these contrasts, because it’s all part of Argelès.
What’s your favorite place?
That depends on so many things: the weather, your desires… In autumn, the mountains for the peace and quiet, and walks by the sea,
because it’s not too hot. In winter, the heart of the village is our anchor, because the town is alive all year round. In spring, we enjoy the terraces, it’s lively and we want to get out and about. We start to look forward to the fine weather and the return of social activity.
And in summer, you can enjoy the seaside café terraces in the evening and the lively pedestrian streets of the village during the day. Here, we’re lucky enough to often live outdoors, as the seasons change.
