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Perpignan |
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Why include Perpignan, the capital of capital of Rousillon, France on a website devoted to North Eastern Spain? Well, Perpignan is the Capital of French Catalonia, it's just 1 hour's drive from the Canyelles Petites, Roses area, and many people travelling to the Costa Brava arrive at it's Rivesaltes airport and drive straight on to the Autoroute, bypassing this interesting City.  Perpignan
has a strong Catalan identity which dates back to 13th and
14th century when it was the capital of the kingdom of
Mallorca. The town has since prospered and is the largest Catalan city
after Barcelona and Lleida in Spain. It is the most significant town of
the Mediterranean coastal region of south west France. In 1659, under
the terms of the Treaty of the Pyrenees, the Catalonia region was
divided between France & Spain, with all towns and cities north of
the Pyrenees being allocated to the French. It is charming and relaxed,
a little more Spanish more Spanish than French (although possibly
lacking some of the welcoming warmth of Spanish Catalans) and the
Catalan language is still spoken, especially in the outlaying country
areas. The city has a vibrant and dynamic feel with tree-lined
boulevards and pink & turquoise buildings adding to its charm. The cathedral quarter of St-Jean is well worth a visit, with narrow streets and squares having elegant 14th - 15th century buildings. One of Perpignan's finest constructions is the late Gothic Loge de Mer situated in the pedestrianised centre of the old town. It was designed to house the city's stock exchange and is the centre of Perpignan life. 
The redbrick Castillet & Museum (Musée des Arts et
Traditions Populairis) in Place de Verdun a the main attraction of
Perpignan. The building which houses the museum dates back to the 14th
century. It features regional artifacts and exhibits concentrating on
the folklore and history of the area. Climbing it's tower affords a good
view of the area. It si certainly worth a visit.Le Palais des Rois de Majorque in Rue des Archers, in the heart of the citadel is the most important monument in Perpignan and one of the best testimonies of Medieval military and civil architecture of the South of France. Built in 1276 to accommodate the Court of Jack the First of Majorca , the most important works were carried out by his successors - the Kings of Aragon . The main courtyard is open to the public but the rest is now being restored. It is a beautiful set of Gothic buildings with elegant ogival arcardes on its front. There are also two superposed chapels in the donjon - The lower chapel or 'Chapelle de la Reine' and The upper chapel , called 'Sainte-Croix' or 'Chapelle royale' - with a beautiful pink marble gate and sculpted capitals dated around 1300. On the other side of the courtyard, in front the two chapels, is the Gothic arcades of the royal loggia . Near ''Sainte Croix'' chapel, a door leads to the ''Salle de Majorque'' - former main hall - lit by wide bays and heated by three huge fireplaces. At the South and at the North of the donjon there are the Queen's and the King's courtyards . The former has kept its outside layout - stairs, windows, arcades, ceiling, etc. Other worthwhile monuments include Archives municipales, Eglise Saint Jacques, Campo Santo, Casa Xanxo, Cathédrale Saint Jean, Chapelle Notre-Dame des Anges, Conservatoire National de Musique Full details... Couvent des Minimes, Eglise des Dominicains. the are details of these plus Perpignian Museums and Gardens on the official Perpignan Tourist office web site (see below). For the month of July, Les Estivales takes place. Included is music, dance and theatre. See below for the Festival's website. Relevant Web sites: Perpignan tourist Office: PerpignanTourisme.com Perpignan's July Festival: www.estivales.com Location & Street Map of Perpignan: viaMichelin.com All UK airports and airlines with routes to Perpignan: Click here |
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