Collioure - What to do in 3 days?
Mar 8th, 2004, 04:23 AM
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Collioure - What to do in 3 days?
I am thinking of going to Collioure in July. Can anyone tell me what there is to do in the area? Is the northern Costa Brava worth seeing? Has anyone eaten in El Bulli in Roses? Any info on this area would be appreciated.
Mar 8th, 2004, 04:28 AM
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Other than exploring the picturesque little town itself, it's castle, and the markets and absorbing it's quaint atmosphere, Perpignan is a worthwhile side trip, as is Sete. We also enjoyed the town of Narbonne.
Mar 8th, 2004, 06:01 AM
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There are many great places to visit in the Corbières area of France. Not to far from Collioure are towns like Carcassonne, Lagrasse and many others. Fantastic wine, great food and beautiful drives. There was a great article in Travel & Leisure a couple of years ago that you can find on line by going to their web site.
Mar 8th, 2004, 12:47 PM
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Suggest you search this forum for both Ceret and Vallespir - that should pull up a bunch of threads that I have contributed to about this rather wonderful corner of France.
I have also been fortunate enough to eat at El Bulli near Roses and it was certainly the most extraordinary meal I have ever eaten - I'm not sure it qualifies as my favourite though, it was, if anything, too breathtaking! It was difficult to relax in the presence of such culinary artistry.
Unfortunately the restaurant is only open for a six month season each year and the reservations go in a day so I fear you'd find it next to impossible to get a table at such short notice. Unless of course there is a cancellation - but I've heard stories about people cancelling holiday plans in order to secure a table!
On the plus side my absolute all time favourite meal was close by, up in the wilds of the high Vallespir at Casa Guillamo. You'll find details on one of those posts I mentioned above - if I can be of more help please ask, I am fortunate to know this neck of the woods very well indeed.
Kind regards
Dr D.
I have also been fortunate enough to eat at El Bulli near Roses and it was certainly the most extraordinary meal I have ever eaten - I'm not sure it qualifies as my favourite though, it was, if anything, too breathtaking! It was difficult to relax in the presence of such culinary artistry.
Unfortunately the restaurant is only open for a six month season each year and the reservations go in a day so I fear you'd find it next to impossible to get a table at such short notice. Unless of course there is a cancellation - but I've heard stories about people cancelling holiday plans in order to secure a table!
On the plus side my absolute all time favourite meal was close by, up in the wilds of the high Vallespir at Casa Guillamo. You'll find details on one of those posts I mentioned above - if I can be of more help please ask, I am fortunate to know this neck of the woods very well indeed.
Kind regards
Dr D.
Mar 8th, 2004, 06:59 PM
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Bab19,
Besides sunbathing, gallery hopping, wine tasting (Banyuls and the great Cote de Roussillon roses) and ceramics shopping in Collioure, there are wonderful opportunities in the beautiful Vallespir, Tet & Tech river valleys in French Catalonia to keep you happy and active for 5 days. We spent 3 days there 2 summers ago and ran far short of time and never even stepped foot in Perpignan, nor did we get to explore the Corbieres.
Some possibilities:
Ceret:
A truly lovely, extremely picturesque, prosperous (cherry orchards) and totally authentic little village in the heart of French Catalonia. Ceret boasts narrow winding streets, lively squares shaded by beautiful plane tress, medieval ramparts, a "bridge of the devil" over the river Tet, shops selling delectable gourmet items, a fine wine store, "Le Cellier des Arcades", and a great Saturday outdoor market. It also has a very catalán feel to it, the catalán flag is proudly waved, you may hear catalán spoken, sardana classes are given, but at the same time it feels Spanish as well, it has a little bullring and a yearly July "feria" (around the 15th) with bullfights, bull running and flamenco, and various Spanish style "bodegas' for tapas.
We loved the wonderful Museum of Modern Art with its very important collection of Picasso ceramic plates (tauromaquia themes) and works by Duffy, Braque, Juan Gris, Manolo, Chagall. Dalí and Miró. Ceret drew the same group of painters in the thirties as did Collioure. Also Les Feuillants, in an Art Nouveau mansion right in the heart of town, is a wonderful place to dine. People told us that Ceret was a little gem, and we found it just delightful.
Very close to Collioure, you have Elne and its the Cathedrale de Sainte Eulalie et Sainte Julie with a spendid cloister.
Villefranche-de-Confluent:
We loved this fortified walled town with fortress, Fort Liberia, high above (take the van shuttle up, then walk down), one of France's "plus beaux villages" , where we took a delightful train ride, one of the best little train rides in southern Europe, a Disneyland-esque adventure on Le Petit Train Jaune (operated by SNCF) , the "little yellow canary" or the "Pyrenees metro", which departs from Villefranche, travels through the Tet valley of the Cerdayne and goes as far as Latour-de-Carol, but the most exciting, "whoopee!" part is from Villefranche to Font-Romeu. Or just take it to the fortified military garrison of Mount Louis (ramparts built by Vauban). In summer the train fills up quickly, so make a run to the two open carriages and have a heavenly time. This makes for a truly wonderful, dramatic and unforgettable day. In Villefranche there are artisans' shops and a delightful little bistro catalán, La Casa de la Nine, on Rue Saint-Jean, to the right as you entry through the medieval gates.
Prades:
The Pablo Casals festival begins in late July, and concerts are held at the wonderful, atmospheric Abbaye of St. Michel de Cuxa, outside of town. Even if your dates don't coincide, the Abbaye is certainly a must see in the area. Part of the cloisters were taken to the Cloisters Museum in NYC. In the tourist office of Prades, there's a small Pablo Casals museum, and the church of Saint-Michel has a wonderful, enormous Baroque altarpiece worthy of a look.
There's also the spa town of Vernet -les-Bains.
Beyond Prades and Vernet-les-Bains, you can take an expedition up to the isolated 11th century Abbaye of St.-Martin-du-Canigou, at the top of Mount Canigou, the spiritual center of French Catalonia, via a very zigzag, challenging dirt road (take a jeep trip from Casteil or from Villefranche.
And don't forget Prats-de-Moll. a drive southwest from Ceret, and another fortified (courtesy of Vauban) mountain town right at the border with a fort above the town and very Spanish flavor like Ceret.
And if you're very, very adventurous at the wheel, the drive from Amelie-les-Baines, below Ceret to the 11th century priory of Serrabonne, up in the mountains, is truly unforgettable, Midway up there's an adorable town, St. Marsal, with Romanesque church, that is highly deserving of a stop.
The drive from the French border of Cerbere to the isolated, bohemian arts colony of Cadaqués is as dramatic, as serpentine as they come, an awe-inspiring drive, if you're up to it. Park way beyond the inner core of the town (parking is extemely tight in July). Make your way through the crowds and visit the Contemporary Arts Museum and the church, la Iglesia de Santa María, to see another amazing gilded Baroque altarpiece saved from destruction during the Spanish Civil War, and sit at an outdoor table at the artists' old hangout, the Café Melitón, and then on to Port Lligat to tour the home of Salvador Dalí (book in advance at www.dali-estate.org). Then below Cadaqués, you have Roses, but if you're thinking of dining at El Bulli, try the reserve NOW and hope for the best, or hope for a last minute cancellation, as Dr. Good warns you. A table for this season at El Bulli will be extremely hard to book! But plan to spend the night in Roses (reserve lodging ASAP). As Dr. Good tells you, there's plenty of fine cuisine in these parts besides at El Bulli. In Figueres, for example, where the Museu Teatre Dali is located, there's wonderful dining at the Hotel Empordá on the highway and at the lovely catalan 16th century farmhouse of Mas Pau in adjacent Avinonyet de Puigentós on the Besalú road, run by an El Bulli former partner.
This is a wonderful part of the country.
Besides sunbathing, gallery hopping, wine tasting (Banyuls and the great Cote de Roussillon roses) and ceramics shopping in Collioure, there are wonderful opportunities in the beautiful Vallespir, Tet & Tech river valleys in French Catalonia to keep you happy and active for 5 days. We spent 3 days there 2 summers ago and ran far short of time and never even stepped foot in Perpignan, nor did we get to explore the Corbieres.
Some possibilities:
Ceret:
A truly lovely, extremely picturesque, prosperous (cherry orchards) and totally authentic little village in the heart of French Catalonia. Ceret boasts narrow winding streets, lively squares shaded by beautiful plane tress, medieval ramparts, a "bridge of the devil" over the river Tet, shops selling delectable gourmet items, a fine wine store, "Le Cellier des Arcades", and a great Saturday outdoor market. It also has a very catalán feel to it, the catalán flag is proudly waved, you may hear catalán spoken, sardana classes are given, but at the same time it feels Spanish as well, it has a little bullring and a yearly July "feria" (around the 15th) with bullfights, bull running and flamenco, and various Spanish style "bodegas' for tapas.
We loved the wonderful Museum of Modern Art with its very important collection of Picasso ceramic plates (tauromaquia themes) and works by Duffy, Braque, Juan Gris, Manolo, Chagall. Dalí and Miró. Ceret drew the same group of painters in the thirties as did Collioure. Also Les Feuillants, in an Art Nouveau mansion right in the heart of town, is a wonderful place to dine. People told us that Ceret was a little gem, and we found it just delightful.
Very close to Collioure, you have Elne and its the Cathedrale de Sainte Eulalie et Sainte Julie with a spendid cloister.
Villefranche-de-Confluent:
We loved this fortified walled town with fortress, Fort Liberia, high above (take the van shuttle up, then walk down), one of France's "plus beaux villages" , where we took a delightful train ride, one of the best little train rides in southern Europe, a Disneyland-esque adventure on Le Petit Train Jaune (operated by SNCF) , the "little yellow canary" or the "Pyrenees metro", which departs from Villefranche, travels through the Tet valley of the Cerdayne and goes as far as Latour-de-Carol, but the most exciting, "whoopee!" part is from Villefranche to Font-Romeu. Or just take it to the fortified military garrison of Mount Louis (ramparts built by Vauban). In summer the train fills up quickly, so make a run to the two open carriages and have a heavenly time. This makes for a truly wonderful, dramatic and unforgettable day. In Villefranche there are artisans' shops and a delightful little bistro catalán, La Casa de la Nine, on Rue Saint-Jean, to the right as you entry through the medieval gates.
Prades:
The Pablo Casals festival begins in late July, and concerts are held at the wonderful, atmospheric Abbaye of St. Michel de Cuxa, outside of town. Even if your dates don't coincide, the Abbaye is certainly a must see in the area. Part of the cloisters were taken to the Cloisters Museum in NYC. In the tourist office of Prades, there's a small Pablo Casals museum, and the church of Saint-Michel has a wonderful, enormous Baroque altarpiece worthy of a look.
There's also the spa town of Vernet -les-Bains.
Beyond Prades and Vernet-les-Bains, you can take an expedition up to the isolated 11th century Abbaye of St.-Martin-du-Canigou, at the top of Mount Canigou, the spiritual center of French Catalonia, via a very zigzag, challenging dirt road (take a jeep trip from Casteil or from Villefranche.
And don't forget Prats-de-Moll. a drive southwest from Ceret, and another fortified (courtesy of Vauban) mountain town right at the border with a fort above the town and very Spanish flavor like Ceret.
And if you're very, very adventurous at the wheel, the drive from Amelie-les-Baines, below Ceret to the 11th century priory of Serrabonne, up in the mountains, is truly unforgettable, Midway up there's an adorable town, St. Marsal, with Romanesque church, that is highly deserving of a stop.
The drive from the French border of Cerbere to the isolated, bohemian arts colony of Cadaqués is as dramatic, as serpentine as they come, an awe-inspiring drive, if you're up to it. Park way beyond the inner core of the town (parking is extemely tight in July). Make your way through the crowds and visit the Contemporary Arts Museum and the church, la Iglesia de Santa María, to see another amazing gilded Baroque altarpiece saved from destruction during the Spanish Civil War, and sit at an outdoor table at the artists' old hangout, the Café Melitón, and then on to Port Lligat to tour the home of Salvador Dalí (book in advance at www.dali-estate.org). Then below Cadaqués, you have Roses, but if you're thinking of dining at El Bulli, try the reserve NOW and hope for the best, or hope for a last minute cancellation, as Dr. Good warns you. A table for this season at El Bulli will be extremely hard to book! But plan to spend the night in Roses (reserve lodging ASAP). As Dr. Good tells you, there's plenty of fine cuisine in these parts besides at El Bulli. In Figueres, for example, where the Museu Teatre Dali is located, there's wonderful dining at the Hotel Empordá on the highway and at the lovely catalan 16th century farmhouse of Mas Pau in adjacent Avinonyet de Puigentós on the Besalú road, run by an El Bulli former partner.
This is a wonderful part of the country.
Mar 9th, 2004, 08:42 AM
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Maribel,
What a wonderful post! That was all I wanted to say last night but was too tired to manage so I took the easy way out and referred to earlier posts.
You are most thorough!
It is a fantastic little corner of France isn't it and seemingly overlooked by most. And those that do stop in the Pyrennees Orientales seem to struggle to see past Collioure.
Ah well... guess that keeps it quieter for those of us who ARE in the know!
Dr D.
What a wonderful post! That was all I wanted to say last night but was too tired to manage so I took the easy way out and referred to earlier posts.
You are most thorough!
It is a fantastic little corner of France isn't it and seemingly overlooked by most. And those that do stop in the Pyrennees Orientales seem to struggle to see past Collioure.
Ah well... guess that keeps it quieter for those of us who ARE in the know!
Dr D.
Mar 10th, 2004, 04:43 PM
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Thanks to all for the wonderful information. You have convinced me to spend at least three days in that area. I think I would use Collioure as a base. Does anyone know of a fairly upscale, hopefully charming hotel there? How about restaurants in the area?
I think from Collioure we will stop at the Domaine D'Auriac, just outside of Carcassonne for a few nights as a a base. ( We have stayed there before for just a night and had a lovely room and a delicious meal. The grounds are pretty and it seems like a good place to relax.) I think we will then continue north and/or east. Any suggestions? Has anyone stayed in or near Grignan? Hotels, restaurants, sights????
Again, you have been most helpful. I have printed out your responses and will take them along.
One more question for now. We will fly into Montpelier. How long a drive is it to Collioure?
I think from Collioure we will stop at the Domaine D'Auriac, just outside of Carcassonne for a few nights as a a base. ( We have stayed there before for just a night and had a lovely room and a delicious meal. The grounds are pretty and it seems like a good place to relax.) I think we will then continue north and/or east. Any suggestions? Has anyone stayed in or near Grignan? Hotels, restaurants, sights????
Again, you have been most helpful. I have printed out your responses and will take them along.
One more question for now. We will fly into Montpelier. How long a drive is it to Collioure?
Mar 10th, 2004, 05:03 PM
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Barb19,
On our last trip we stayed at the 4 star Relais des Trois Mas, on the road out to Port Vendres, but within walking distance of town, the plushest place in Collioure, a rather pricey option in high season. A less expensive room at the 3 star Casa Parail, a member of Relais du Silence, wasn't available. In July-Aug. half board is required at the Relais, which ups the price, but the cuisine is superb. We read about it in Travel Holiday, and we were attracted by its cliff side location across from the harbor-the view that is featured in all the photos of Collioure. The views from our rooms, the tiny pool and from the restaurant terrace were unforgettable. We ended up loving it because of the beautiful vistas and its wonderful gourmet restaurant, La Balette (it lost its Michelin star, but we hardly noticed).
Each of the 23 rooms is named for an artist. We occupied the Cezanne room. The bath had beautiful handpainted mosaic tiles, plus bathrobes. We stayed very happily for 3 days.
On our last trip we stayed at the 4 star Relais des Trois Mas, on the road out to Port Vendres, but within walking distance of town, the plushest place in Collioure, a rather pricey option in high season. A less expensive room at the 3 star Casa Parail, a member of Relais du Silence, wasn't available. In July-Aug. half board is required at the Relais, which ups the price, but the cuisine is superb. We read about it in Travel Holiday, and we were attracted by its cliff side location across from the harbor-the view that is featured in all the photos of Collioure. The views from our rooms, the tiny pool and from the restaurant terrace were unforgettable. We ended up loving it because of the beautiful vistas and its wonderful gourmet restaurant, La Balette (it lost its Michelin star, but we hardly noticed).
Each of the 23 rooms is named for an artist. We occupied the Cezanne room. The bath had beautiful handpainted mosaic tiles, plus bathrobes. We stayed very happily for 3 days.
Mar 11th, 2004, 09:05 AM
#12
Maribel,
Wonderful information! Thank you! I've gotten so much from all your posts, and I can't wait until my trip in July.
By the way, I made a reservation at Casa Parail for this July through the Relais du Silence website, and it never indicated half board. Would you suggest I contact the hotel directly to confirm this, or just have a printout of the reservation when I get there? I will, of course, confirm with the hotel closer to the time of my trip.
Paule
Wonderful information! Thank you! I've gotten so much from all your posts, and I can't wait until my trip in July.
By the way, I made a reservation at Casa Parail for this July through the Relais du Silence website, and it never indicated half board. Would you suggest I contact the hotel directly to confirm this, or just have a printout of the reservation when I get there? I will, of course, confirm with the hotel closer to the time of my trip.
Paule
Mar 11th, 2004, 09:16 AM
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Casa Parail is a great place. We have stayed thee several times. Madame du Bon the manager is a gem-(say hello from the Spinelli's from New York.) You really should get an upstairs room--some of the downstairs ones are dungeon-like. It has been five or six years since we last visited.
One thing to do, that I did not see suggested earlier, is to go for ride on the little yellow train ("La Petite Jaune"?)that goes through the mountains to the Spanish border. As I remember it is about 50 kms north of Collioure. Ride is about 1 hour + each way and a cool diversion if the south of France will be as hot as it was last year.
One thing to do, that I did not see suggested earlier, is to go for ride on the little yellow train ("La Petite Jaune"?)that goes through the mountains to the Spanish border. As I remember it is about 50 kms north of Collioure. Ride is about 1 hour + each way and a cool diversion if the south of France will be as hot as it was last year.
Mar 12th, 2004, 06:13 AM
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The fortified medieval village of Castelnou is worth a trip, and also would recommend going down into Spain to Figueras to the Dali museum.
Casa Pairal is a cute, typical-of the region place to stay. Have fun!
Casa Pairal is a cute, typical-of the region place to stay. Have fun!
