Give me 5 - ways to beat the January blues

Get fit – In this area, there is no need to waste your money on an expensive gym which you won't use anyway. We are totally spoilt with lovely places to get fit outdoors and we usually have the weather to be able to do it without getting soaking wet too. Why not jog along the beach at Argelès, cycle round the lake at Villeneuve de la Raho or swim in the outdoor pool at Canet? The latter is my preferred fitness option. Although it sounds crazy, it is lovely in the water even in January, the only hard part is the dash to and from the changing rooms.

Indulge in a little retail therapy – Father Christmas may have been kind to you but I bet he didn’t bring everything on your list. There’s nothing like a bit of retail therapy to beat the blues so why not visit the January sales in the regional capital of Perpignan and pick yourself up some of the items FC left out! In France shops can’t just go having sales willy nilly whenever they feel like it, no siree. Sale dates are decreed by the powers that be at the Préfecture. The magic start date for winter 2012 is 11th January and the sales end on Valentine's Day. During this time, shops are allowed to open on Sundays although may choose not to (and many will choose not too!). Perpignan has some lovely little boutiquey shops so the best approach is a wander through the streets of the old town to see what gems you uncover.

Head to the beach – it may be a bit cold to get your bikini out but the beaches are fantastic for walks and games at this time of year. As the Pyrénées-Orientales boasts 300 days of sunshine, chances are you’ll be blessed with a sunny day boasting those bright blue skies which have brought artists flocking to the area. Wrap up warm and take a stroll, get your kite out or organise a game of beach cricket with some mates. You’ll probably find you have the beach pretty much to yourselves.

Take to the slopes – the Pyrenees are easily accessible for day trips so slip on your snow chains and head on up to the mountains. The resorts of Font Romeu, Pyrenees 2000, Cambre d’Aze, Puigmal and La Quillane are around an hour and a half’s drive from Perpignan and offer a range of activities from downhill and cross country skiing to snow shoeing or husky sledging. And there’s always the après-ski….

Check out the weather forecast elsewhere! – it may be cold here but it’s always gratifying to flick through the iphone and check out the weather further north and in the UK. It’s pretty much guaranteed that it will be a) warmer and b) less rainy here in the Pyrénées-Orientales. Smug? Yes but hey, it’s January and you need cheering up!