If you stay only one night at the hotel, we invite you as a priority to spend half a day in Collioure. You will not be alone, it is difficult to park but you should not resist the charm of this small town of 3000 inhabitants.
You have 3 options for reaching Collioure :
– By car (5 minutes – turn right out of the hotel)
– Walking on the coastal path (45 minutes – with good shoes)
– Walking on a tarmac road with little traffic (35 minutes)
To park, choose :
– An arrival before 10:30 am or after 17:30
– The railway station car park or the Castle car park (otherwise the stadium car and ultimately the car park located 2km from the center (with free bus). We will show you the location of these car parks on the map of Collioure we have at your disposal at the reception
The Mouré district & the Church of “Notre-Dame des Anges”
This small & pediestrian district is adorable with its cobbled streets, its colored houses, flowered balconies, its wharf where you can have a walk, its few Catalan boats so colorful , its cafes in front of the beach and of course the Church of “Notre-Dame des Anges”. The inside of the church is interesting with its nine carved wood altarpieces including an imposing baroque altar but above all, you will keep in memory its old lighthouse.
The Royal castle
Imposing fortress , the Royal castle has continually undergo transformations since the seventh century, the time of its initial construction. The Counts of Roussillon, the Kings of Majorca, the Kings of Aragon were successive owners before the Roussillon be attached to the kingdom of France in 1659 (Treaty of the Pyrenees) . The fortress – reinforced by Vauban in the 17th century is interesting to visit. The Royal castle hosts regular exhibitions.
Fauvism path
The light of Collioure is wonderful, especially at the beginning and at the end of the day. Matisse, Derain, Picasso, Chagall, Vlamynck put their easels in Collioure and the colors brings out of their paintings. A fauvism path dotted with twenty paintings reproductions is a great way to visit the city. Guided tours are of course offered by the Tourist Office. Please note: The Museum of Modern Art Museum of Collioure called Peské hots little paintings and has little money to organize exhibitions. The main museum of Modern Art in the Region is located in the quiet town of Ceret (45 mins away) where many artists also stayed in the early 20th century.
The Fort Saint-Elme
This fort built in 1344 by the King of Aragon was enlarged in the 15th century by Louis XI and the 16th century by Charles Quint. Back under the French crown in the 17th century under Louis XIII and Louis XIV, constituting a strategic point to control the region, its defenses were improved by Vauban. You can ride by car (5 minutes from the center of the village), walk (30 min starting from the Museum of Modern Art – the slope is steep) or get the tourist train. The view is amazing. If the fort is open (times and prices), we invite you to enter for the small exhibition about its history and its beautiful terrace (360 °). Knight clothes and princess dresses are offered free of charge & should be liked by your children. Note: the other fort of the city (The Fort Miradou) is not open since it is a military training camp
We wish you a very good visit and we remain at your disposal for any information.
Other Tours near Collioure
We invite you to discover other tours on this blog
Official website : www.hotel-lesmouettes.com
Blog : blog.hotel-lesmouettes.com