Paul Perret (1830-1904), French writer, journalist and critic devotes an entire chapter of his book « Les Pyrénées françaises » (the French Pyrenees) to the romantic little town of Argelès. He says that Biarritz is a summer station, Pau a winter one and Argelès a spring one. It is often visited by the English Bourgeosie. «The Bourgeois wear a blue beret such as the local people by the way, less local than English people would be found there. The insular ones have reconquered the contry but, we habe to admit, with corteous weapons ».

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