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Roussillon

Dusty scrubland, crimson towns and scorching summer temperatures give Roussillon a distinctly Spanish flavour. Also known as French Catalonia, it incorporates busy beach towns and coastal villages along the Mediterranean as well as the abandoned abbeys and crumbling Cathar strongholds inland among the fragrant maquis. West of Perpignan, Roussillon’s only city, the Tech Valley and the Têt Valley offer a heady mix of picturesque villages and stunning mountainscapes.

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Roussillon.

  • See

    Musée d’Art Moderne

    Roussillon had its artistic heyday around the turn of the 20th century, when Fauvist and cubist artists flocked here, attracted by the searing colours and sun-drenched landscapes. This wonderful museum was created in 1950 by Pierre Brune and Frank Burty Haviland, who convinced friends including Picasso, Matisse, Chaïm Soutine and Georges Braque to donate works. The result is one of the finest collections of modern art outside Paris. Take your time – this place is a real treat.

  • See

    Château de Quéribus

    Perched 728m up on a rocky hill, Quéribus was the site of the Cathars’ last stand in 1255. Its structure is well preserved: the salle du pilier (pillars' room) inside the central keep still features Gothic pillars, vaulting and archways. Mind-blowing views stretch to the Mediterranean and Pyrenees from the top. In the theatre, a short film documents the castle’s history, seen through the eyes of one of its curates. It’s 42km northwest of Perpignan via the D117.

  • See

    Château de Puilaurens

    In a lofty location 63km northwest of Perpignan via the D117, turreted Puilaurens is perhaps the most dramatic of the Cathar fortresses. It has the full range of medieval defences: double walls, four corner towers and crenellated battlements. The views from the castle are particularly grand, stretching across sun-baked plains and pine woodland. It’s also said to be haunted by the White Lady, a niece of Philippe le Bel.

  • See

    Château de Peyrepertuse

    Peyrepertuse is the largest of the Cathar castles, teetering on a sheer spur of rock with a drop of 800m on either side. Several of the original towers and many sections of ramparts are still standing. In early August, the castle holds falconry displays and a two-day medieval festival, complete with knights in armour. It's 51km northwest of Perpignan via the D117.

  • See

    Palais des Rois de Majorque

    Perpignan’s most dominant monument, the Palace of the Kings of Mallorca sprawls over a huge area to the south of the old town. Built in 1276, the castle was later refortified with massive red-brick walls by Louis XIV's military engineer, Vauban. These days the star-shaped citadel is sparsely furnished, but its great battlements and strategic defences still give a sense of the Mallorcan kings’ might. Views from the ramparts stretch over Perpignan’s terracotta rooftops to the coast.

  • See

    Orgues d'Ille-sur-Têt

    These rock formations must be one of the most striking geological wonders in Occitanie, though they have remained well under the tourist radar. They consist of clusters of fairy chimneys that were formed when erosion wiped out the softer sandstone covering harder rock, leaving behind isolated pinnacles. Reaching heights of up to 15m, they have conical shapes and are topped by flattish stones of harder rock. Depending on your perspective, they look like giant phalluses, organ pipes or outsized mushrooms.

  • See

    Site de Paulilles

    Part industrial relic, part nature walk, this 35-hectare coastal site is remote, as you'd expect of a one-time dynamite factory. It was set up by Nobel Prize founder Alfred Nobel in 1870 and subsequently abandoned in 1984. Haunting photos inside the former director’s house depict the hard lives and close community of Catalan workers, whose explosives helped to blast the Panama Canal, Trans-Siberian Railway and Mont Blanc Tunnel. It's 3.2km north of Banyuls-sur-Mer.

  • See

    Cathédrale St-Jean

    Perpignan’s old town has several intriguing churches, but the most impressive is the Cathédrale St-Jean, begun in 1324 and not completed until 1509. Topped by a Provençal wrought-iron bell cage, the cathedral has a flat façade of red brick and smooth, zigzagging river stones. Inside, the fine carving and ornate altarpiece are characteristically Catalan, and the simple statue of the Virgin and child in the north aisle is a venerated relic. Adjacent to the cathedral is a lovely cloister.

  • See

    Musée d'Art Hyacinthe Rigaud

    Occupying two elegant hôtels particuliers (private mansions) right in the historical centre, this museum was entirely renovated in 2017 and now ranks as the city's leading cultural institution. The galleries are split into three main sections: Gothic Perpignan, Baroque Perpignan and Modern Perpignan. Highlights include portraits by Perpignan-born painter Hyacinthe Rigaud (1659–1743) as well as paintings and carvings by Banyuls-sur-Mer–born Aristide Maillol (1861–1944).