We are going to spend a little over a week travel from Barcelona into southern France. Our first stop is Girona, then we are traveling to either Perpignan or Narbonne followed by a visit to Carcassonne. I would love to have some suggestions about Perpignan and Narbonne.
Thank you for your time.
Jody
Posted by
Tacoma, WA, USA
113 posts
Been to both but my info is from decades past. Loved both cities (and lived in Narbonne for about a month) back in the 80s...so take whatever you can from this.
Perpignan has a good cathedral which is very different from the Gothic ones typical of France and a nearby castle that belonged to the kings interred in the cathedral. I loved that I could see and touch the sarcophagus (?) of the king then walk the castle where he lived. There is also a lovely park in the city with great fountains. Street signage was in French and Catalan and the general feel of the city was a blend of French & Spanish. I didn't see any compelling reasons (at that time) to spend more than the day there.
Narbonne has some Roman ruins although not nearly as extensive as you'll find further east. It has a good cathedral that includes a whispering wall that was fun to experience (you and your friend go to opposite sides of the room...one whispers to the wall and the other person can hear them clear as day, but nobody else can!). Nice town square and a canal through the middle with shops and restaurants along the banks. It's less than 30 minutes from Mediterranean beaches (Narbonne Plage, Guissan, St. Pierre) -- lovely sandy beaches and warm water -- and you can stop at the salty marsh lakes on the way if you are into bird watching. Narbonne might make a nice base to explore the area.
Either way, you'll find some fun things to do and some cool things to look at. Enjoy your trip!
Posted by
OP
spain
26 posts
Lisa, Thank you for your reflections of both Perpignan and Narbonne. I believe them to both be very nice places to stay for a day. I know that most trains stop in Narbonne and then head west, so that was an attraction for Narbonne.
Jody
Posted by
OP
spain
26 posts
Andrew, I have read Rick Steves' France and that was pretty much his opinion. We have planned to go to Figueres on a day trip from Girona. We are using public transportation. I know that there is a train that runs from Girona to Figueres and then I believe it goes to Collioure. The reason I was asking about Perpignan and Narbonne is because we will be traveling from Girona on our way to Carcassonne. Is Collioure that much better than either of the other two cities? Thanks for you info.
Jody
Posted by
22 posts
Skip Figueras and the Dali museum: go straight to Collioure.
Seriously ... Collioure cannot be placed in whatever category Perpignan and Narbonne would be placed in; the latter are cities whereas Collioure is a town ... a former commercial anchovie fishing village turned tourist town, but with no chain restaurants marring it, for example.
I've been to France nine times, and during each visit we've spent some time in Collioure, each time for a longer period (last year we spent two weeks there). It's a wonderful place to relax ... and swim. I love the swimming there. And from Collioure you can walk to Port Vendres (the walk is right along the coast up high over the ocean) for additional eating spots and a larger market.