Wanderlust and Words

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 publ...

My third visit to Perpignan and it is fast becoming one of my favorite French cities. Of course, it helps that I’ve always visited on sunny days! Perpignan is one of France’s southernmost cities with large squares, restaurant terraces, lovely old buildings, market stalls, winding alleys filled with clothing stores and chocolate shops, tea salons and tiny restaurants with brightly-coloured outdoor tables. In the morning, I visited Les Halles Vauban , a brand-new, up-market collection of food stores and restaurants. I drooled over the pâtisseries, longed to dip a spoon into the gooey Gorgonzola, and resisted purchasing some of every kind of olive. The best surprise of the day was the rooftop terrace at Galeries Lafayette with its amazing views in every direction. Lunch was wine, pizza, sunshine, and the delight of watching all the people crossing back and forth in the square. This lovely art deco building is a cinema where I gave my feet a ...

It’s only a short distance from Quillan in the foothills of the Pyrénées to Perpignan near the Mediterranean coast, but the climate changes dramatically. From forested foothills and tight mountain passes, you pass through villages dedicated entirely to the production of wine, finally arriving in the major urban centre of Perpignan. Step out the door of the train station and you are greeted by a boulevard of 19th-century bourgeois mansions lined with palm trees. There is bougainvillea blooming by the river in the middle of October. The city of Perpignan has been in existence since Roman times, but its golden age was 1276-1344 when it was the capital of the Kingdom of Majorca, a kingdom that encompassed parts of both Spain and France. Perpignan is very close to the Spanish border and many residents consider themselves to be citizens of Catalonia. The Catalan colours were flying on the Castelet when I was there, and all the street signs are in French and Catalan. T...