Perpignan: a French city that is a great alternative to Paris and Nice | Travel News | Trip

The beautiful French city that is “almost in Spain” is the perfect alternative to Paris and Nice.

Perpignan is a city in southwestern France, at the foot of the Pyrenees, just a few kilometers from the Mediterranean Sea. It has approximately 120,000 inhabitants.

Lonely Planet said it “radiates from the tight knot of the old town’s maze of alleys, palm-shaded plazas and dingy tenement houses painted in shades of lemon, peach and tangerine.”

Because it is a bit more tucked away, the city attracts far fewer tourists than other French cities such as Paris and Nice, but offers more French-Spanish coastal charm.

It is located only 35 km from the border with Spain, but the artist Salvador Dali considered it the center of the world. The Spanish surrealist said the train station sent him into a “cosmogonic ecstasy.”

Perpignan’s main attractions include the Palace of the Kings of Majorca, which was built in the 12th century as a mainland castle for the monarchs of the nearby Spanish island. The tower offers the best views in the city.

Other places on your tourist attraction lists should include St. Peter’s Cathedral. John the Baptist, built in the 14th century with stained glass windows and a Moorish organ, and Castillet, a city gate built in the 14th century.

There are also many museums and art galleries here, including the Hotel Pams, an Art Nouveau gem that was once a cigarette paper factory, and the Musée d’Art Hyacinthe Rigaud, a museum of baroque-style fine arts with locally inspired collections.

Just 13 km from Perpignan there is a coast with golden sands and blue sea on numerous beaches, as well as seaside resorts and towns.

Also nearby are the Pyrenees, a mountain range that stretches along the French-Spanish border. It is popular with walkers and cyclists as it offers many routes, including the highest peak, Pico de Aneto. The region has cliffs, forests and waterfalls to explore.

Those wishing to visit Perpignan can get there by train from Paris or by plane from Stansted, Birmingham, Dublin and Leeds. There are many accommodation options available in and around the city.