Looking back on the brief respite we had from lockdown and curfews in 2020, I had no idea what was coming in the fall. Before the restaurants closed again and we were reconfined summer was a blast! This post is for anyone visiting the south of France next year and anyone planning a holiday abroad for in the future……… whenever it is that the world opens up again.
As you meander down the coast towards Spain in the south east corner of Occitanie, Collioure stands out amongst all the other towns for it’s striking natural beauty. Most of the coast is flat as can be and then suddenly when you reach Collioure you are surrounded by lush hills and steep cliffs overlooking this gorgeous seaside town. Perpignan, the main city of this department, Pyrenees Orientales is about 35 minutes by car.
It’s the perfect place for a family holiday with everything centered around the three main beaches. It is also very romantic and a great spot for couples. We found it very harmonious, despite the current sanitary crisis but you know what….let’s not mention the c-word, I think we are all totally saturated!
You can walk everywhere in Collioure once you find a place to park your car, which is somewhat of a challenge. The best solution is to find a hotel with parking and then just leave it there until you move on. If you prefer big huge flat beaches you can take the bus to Argeles sur Mer. It is very close by and there is a lot more sand (wide open beaches), but there are also four huge bouncy castles and a very different atmosphere.
This is the part of town where most of the restaurants are with the church Notre Dame des Anges in the background.
You can see the marines training during the day and sometimes at night around the royal Chateau.
A nice little bar to watch the sunset from, this is also where to rent kayaks and sailboats.
It is worth the easy trek up the hill to the windmill (for the view) and on up to the Fort St. Elme through the vineyards for an even better view even if the Fort itself has not been open for most of this year.
I hope that you have enjoyed this post about Collioure and my postcards as well. You can follow me by clicking the link to join me on my travels around Occitanie…….à bientôt Christina
My Beautiful Occitanie 
Great post! Looks like an amazing place 🙂
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Thank you so much! It really is 😎
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I visited here in 2014 and was surprised to find the Scottish architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh had a connection with the town. It’s a lovely spot.
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[…] oh so close to all the bars and restaurants. The view is amazing from pretty much everywhere. Read Cartes postales de Collioure for more […]
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[…] Collioure is one of the prettiest towns on the Mediterranean coast, in the Pyrenees Orientales department. Near the Spanish border Collioure stands out with its winding roads and high cliffs, unusual on the open broad Languedoc shores. From the Chateau Royal the dramatic views of the Vermillion Coast are spellbinding. It is a contained little town where you hardly need a car or even a bike as everything is at your fingertips. You’ll find lively bars and restaurants, kayak and paddle rentals, a modern art museum, and a hilltop fort with a medieval weapons museum which is a nice little hike through the vineyards if you need a break from hanging out at the beach. More about Collioure […]
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