Collioure (Catalan: Cotlliure) is in Pyrénées-Orientales. Collioure is an ancient fishing village 27 km from Spain. The Mediterranean laps on its beaches and you can spy the last summits of the Pyrenees.
Understand
[edit]You can often see little Catalan boat in the port or on the beach. The first station on the Vermeille Coast, the village offers a pleasant and calm life to its 2,700 inhabitants and becomes a real seaside resort visited by many tourists during summer. The village extends round the bay and the surrounding hills. The seafront is split into two parts: the centre of town between the Royal Castle and the clock tower and the Port d'Avall from the Royal Castle to the Pams Museum. The two parts are connected by a footbridge at the foot at the Castle.
Get in
[edit]By train
[edit]There are several trains and TER that lead to Collioure each day. They leave from Perpignan or Spain.
- 1 Collioure Railway Station (Gare de Collioure).
By bus
[edit]Catalan Courriers run from Perpignan and Banyuls-sur-Mer serve Collioure. The bus stop is in front of the Post Office.
By car
[edit]You can take the RD114 which comes off the RN914 which links Perpignan with Spain. The RD114 route takes you alongside the sea and through the picturesque hills.
As there is only one road that leads to Collioure, you must be careful not to take a wrong turn.
Get around
[edit]
By foot
[edit]The best way to get around is on foot, as the heart of the village is made up of pedestrian streets and compact.
By car
[edit]You can also take the car but this is not the best option, it is very difficult to find a place to park in the streets of Collioure. In summer, when it is busy, there is a Park and Ride with shuttle near the exit of the RN114.
Parking
[edit]- 2 Parking Nouveau Cimetière (P1). Motorhome allowed Paid parking.
- 3 Parking de Cap Dourats (P2), Rue de Madeloc. Motorhome allowed Paid parking.
- 4 Parking Douy (P3). Paid parking.
- 5 Parking des Glacis (P4) (Enter by Place de 8 de mar 1945). Paid Parking.
- 6 Parking du Stade (P5), Rue du Pla de las Fourques. Paid parking.
- 7 Parking des Arènes (P6), Rue Aristide Maillol. Paid parking.
See
[edit]
- 1 L'église Notre-Dame des Anges. If you go to Collioure, you can visit this church, which is located in the Port and surrounded by the see on its three sides. It was built in the 17th century but has not lost its charm. Indeed, despite its auteree exterior appearance, this church benefits from a beautiful interior architecture.
- 2 Château Royal de Collioure (The Royal Castle). You cannot come back from a journey in Collioure without having seen the this Castle. It underwent various developments in the Middle Age and it was classified as a historical monument in 1922. Throughout the year, many events took place in this enclosure such as drama and dance festivals or exhibitions. This 13C castle costs €4 to enter but is well worth it. The castle was of strategic importance, so it was rebuilt several times and fortifications strengthened over time.
- 3 Fort Saint-Elme. If you want to enjoy an overview of the village of Collioure, you can go to the Fort Saint-Elme, an ancient military fort. As it is located at the top of a hill, it offers visitors a beautiful view of the village and the sea.
- 4 Antonio Machado burial place (Tombe de Machado). Burial place of Spanish poet and one of the leading figures of the Spanish literary movement known as the Generation of '98. Exiled in Collioure in 1939 due to Spanish Civil war until his dead.
Do
[edit]- Beaches : Collioure is a perfect destination for sunbathing and enjoying the sun with its four sandy and pebble beaches like the Plage Saint-Vincent, which is the most frequented one by tourists during hot days.
- Musée d'Art Moderne : If you are interested by art, you can visit the Musée d'Art Moderne where many painters such as Henri Matisse or even Picasso have left a mark there by "shaping" the history of Collioure. Entry to this museum is free for children under 12 years old and is only 2 € for older people so it is accessible for everyone.
- Le chemin du Fauvisme is the path you have to go for a walk if you go to Collioure. Indeed, many reproductions of paintings are exhibited at the exact place where they were made in the past.
Buy
[edit]Eat and Drink
[edit]Regarding restaurants,
- La Balette : if you want to taste specialities of the region, you must go eating in La Balette. The prices go from €54 to €129, this restaurant is one of the most famous in Collioure
- Le jardin de Collioure : this restaurant, as you can see, cooks specialities, land and sea dishes with Catalan accent are cooked, like anchovies, a Mediterranean speciality
Sleep
[edit]Even if Collioure is not a very big village, it has plenty of accommodations, ranging from small budgets to high budgets.
- Hôtel Triton : if you don't want to spend too much on accommodation, you can book a room at €60 at this hotel, with a beautiful sea view
- Les jardins du Cèdre : on the other hand, if you want to sleep in a luxury hotel, Les jardins du Cèdre is a great option, where one room for one night costs €100, with a restaurant, an outdoor swimming pool and sea view, of course
Connect
[edit]As of Jan 2024, Collioure and its approach highways have 5G from all French carriers.