Perpignan
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Perpignan is a city in France situated in the Region Languedoc-Roussillon.Perpignan was the capital of the former province and county of Roussillon (Rosselló in Catalan), and continental capital of the Kingdom of Mallorca back in the 13th and 14th centuries. Population (2006): 117,500 (Perpignanais, Perpinyanencs) in the city proper. The metropolitan area had a total population of 249,016 in 1999 and about 300,000 in 2008. Traditional commerce was in wine and olive oil, corks (the cork oak Quercus suber grows in Perpignan's mild climate), wool and leather, and iron. In May 1907 it was a seat of agitation by southern producers for government enforcement of wine quality following a collapse in prices.
HISTORY OF PERPIGNAN
Identity
« Perpignan la Catalane » or « Fidelissima Vila de Perpinyà », here is the way the city is officially introduced. These phrases refer to history, identity, heritage, but they also express a geographical and cultural reality, the richness and specificity of the city. “La Catalane” because Perpignan, capital of North Catalonia, has been part of the Catalan Principality for five centuries (from end of 12th to middle 17th), then linked to the Aragon Kingdom, after Roman and Mediterranean cultures. Capital City of the Kingdom of Majorca (1276/1344), the city became partly integrated to the Kingdom of France in the XVth century. Perpignan is officially French since 1659. Add to this its attachment to some values.
Geographical Situation
Nevertheless, Perpignan offers many other faces. “Big little city” or “Little big city” is the core of an old province, the Roussillon, surrounded by a vast plain much privileged by its environment: a Mediterranean rocky and sandy coastline on the one hand, and on the other hand mountains, among which the Canigou - one of the highest peaks of the French Pyrenees (2785m), and a sacred mountain both to Southern and Northern Catalans. The Tramontane wind clears the sky into a deep blue with a very special light, which was a source of inspiration for “Fauvist art”, Perpignan has 2 500 sunny hours a year and is the last big city before the Spanish border, so as a city-bridge between Barcelona and the rest of France.
Numerous Treasures
Perpignan lived its Golden Age during the Kingdom of Majorca, which lasted from 1276 to 1344, a period when Perpignan was its capital city. While gothic churches and collegiate churches were built in the royal city, commercial and textile prosperity was to be exported into the whole Mediterranean basin. As a cosmopolitan capital, Perpignan hosted lots of artists. This blazing vision is enforced in different monuments such as the Campo Santo (referring to the same monument as Pisa, Italy)… and of course, the “Palais des Rois de Majorque”. There are several museums in the city and more in the surroundings: classic and modern art, traditions, history...
Today
City of 120 000 dwellings (250 000 for the Great Perpignan), the city has a university (11 000 students) linked to renewable energies, economic poles (Saint Charles, Tecnosud…), bars & nightclubs (especially on la colline des loisirs in Canet-en-Roussillon (10 kms/5'), close to the sea), several festivals : Visa pour l'Image (Photojournalism), Jazzèbre, Confrontation (cinema), Festival de Musique sacrée (Holy music), Ida y Vuelta (world music), Les Estivales (theatre, dance, music) and some others
In Perpignan, you can find any kind of cuisine. Nice small restaurants in the old town (french tradition, world - vietnamese, japanese, indian, italian, moroccan -, fast food, grande cuisine, catalan recipes (boles de picolat, pa amb tomàquet). Perpignan area produces also good wines, sweet wines, fruits (cherry, peach, apricot), vegetables, and in some of the restaurants you will hear now & then some gipsy musicians playing serenade around.
If you like sports, you will find everything in Parc des Sports, close to the University Perpignan Via Domitia (tennis, soccer, baseball, ping pong, rugby, skateboard, a swimming pool). For sea emotions (Collioure, pearl of the Côte vermeille...), the very close coast offers windsurfing, skin diving, sailing, volley & beach volley-ball. From the ridge, the Neiges catalanes (olympic Font-Romeu...) are up there (skiing, snow-shoeing, clifthanger, 4x4 riding on the rocks or simply hiking).
More informations about the History of Perpignan on the wikipedia:Perpignan !
WHAT TO VISIT ?
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File:Casa Pairal.jpg The Castillet |
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File:PerpignanA.jpg The Royal Palace of Majorca |
File:Rue perpignan.JPG The Pedestrian Area |
File:Rigaud Museum.JPG The Rigaud Museum |
More informations about the places to visit in Perpignan on the wikivoyage:Perpignan and even the Official Website of the Office of Tourism !
TIPS
Internet/Wifi Access
Here are some places where you can get:
Free Internet:
- El Mediator - Adress: Elmediator Av Général Leclerc 66000 Perpignan - Tel: 04 68 51 64 40
- BIJ (Bureau Information Jeunesse)- Adress : 16 bis rue Emile Zola
- FDFR - Adress: 10, rue du Marché de Gros - Tel: 0468350065
- Médiathèque de Perpignan - Adress: 15, rue Emile Zola - BP 931 - Tel: 04 68 66 30 22
- Cyber-Base Emploi - Adress: Maison de l'Emploi du bassin de Perpignan 12 Rue Pierre Cartelet 66000 Perpignan - Tel: 04 68 35 20 00
Cybercafés:
- Hôtel Méditerranée Cybercafé - Adress: 62 avenue Gal de Gaulle (the street to the station) - 66000 PERPIGNAN - Tel: 04 68 34 87 48
- Games Bond - 36 place Rigaud
- Net & Games- Adress : 45 avenue Général Leclerc - Tel : 04 68 35 36 29.
Free wifi:
- University (student account needed)
- Airport
- to be continued...
Library / Newspapers / International magazines
- Médiathèque de Perpignan - Address: 15, rue Emile Zola - BP 931 - Tel: 04 68 66 30 22
Nice & Cheap Places to Eat
- most restaurants in the city centre, at lunchtime on weekdays : menus or plats du jour (daily special)
Cheap places:
- around the train station
- in St-Jacques (gipsy/arab district near the city centre), rue Llucia (good & cheap couscous and tajines, to eat on site or to take away)
Nice places:
- Le Lisboa, place Rigaud, Portuguese specialities.
- le Figuier, rue du figuier, on a charming little square without a fig tree but with an olive tree
- le Napoli, place de Catalogne (Californian palmtrees, design, la FNAC, monument à la Résistance)
- L'Arago', place Arago (the man who abolished slavery in the French colonies) (palm trees, fountain)
- Le Bistrot Saint Jean next to the Cathedral, great shady terrasse, Catalan specialties and great wines
- Aux reflets du Liban, rue Rameil, Lebanese specialties
- Naniwa, Japanese restaurant on the 'place de la République', nice terrasse
- Chez Luigi, Pizzeria Restaurant, Italian specialities, Welcoming staff (11 Quai Batllo, 66000 Perpignan).
- La Sardane, Cuisine typique catalane. Carmen et Paul are the best. 16, avenue de la Grande Bretagne.
- Crêperie Bretonne 8 rue Maréchal Foch
- La cuisine, 2, rue Colbert, 66190 Collioure
Fast foods :
- Subway - Adress : 37 boulevard Clemenceau
- Quick - Adress : le Palmarium, place Arago
- Kebabs - Very much choice on avenue Général de Gaulle (street to the railway station)
Bars and Pubs
- Bar and Britz, Place de la république
Nightlife
Perpignan Cafés/Bars/Pubs
- L'Ascot (piano bar) 12 impasse des Cardeurs
- Le Calle Hot cho (gay friendly), 8 bis, avenue du Palais des Expositions
- Le Che, 1 rue Fabriques d'en Nadal
- Le Market (pub/restaurant), avenue du Général Leclerc
- Les Petits frères (wine cellar/bar), rue de la poissonnerie
- Le Rép' (bar & terrace), place de La République
Night clubs
- Disco 421, 2609 avenue de Prades
- Le Madison (80s mood), avenue Julien Panchot
- Le Napoli, place de Catalogne
Canet-en-Roussillon Cafés/Bars:Pubs
- Le Caraïbes (karaoke bar)close to the beach
- La K.Bane (music bar), close to the beach
- Le Kactus (pub), colline des Loisirs
- Le Purple (pub), colline des Loisirs
Night clubs
- Dark side, colline des Loisirs
- New love (Djs, techno), close to the beach
- Paradisko, close to the beach
COUCHSURFERS
There are about 200 Couchsurfers in Perpignan and its area. You can check the CS Group of Perpignan or simply a couchsearch to find and contact them.
Meetings
About once a week, there are meetings and activities organised via CS-Perpignan, just check the CS Group of Perpignan to see what happens in the city and/or the Regional CS Group of Languedoc-Roussillon to see if there is any event in the area.
Coffee or a Drink
Here is a list of persons who are ready to have a drink with you and/or show you the city:
TRANSPORTATIONS
How to get to Perpignan
- By Car:
The easiest way to get there is the French motorway A9, passing next to Perpignan. You can take the exit n°41 to enter from the North or n°42 to enter from the South.
- From Toulouse : Take the motorway A61 heading to Montpellier then join the A9 at Narbonne, heading to Barcelona. You'll approach Perpignan by the North. (total distance : 210km) - From Montpellier : Take the motorway A9 via Narbonne(total distance 163 kms) - From Barcelona : Take the AP-7 heading to France (França in Catalan). The AP-7 becomes the A9 after the border. You'll approach Perpignan by the South. (total distance : 180km)
- By Plane:
Perpignan has an international airport named Perpignan-Rivesaltes.
- from Paris Orly (5 flights per day) with Air France [1],
- from London, Bristol, Manchester and Brussels-South (Charleroi) with Ryanair),
- from Birmingham & Southampton with htttp://www.flybe.com
- from Manchester with htttp//:www.bmibaby.com
There is a shuttle bus from the bus and the train station to the airport, and return. Tél. 04.68.55.68.00
Perpignan is also close to other international airports, as Carcassonne (train to Perpignan, www.sncf.com) and Girona in Spain (more than 60 destinations). There are two shuttle services between Girona and Perpignan: [2] and [3] With Frogbus (Perpignan railway station/Girona airport, platform 10), it takes 1h30 long, it costs 14€ (one way) & if you're lucky = 5€
Barcelona airport is about 200km away, can be reached by train or by shuttle bus (same as Girona airport)
- By Train:
There are three railways stopping in Perpignan: one to the South and to Spain ; one to the West and the mountain ; one to the North linking Perpignan to the rest of France.
- TER network (regional train network) : links to Toulouse, Narbonne, Montpellier, Port Bou, Carcassonne (a discount card can be bought for TER train, called Via-Liberté ([4]) (you need a picture) --- Lunéa (night train) : from Paris-Austerlitz and Metz/Nancy --- TGV (high-speed train) : from Paris, Lille, Lyon, Brussels
There are links with Spain via Cerbere or Port-Bou. There are also Talgo trains (night trains) coming from Milano, Zurich & Barcelona.
The scenic yellow train (le petit train jaune) leaves from the station of Villefranche-de-Conflent and has its terminus at Latour-de-Caroll, border with Spain in the mountain. The most impressive stretch is the first one, from Villefranche to Mont-Louis, with great bridges and tunnels. It runs all year long. Timetables [5]
Bus
Main bus company in Perpignan: CTPM with buses to all parts of the city, and many villages around Perpignan. Good bus line (line 1) to the beach (Canet-Sud). Pretty good service during the day, but they all stop around 7 or 8pm, except for line 1 to Canet in July and August, from Thursday to Saturday, CTPM[6]. Single ticket 1,10€ ; return ticket 2€ ; card for 10 single journeys (sold at newsagents') 7,80€ (fares July 2009)
There's a free bus called 'le p'tit bus gratuit'. It does so many circles in the centre of Perpignan that you might think you're in a big city - don't be fooled!
Other bus companies go to further villages like Argelès, Saint-Cyprien, Collioure, Prades, Villefranche-de-Conflent, even Mont-Louis in the mountain, for a very cheap rate (1€). They are a bit less frequent, and you'd better call for the timetables, CG66[7].
Les Transports A la Demande (TAD) are also available. Call 0 800 800 370 one day before to reserve your bus.
Courriers catalans : +33 (0)4 68 55 68 00.
Autocar Ponsaty : +33 (0)4 68 22 68 68
Bicycles
If you speak French, then [8] will tell you all you need to know.
If not...
- if your journeys will not exceed 1/2 hour, then you can use BIP, with the 'formule liberté', 1€ a day [9] 15 BIP stations in Perpignan : downtown (Railway station, place de la Victoire/Castillet... or elsewhere (University, Hospital...)
- if they do, the )Vélostation Perpignan Arago, next to the courts hours, is for you, renting bicycles per day, month... (3€ a day) Tél. 04 68 35 45 82
Maps of (easy) bicycle routes in the area: [10]
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
- Police Station: 04 68 35 70 00 - Avenue de Grande-Bretagne
- Health Urgency: 15 (SAMU);
- Hospital: 04 68 61 66 33 - 20 avenue du Languedoc
- Fireman Station: 18 or 04 68 63 78 18
- Consulats:
Germany : 04 68 35 60 84;
Belgium : 04 68 35 46 65;
Spain : 04 68 34 33 76;
Denmark : 04 68 35 07 08;
Sweden : 04 68 51 00 19;
Generalitat de Catalunya : 09 79 71 32 92
- Emergency Doctor: 0820 204 142 (SOS Médecins)
- Loss of CB : 0892 705 705
LOCAL MEDIA MENTIONS
Thanks to Labeau9 for the text and the pictures.
Quoi de Neuf Perpignan >[11]
Quoi de Neuf Weekend >[12]
CataCult > [13]
INTERESTED LINKS
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