There are many interesting places for you to discover.
To the North of Perpignan and near
Opoul :
The touching deserted
village of Périllos.
The ruins of Salvaterre
Castle (in clear weather, there is a wonderful view of the coast and the river
Têt valley).
The fortress
of Salses, adapted by the famous military architect Vauban. Until 1659 It marked and
guarded the frontier between Spain and France.
The Museum
of Prehistory in Tautavel with its main attraction : the "Man of Tautavel"
aged 450 000 years discovered by Mr. Henry de Lumley.
The Cathar
castles : Aguilar, Quéribus, Peyrepertuse and Puylaurens.
In Portel
des Corbières, "Terra Vinéa", an enormous underground wine cellar.
in Sigean,
the "African Réserve" : African animals running free.
To the East, the beautiful coast and beaches from
Leucate to Cerbère and on to Spain.
Le Barcarès : the settled in sand liner Lydia (restaurant, casino, nightclub). Collioure : the famous church on the seashore. Banyuls sur Mer : the Arago laboratory and its oceanariums.
Little further away to the South of Perpignan :
In Thuir,
Cusenier cellars with the largest wooden wine barrel in the world (made
of oak) that can hold 10 000 hectolitres (220 000 gallons), approximately
the weight of 3 jumbo jets ! A few miles further on, the old village of Castelnou.
In Palau
del Vidre (Palace of Glass) : glass blowers.
The beautiful
coast road from Collioure to Cerbère.
The frontier
village of Le Perthus : tax free shopping. Also visit the Bellegarde fortress
where Charles Bronson made a film. From here, in clear weather, go
to top of Neulos mountain (say Néoulous) for a magnificent view.
In Céret,
the modern art museum.
In Figueras,
a few miles over the border into Spain, the Salvador Dali museum.
To the West, on the mountain road (N 116)
:
The Serrabone
priory close to Ille sur Têt.
Prades
(Pablo Casals festival) and the Saint Michel de Cuxa abbey (some stones
of which may be seen at the "Cloisters" outdoor museum in New-York).
Villefranche
de Conflent, fortified by Vauban : visit the ramparts surrounding the
town. See also the two caves, Les Canalettes.
Also
in Villefranche de Conflent is the starting point of the "little yellow
train" : a wonderful tour along the riverTêt valley up to the frontier
town of Bourg Madame in an open carriage.
Vernet
les Bains : spas and the abbey of Saint Martin du Canigou.
Tuès
entre Valls : hike along the Carança river gorges.
Saint
Thomas les Bains : hot sulphur springs with an open air swimming pool.
Higher
on this road are Mont Louis, another city fortified by Vauban, Font Romeu
and the solar furnace in Odeillo.
A bit
further away climbing up through the Puymorens pass (6500 ft) or the tunnel
and the Envalira pass (7900 ft) you will reach the Principality of Andorre:
tax free shopping ....even cheaper than in Spain!
Don't forget to visit the main city, Perpignan
with its old streets, the Palace of the Kings of Majorca, the flowered banks of
La Basse and the Castillet. Don't forget to visit the Cemoy chocolate factory, the biggest chocolate-maker in Europe.
ROUSSILLON WINES
There are many private or cooperative cellars
will welcome you to discover....and taste....(temperately, of course), the products
of the area.
Sweet
wines : Muscat de Rivesaltes, Banyuls, amber coloured and tile coloured
Grenaches, old Maury (taste a piece of Roquefort with a sip of old Maury
and enjoy duck or goose liver with a glass of old Banyuls).
Red
wines
: côtes du Roussillon and côtes du Roussillon Villages maturated in oak
barrels.
Rosé
and white
wine : discover the "dry Muscat".
Close
by, the famous Fitou area in the Aude department.
For some years the wine growers
have endeavoured to produce quality wines, and so, overcome the regrettable
reputation of South of the France wines. With the help of oenologists, use of
better vines, up to date wine making methods and above all, growing vines producing
a yield in line with quality, they now produce wines of which they need not be ashamed
when compared with those of others French regions. Plentiful sunshine, stony
slopes and weak rainfall all contribute.
VIRTUAL SIGHTSEEING
Clik on the animated pictures below and visit some touristic spots. Sorry they all have not an English version.
Périllos Canigou Mountain Préhistory in Tautavel Salvaterra Castle Salses Fortress
Cathar Castles St Michel de Cuxa Abbey Banyuls Océanarium Collioure Cusenier Cellar
Villefranche de Conflent The Yellow Train St Thomas les Bains Salvador Dali Museum Perpignan
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