Oopsy….browsing through many of my considerable drafts, I discovered two articles that were orphaned while writing about the wonderful visit to the Vermillion Coast of France. It’s never too late. It’s summer time. Perfect for discovering Perpignan, and here they are…

(The Vermillion Coast of France continued) We, along with Helen and Kevin, spent the remainder of the day being transferred, first, to Collioure. The van zoomed through the Spain/France border where no one was checking identity papers today. The driver said it can take over one hour depending on the day and time of year but no worries today.

In Collioure and still raining, we waited at the bus stand for the one-hour ride (1 Euro) to the Perpignan Gare Routiere bus station. Jumped off the bus, no taxis anywhere around, grabbed a map and set off pulling wheelie suitcases to the Best Western Park Hotel . The hotel had some good weekend rates and was ideally located (once we found it and dried off). Right across the street from the Palais de Congres and short walk into the old quarter of Perpignan. This Best Western Park Hotel has free wi-fi, a big plus for me.

Perpignan map

Perpignan appeared to be more Spanish than French, and was once Catalonia’s second city after Barcelona. Before that, it was the capital of the kingdom of Mallorca and we intended to visit the Palace of the Mallorcan kings when the sun comes out. After Roussillon when the French part of Catalonia was partitioned off, Perpignan became permanently French. Catalan is still spoken in the Perpignan area and we’ve been mixing our few words of French and Spanish vocabulary together in the same sentences for the last 10 days and are understood!

Even though it was still very cold and rainy outside, we’ve traveled too far to stay inside. A short walk into the core of this ancient city (getting hopelessly lost immediately) only to discover that nothing opens until 7:30 p.m., the earliest, for dinner AND the majority of the restaurants are shut until April 1, a few days away. Nothing for it but buy sandwiches, pastry and a bottle of wine, bring back to the room and eat there. TIP: This is something to be aware of when you travel off-season. Not everything will be open.

Perpignan is considered to be one of the sunniest places in France (not today), and broils in July and August. Pretend you’re a local if visiting in the summer, and take Bus. No. 1 for the 9.5 km/6 mile ride to Canet beach resort. My WI-FI says “sunny and cool” tomorrow. Let’s hope this forecast is accurate.