Roussillon

Holidays by Destination Europe France Roussillon Where to Go 

Perpignan is the main town, coloured by the strong Spanish influence and communities of both French and North Africans who arrived after Algerian independence from France.

The coast down to the Spanish frontier (the Cote Vermeille, geographically an extension of the Costa Brava) is scenically far more attractive than further north. The surroundings and light in 1905 inspired Matisse and Derain to Fauvism. The one-time fishing villages are packed in high season and unfortunately the beaches are shingle. Still a working fishing port (boats arriving 4.30-6pm) is Port-Vendres, now building on its connection with Charles Rennie Mackintosh, who spent his last years there, though the more touristy Collioure is in fact in many ways more attractive.

To the north wide stretches of sand backed on to nothing until the ‘60s when ranks of uninspired buildings provided accommodation for northerners seeking the sun. While St Cyprien is a large boating centre, the shore buildings are uninspiring. Argeles Plage to the south is rather untidier (verging on the Kiss Me Quick) and Canet Plage to the north shows its aspirations in a raft of names like Malibu and Hawaii.

Inland is infinitely more lovely, along the wider river Tet valley up to the fine plateau of the Cerdagne and the narrower Tech valley which reaches more directly up into the heights and Spanish border.

Immediately off the valley floor, which along the Tet is covered with commercial orchards, are thickly wooded slopes, roads leading to hamlets which until 20 years ago were all but abandoned and where you may find yourself surrounded by butterflies which flourish away from the commercial spraying.

The narrower Tech makes it more difficult for the towns lower down the valley to avoid traffic but further up are delightful places like Prats de Mollo.

Up the Tet valley you do better to take the side valleys to explore, venturing up to the ancient monasteries for example, or right to the Cerdagne, stopping to visit the odd monastery, castle or fortress town en route.