Perpignan holidays

How to reach Perpignan

• Flight time: Flights to Perpignan from London typically take about 2 hours.

• Transfer time: From the airport 6km north, there are shuttle buses every 30 minutes into town, which take around 20 minutes and call at bd St-Assiscle to link up with the gare routière and gare SNCF.

• Price: A bus ticket from the airport to the city centre costs approximately €1.30 one-way. Taxis cost between €15 and €20 for a ride to the city centre.

Best time to visit Perpignan

Deciding on the best time for your Perpignan holidays will depend on how much you enjoy the heat and whether you’re looking for a beach holiday for example, or hiking in the surrounding peaks.

• March to May: Spring weather is mild, with temperatures ranging from 15°C to 22°C. Rainfall is moderate, around 40-60mm per month, and there are about 7-9 hours of daily sunshine.

• June to August: Summer is peak tourist season, so book any accommodation and activities early. Temperatures range from 25°C to 30°C, ideal for day trips to the beach. Rainfall is low, with less than 30mm per month, and about 10-12 hours of daily sunshine.

• September to November: Early autumn is the time to explore the surrounding forests and mountains, while the coastal waters are still warm enough to swim in. Temperatures range from 15°C to 25°C, there’s still 7-9 hours of sunshine daily but a slight increase in rainfall.

• December to February: Winter in Perpignan is mild compared to the UK with many a sunny day still guaranteed. Average temperatures range from 5°C to 15°C and rainfall is around 30-50mm per month.

Practical information

• Spoken languages: French is the main language, but Catalan is a close second. English is commonly understood here.

• Local habits and customs: Perpignan folk enjoy a relaxed Mediterranean lifestyle; lunch, for example, is a long, leisurely affair often lasting a couple of hours.

• Health and safety: Perpignan is generally safe, but it’s wise to stay alert and keep an eye on your belongings. Emergency services can be reached by dialling 112.

• Currency: The Euro (€) is the currency used. ATMs are widely available, and credit cards are accepted in most places.

• Getting around: There’s no obvious need to use public transport in Perpignan, such is its size, but it does have an efficient public transport system, including buses and trams. A single ticket costs about €1.50 and can be purchased from machines at stations or via a mobile app.

• Electricity and plug types: Voltage is officially 230V, using plugs with two round pins. UK travellers will need an adaptor.

• Time zone: Perpignan is in the Central European Time zone (CET), which is 1 hour ahead of GMT. Daylight Saving Time is observed.

• Required travel documentation: UK travellers need a valid passport to enter France. No visa is required for stays under 90 days within a 180-day period.

Best things to do in Perpignan

Catalan through and through, this vibrant city is a captivating mix of Old Town alleys and atmospheric quarters, as well as superb architecture and museums.

Viewpoints and panoramas

• Castillet: Once a city gate and prison, this red-brick tower not only houses a museum but it’s also a great spot to soak up the city views.

• Palais des Rois de Majorque: Climb to the top of this impressive fortress for awesome views of the city’s rooftops, the Canigou mountain, and on a clear day, the Mediterranean.

The best districts

• Place de la Loge: Focus of the pedestrianised heart of the old town, this handsome square features a voluptuous Venus statue by Aristide Maillol flanked by ranks of convivial cafés and brasseries.

• Maghrebian and Romany quarter: Atmospheric quarter where you’ll find North African shops and cafés, especially on rue Llucia, and a daily market on place Cassanyes.

Museums

• Musée Hyacinthe Rigaud: Devoted largely to Catalan painters, most notably Menorcan-born Pierre Daura (1896–1976), a Republican and godson of Pablo Casals long exiled in the US.

Parks and gardens

• Parc Sant-Vicens: Built around two ponds, one permanent, the other temporary, this beautiful park is a green haven populated by tall grasses and reeds, and groves of maple, alder and ash.

Historical monuments

• Palais des Rois de Majorque: Crowning the hill that dominates the southern part of the old town, the two-storey palace and its partly arcaded courtyard date from the late 13th century.

• Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste: This Gothic cathedral is known for its beautiful architecture and impressive interior, most interesting for its elaborate Catalan altarpieces and the 14th-century Rhenish polychrome Crucifixion known as the Dévôt Christ.

• Loge de Mer: Designed to hold the city’s stock exchange and maritime court, it features gargoyles, lancet windows and lacy balustrades up top.

Day trips in the area

• Céret: Wonderful small town renowned for its modern art museum, holding an astonishing collection of paintings from the prime movers of the early 20th-century avant-garde.

• Collioure: Achingly picturesque resort where palm trees line the curving main beach of Port d’Avall, while slopes of vines and olives rise to ridges crowned with ruined forts and watchtowers.

• Pyrenees: This whole range is marvellous walkers’ country, especially the central region around the Parc National des Pyrénées, with its 3000m high peaks, streams, forests, mountain cirques and wildlife.

Activities for families in Perpignan

For a relatively small city, Perpignan has much to offer families, including a terrific selection of historical sites. There are theme parks and aquariums, but perhaps best of all one of the world’s most thrilling train rides.

• Historical monuments and sites: The imposing castles of the upper Aude and Corbières region testify to southwestern Languedoc’s era of independence; kids of all ages will love clambering about.

• Train rides: The marvellous Petit Train Jaune - one of the world’s most spectacular train rides - rumbles up the dramatic Têt valley of Roussillon in an open-car, narrow gauge train, making for an enormously fun family day out.

• Aquariums and zoos: The Aquarium de Canet-en-Roussillon is a wonderful place to discover marine life - its undisputed highlight is Shark Kingdom.

• Theme parks and adventure: Perpignan doesn’t have its own theme park, but it’s worth seeking out the Luna Park in Argelès-sur-Mer, an action-packed amusement park with rides and attractions for all ages.

Free things to do in Perpignan

With festivals galore and all kinds of opportunities for browsing the local markets (and shops), holidays to Perpignan need not be all about spending money.

• Festivals: Perpignan’s best-known spectacle is La Procession de la Sanch, the Good Friday procession of red-hooded penitents that goes from the church of St Jacques to the cathedral. The Trobades festival celebrates the medieval heritage of the region in late September.

• Visit the markets: Perpignan does markets like few other French cities. Whether you want to buy or just browse, head to Les Halles Vauban for food or Place Cassanyes for clothing and other bits and bobs.

• Beaches: You don't have to go far from Perpignan to find exceptional beaches - a great way to enjoy a spend-free day - save, perhaps, for the occasional ice cream. Port d’Avall in Collioure should be your main target.

Nature and outdoor activities

Perpignan’s proximity to the Pyrenees affords all kinds of brilliant outdoor activities - hiking and skiing among them - but there are plenty of water-bound pursuits available too.

• Hiking: The environs of Perpignan offer superb hiking, including trails in both the Albères mountains and the Canigou mountain, the latter known as the sacred mountain to the Catalans: this, in particular, has spectacular views from its summit.

• Cycling: Rent bicycles from Bouticycle and follow designated bike lanes along the River Têt for 10km to reach the golden sands and dunes of Sainte-Marie-la-Mer.

• Water sports: The Mediterranean coastline - and in particular the beaches of Canet-en-Roussillon and Saint-Cyprien - is sure to tempt water lovers with activities such as windsurfing, kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding (SUP).

• Rock climbing: The cliffs and crags around Perpignan, particularly in the Pyrenees, offer excellent rock climbing opportunities, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced climber.

Local dishes in Perpignan

Perpignan’s cuisine is characterised by the wide variety of ingredients that grow throughout the different climates between the mountains and the sea, and has an unmistakable Catalan bent.

Some typical dishes

• Cassoulet: Perpignan cuisine doesn’t get any better, or more traditional, than this dish of white lingot beans, to which any of duck, goose, bacon or pork loin are added before being slow-cooked to perfection.

• Boles de picolat: Chunky beef and pork meatballs cooked in a rich tomato sauce with mushrooms and olives, and served over white potatoes.

Meat dishes

• Civet de sanglier: A wild boar stew flavoured with red wine, garlic and herbs, this a plate of food for kings.

• Poulet à la catalane: Chicken cooked Catalan style, which means to say with tomatoes, peppers, onions and an abundance of spices.

Fish and seafood dishes

• Suquet-bouillabaisse: A Catalan take on the famous Marseillais fish broth- various fish and shellfish, flavoured with saffron, garlic and herbs are served with a side of rouille, a garlic mayonnaise.

• Encornets farcis: Quite simply, squid filled with a mixture of breadcrumbs, milk, butter, garlic and herbs.

Street food

• Pan con tomate: A simple, but ever so tasty, Catalan snack of toasted bread rubbed with ripe tomatoes and garlic, then drizzled with olive oil.

• Tapenade: A thick spread made from olives, capers and anchovies with a hunk of bread on the side.

Sweets and desserts

Similar to crème brûlée, Crème catalane has a rich custard base flavoured with lemon or orange zest and cinnamon, topped with a caramelised sugar crust; and Rousquilles are ring-shaped biscuits flavoured with lemon and aniseed, covered in a sweet, sugary glaze - perfect with a cup of coffee.

Local drinks

• Banyuls: This dark, full-bodied Banyuls dessert wine is an appellation that applies only to the vineyards of the Côte Vermeille. Must be tried.

• Pastis: Popular throughout the south of France, this anise-flavoured spirit is best mixed with water and drunk as an aperitif.