Must-see attractions in Roussillon

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…

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…

These rock formations must be one of the most striking geological wonders in Occitanie, though they have remained well under the tourist radar. They…

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'…

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…

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…

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…

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…

Occupying two elegant hôtels particuliers (private mansions) right in the historical centre, this museum was entirely renovated in 2017 and now ranks as…

Three fine stone structures flank place de la Loge. The 14th-century La Loge de Mer was rebuilt during the Renaissance; it was once Perpignan’s stock…

Collioure’s seaside castle was mostly built between 1276 and 1344 by the counts of Roussillon and the kings of Aragon, and was later occupied by the…

Villefranche’s mighty fort dominates the skyline above town. Built by Vauban in 1681, it was heavily refortified by Napoléon III between 1850 and 1856…

Travelling around the Têt Valley, it's well worth visiting the hilltop village of Eus, 12km northeast of Villefranche-de-Conflent. The approach to the…

Like many medieval towns, Perpignan was once encircled by defensive walls. Today all that remains is the red-brick town gate of Le Castillet, at the…

At the southern end of Banyuls’ seafront promenade, this aquarium, which was modernised in 2017, houses an intriguing collection of Mediterranean marine…

Boat sketches by Matisse and Edouard Pignon along with coastal canvases by Henri Martin and Henri Marre are among the highlights of this small but…

It’s still possible to walk along many of Villefranche’s ramparts. Built in stages between the 11th and 19th centuries, they have survived remarkably…

At the northern end of the harbour, the medieval belfry of this church once doubled as a lighthouse, although its pink dome – the signature feature of…

Coming from Perpignan, you can't miss this graceful stone bridge that spans the Tech river with a single arch of 45m. It was built in the 14th century.

The most scenic way to reach this 14th-century windmill is a 950m walk through olive and almond groves from Fort St-Elme along the Cami del Port de Sant…