I really like Perpignan. It has a real Spanish feel to it and the old narrow streets towards the Palais des Rois de Majorque are a real pleasure to walk around. Perpignan has a couple of buildings worth searching out. It is also a great town to shop in and quite pleasant to look at along the grassy esplanades of the river that runs through it.

Perpignan tourism

Perpignan is the capital of Roussillon. Its Spanish influence predominantly comes from the thousands of refugees that fled Catalonia at the end of the Spanish Civil War. But it has also been part of the Catalan-Aragonese Crown, before it was brought under French control in 1659.  The most important building here though is the Palais des Rois. The Kings of Mallorca made Perpignan their mainland capital and brought with it propsperity from cloth-making

Palais des Rois

The Palais des Rois has come to symbolise Perpignan. It is a massive palace sitting on a hill to the south of the city centre. Some of the original building still remains, but the impressive outer defences were constructed by Louis XIII and Richelieu after they successfully took Perpignan from the Catalans in 1659.

Perpignan old town

In the centre of Perpignan's old town you will find the 15th century Palais de la Deputation (where the Catalan Kings once convened the Roussillon parliament); the 16th century Hotel de Ville; and the 14th Century Loge de Mer, which served as the regions stock exchange. The square outside these buildings once served as a base for executions during the 15th-16th centuries. At the end of the place de Loge, you will also find the distinctive Le Castillet, a red brick tower that was once part of the old town walls.

Musee Rigaud

This old 17th century Palace, was originally the workshop of the artist Hyacinthe Rigaud, a favourite of the court of Louis XIV. But it later served as a studio for a range of famous artists such as Picasso, Dufy, Maillol and Cocteau. If you have time it is well worth popping in to see the collection of paintings from its former residents. Musee Rigaud is on rue Ange, close to place Arago (see Musee Rigaud for more information).

Perpignan train station

The train station itself is a relatively plain old building, but it has been adorned on top with a statue of Salavador Dali who immortalised it in a couple of his paintings and who once remarked that it was the "centre of the world". Indeed there was once an old milestone erected that simply read "Centre du Monde 0.0km".

Perpignan

Perpignan itself is a good base from which to explore the rest of Roussillon. Either by car or train you can reach Ceret, Thuir, Ille-sur-Tet, Sales or the coast at Collioure and Argeles-sur-Mer. The outskirts of Perpignan are pretty scruffy. But all in all Perpignan is a good town and worth a visit.