Hotel Pams, Perpignan


A visit to Perpignan is a must whenever I’m housesitting in Quillan. I can’t get enough of the palm-tree lined boulevard leading away from the train station, the street signs in English and Catalan, the interesting mix of stores along the narrow, winding streets of the old town, the sun-filled restaurant patios, and the history of a city that was, for so many years, a leading centre of Mediterranean culture, art, and politics.


I had to do a little digging on Trip Advisor to find one of the loveliest heritage buildings– the Hotel Pams. The mansion was built between 1852 and 1872 by a leading industrialist. His son-in-law inherited the house and remodeled it at the end of the 19th century, turning it into a large private museum. It was later given to the city.


Parts of the building are used by the municipality for public functions, but the entrance way, elaborately decorated stairwell, two salons on the first floor, and the first-floor patio garden are open to the public – and free!


One of the things I most enjoy about Mediterranean architecture is its emphasis on privacy. The front of the building is unremarkable. You have to be invited inside the building to enjoy its beautiful garden.


The enclosed patio on the first floor of the building is charming and a peaceful spot to sit and enjoy the fountain and flowers in the company of a handful of meditative pigeons.


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