How to spend a day in Perpignan
Perpignan is the capital of the Pyrénées Orientales department in South West France and is the last major city before Spain. It was also the continental capital of the Kingdom of Majorca in the 14th century.
Perpignan looking west towards the Pyrenees and the Spanish border.
The airport is just over 7k from the city centre, but my trip was by train from Carcassonne, taking about 1 hour and 20 minutes via Narbonne. Perpignan is also a stop for the TGV service from Barcelona to Paris. I could have taken the car but was looking to have a more relaxing day exploring the city centre and its history.
The station itself was proclaimed by Salvador Dali to be the ‘Centre of the Universe’ after he saw the universe as ‘similar in structure to Perpignan station’ and in 1965 painted ‘La Gare de Perpignan’. The painting is now on display in Cologne.
Back into the real world and onto the Castillet which is the emblem of Perpignan. Out of the station, turn right down Rue Georges Courteline and take a walk along La Bassa to the Quais. There are plenty of places to stop for coffee or just to sit in the sunshine and watch the world go by.
Eating out in Perpignan
There are a lot of restaurants in the area between the rivers Bassa and Têt, but I carried on walking along to Quai Sebastien Vauban to Les Halles Vauban.
As you may have read from my other trips, I love the market halls with their fresh produce and small tapas bars. This was no exception with excellent local produce and, of course, the local wines. A small selection of charcuterie and a glass of red wine ... delicious!
The Quais
Moving further along the Quai, there is the stop for the Le petit train de Perpignan. An excellent way to discover the city.
Walking over Pont Magenta and La Castillet comes into view.
This building was the old main gate into the city and now houses the Casa Pairal Museum (Catalan museum of popular arts and traditions). You can climb the tower on the monument to get a good view over the surrounding area. Built in the 14th century, it is considered an important archaeological monument of the city.
Also, in this area is the is the Cathédrale de Saint-Jean-Baptiste. A national monument of France built in the 14th century.
The tourist office is in Place de la Loge, in the heart of the old town area and on the way to L’Hôtel Pams (18 Rue Emile Zola). This is an impressive mansion built in the 19th century by Pierre Bardou, a founder of the cigarette paper company.
There are 2 floors and an inner courtyard with statues, a peaceful place in the middle of the city. The house also has painted panels and was a private museum before the sale to the city of Perpignan.
The opening times vary so check with the tourist office should you wish to visit.
The next stop, on what is turning out to be a historical visit, is the Palais des rois de Majorque. Situated on Rue des Archers. This is a palace / castle built again in the 13th century by King Jacques in the gothic style. You can climb the steps to get a good view of the city and there are guided tours. Once again, it would probably be best to check with tourist information for opening times and prices.
On the way back to the station and feeling hungry, I stopped by La Rotonde (8 Place Jean Payra) for chicken wraps and a drink. There are plenty of bus tops nearby, so it was easy enough to get back for my train after a great day in Perpignan.
Before you go...
Watch this inspiring video about Perpignan. Credit to Barnyz.