Perpignan, France

The Capital of French Catalonia

The writing organizers from Céret dropped me at the square here after lunch at one of these restaurants. I then had two hours of coveted downtime to read while waiting for my Airbnb's four p.m. entrance time.¹ The square was pleasant, but there were few pedestrians in the middle of the day, which I found surprising for such a large city.

Perpignan is the capital of French Catalonia. I had previously read several (here’s one) articles about their right-leaning politics and some of the new laws that had been instituted. This detailed article from several years ago will give you a better understanding and impression of Perpignan that I can provide. I am too biased.

Given my tight travel schedule, I stayed only one night. This decision was also based on the lack of suggestions from anyone when I asked, “What should I do in Perpignan?”

I found the house below interesting. An investigation revealed that it was a mansion for sale, purchased in April 2023 by a German artist and interior design couple. When completed, it should be impressively renovated. The couple has renovated several European castles, so this should be easy.

I stayed in one of the neighborhoods close to the train station for my next stop, Barcelona. The station in Perpignan has a comfortable modern waiting area for early birds like me. The photo below is a typical street in this neighborhood.

On several streets, there was easy access to electric charging stations for vehicles placed next to shopping areas. The city has green space adjacent to the “canal.”

This was the only pop of color I found in the neighborhood. Most of the buildings are relatively drab and old in this section of the city, and they do not appear to be historic. The population here was a mix of multiple nationalities, and the Guardian’s reference to a large Gypsy population was apparent. From an outsider’s perspective, it appeared to be a blue-collar city with a heavy dose of poverty. Again, my view is limited to the neighborhood where I stayed.

I thought you might like to see what 99 Euros buys per night in Perpignan. If you rent a car to explore Catalonia, then by all means, explore this city before moving on to the mountains or the sea. For history buffs, there is a lot to see. You might see this town in a more interesting light.

1. What am I reading, you ask? Daniel Silva’s Gabrial Allon series from start to finish. In the words of agent Paula Munieur, they are “spy books,” and I’m halfway through the series now. I write amateur spy novels and hope to be as good an author as Silva.