Starting to plan a trip next year to celebrate my 40th! Plan is to fly into Paris where we'll stay for a few days, take the train down to the Dordogne (somewhere around Beynac) where we'll stay for a few days, then I'd like to get in some beach time and I was thinking either Collioure or maybe Banyuls-sur-Mer for a few days. I'm looking for a picturesque town that offers perhaps some hiking opportunities as well as a nice beach area for relaxing and swimming and an area for snorkeling. I've heard that the marine reserve at Banyuls has a great underwater trail for snorkeling, but I'm not sure if Collioure would be a better place to stay and then day-trip to Banyuls for the snorkeling. Any thoughts on either of these two towns? Or perhaps another in the same area that might be better? After this stop, we would drop the car and hop on the train to Barcelona where we would then fly out. Thanks in advance for your advice!
Posted by
baton rouge, la, US
269 posts
I can only speak to Collioure as I've never been to Banyuls-sur-Mer, but it was love at first sight for us. We'd worried that Collioure would be touristy, but it wasn't bad at all; even with a good amount of visitors, it maintained a charming, inviting vibe. We truly regret not staying overnight or longer (we just came up for the day from Perpignan). I believe there are some light hiking opportunities around, though others could probably speak better to that than I can. Enjoy [INVALID] what a wonderful way to turn 40!
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
I'd go with Ashely. Stay in Collioure and scoot on over to Banyuls whenever it suits you. It's not really a day trip, more like going around the block - - it only takes ten or fifteen minutes. I doubt that there's a car rental place in either town, so you'd have to go back to Perpignan (thirty minutes ?) which is probably the place to catch the train anyway. I'm not a train expert, but I don't think Beynac is served, it would probably be Limoges - - but my thought would be to train to Periguex and work my way in from there (Limoges is yuk Periguex is neat). Alternatively, you could take the train to Brive, especially if you wanted to see the cave paintinxs at Pech Merle (which beat the ones around Les Eyzies). But, don't skip the national prehistory museum at Les Eyzies.
Posted by
Boston
4132 posts
I covered some of the same ground for my 40th. We enjoyed Collioure a lot, but the beach there was nothing really special, though pleasant and pretty. (I'm no snorkeler, though, so it's entirely possible I missed something good.) My big advice would be to not shortchange the Dordogne (and the Lot valley, too). There is lots of great stuff to see and do there. For hikes, lots of possibilities. If you can work in a stop at the Haut Corbieres - ruined forts in the Pyrenean foothills - on your way south from the Dordogne, they are spectacular. Happy birthday!
Posted by
Vancouver, BC, Canada
175 posts
WE've stayed in both places and have returned to Collioure since. More to see and do in Collioure and, as noted, BsM is just a hoop skip and jump away so a day trip is easy. Great dessert wines from BsM.