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Voykit pocket guide · France
Perpignan
Perpinyà
Give Perpignan 2 nights as a base, not a stopover: old town in a morning, then Collioure, Céret or the coast by train or bus.
Perpignan is the capital of Pyrénées-Orientales and the last big French city before Spain, 80 minutes by train from Barcelona and about 15 km from the Mediterranean. Its old town is compact, brick-built and Catalan-speaking at heart, with the Castillet, the cathedral and the Campo Santo packed into a few walkable streets. Most travellers use it as a base for Collioure, Céret and the Albères foothills rather than as a destination in itself.
- Country
- France
- Local name
- Perpinyà
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (heat and crowds on the coast), Nov (heavy rain risk)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Contactless cards work in most shops, cafés and restaurants.
- Daily spend
- Budget €55–85 excl. bed · Mid €90–150 excl. bed · High €160+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Orange, SFR, Bouygues Télécom and Free sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at tabacs; ID is required to register.
- Emergency
- European emergency 112 · Ambulance (SAMU) 15 · Police 17 · Fire 18
- Plugs
- Types C, E · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; type E sockets have an earth pin sticking out, so Schuko (type F) plugs need a C/E hybrid or an adapter.
- Tipping
- Café or bar: Leave small change, €0.20–1.; Restaurant: Service is included; leave 5–10% in cash for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro or two.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day, more for private guides.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere unless signed otherwise. Restaurants must serve a free carafe of tap water on request.
- Toilets
- Paris has free automatic public toilets (sanisettes); elsewhere use cafés (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €0.50–1.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | €1.50–3 |
| Lunch menu (plat du jour) | €14–20 |
| Dinner, mid-range, per person | €25–40 |
| Glass of wine / beer | €4–7 |
| Museum entry (Castillet, Musée Rigaud) | €4–10 |
| TER train Perpignan → Collioure | €5–7 (check) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | €10–20 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- PGF · Perpignan–Rivesaltes
- Small; Transavia from Paris Orly, Ryanair from the UK and Morocco. Bus 6 to town every 30 min Mon–Sat, otherwise taxi.
- GRO · Girona–Costa Brava
- About 116 km (72 mi) by A9 then AP-7; useful for Spanish flights.About 72 mi (116 km) by A9 then AP-7; useful for Spanish flights.
- BCN · Barcelona El Prat
- About 208 km (129 mi) by A9 then AP-7; more international routes.About 129 mi (208 km) by A9 then AP-7; more international routes.
Typical fares
- Airport → centre, Bus 6
- about €2, every 30 min Mon–Sat (check)
- Taxi station → old town
- €8–12 (check)
- TER Perpignan → Collioure
- about €5–7, 20–25 min (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The centre is compact and largely pedestrianised: walk it. Sankeo buses cover the city and nearby towns, with a route planner and timetables online. Taxis wait at the station and airport. Driving in the centre is slow and parking fills in summer; use a car park on the edge and walk in.
See and do
Known for
- Castillet and the old town
- Campo Santo cloister cemetery
- Catalan food and the anchovy trade
- Gateway to Collioure and the Côte d'Améthyste
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Collioure | TER regional train from Perpignan station, about 20–25 min | About 45 min |
| Céret | Bus or car into the Vallespir, about 30–35 min | About 1 h |
| Vernet-les-Bains | Train to Villefranche-de-Conflent then bus or car, about 1 h | 1.5–2 h |
| Arles-sur-Tech | Car or bus up the Vallespir, about 45 min | About 1 h 15 min |
| Cerbère | TER along the coast, about 45 min | About 1 h |
| Elne | Bus or car, about 20 min | About 40 min |
Sleep
- Old town (Saint-Jean / La Réal)
- Best for walking: cathedral, Castillet and Place de la République on foot. Some streets are noisy at night.
- Around the station (Place Salvador Dalí)
- Best for early trains and one-night stays; 10–15 min walk to the old town.
- Canet-en-Roussillon / Argelès-sur-Mer
- Coastal bases 15–25 km (9.3–16 mi) away; pick these for beach days, not for the city.Coastal bases 9.3–16 mi (15–25 km) away; pick these for beach days, not for the city.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjourbon-zhoor |
| Thank you | Mercimair-see |
| Please | S'il vous plaîtseel voo pleh |
| How much is it? | C'est combien ?say kom-byen |
| Can I pay by card? | Je peux payer par carte ?zhuh puh pay-yay par kart |
| Where is the station? | Où est la gare ?oo ay la gar |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'bonjour madame/monsieur' on entering any shop, bus or office; avoid: Asking a question before saying bonjour — it is read as rude
- Cheek kisses (la bise): Follow the other person's lead; one to four kisses depending on region; avoid: Initiating la bise with strangers or in business
- Addressing people: Use 'vous' and titles until invited otherwise; avoid: First names and 'tu' with older people or staff
- Restaurants: Wait to be seated in restaurants; call the waiter 'monsieur' or 'madame'; avoid: 'Garçon', snapping fingers, asking for the bill before you are finished
- Conversation: Debate is a pleasure; food, politics and philosophy are fair game; avoid: Asking about salary or religion; loud voices on trains
- Dinner at a home: Bring flowers (not chrysanthemums), chocolates or a good bottle; arrive 10–15 minutes late; avoid: Cutting the tip off a cheese wedge or asking for ketchup
- Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders in churches; avoid: Beachwear in town centres
Scams and watch-outs
- Summer streets are congested and central car parks fill; park on the edge and walk.
- Late-summer and autumn rain can be torrential; check forecasts before mountain drives.
- The tramontane wind is strong and cold even on sunny days: bring a windproof layer.
- Some old-town bars have no posted prices; ask the total before you sit.
Perpignan is a normal mid-size French city: watch bags around the station and in the old-town bar streets at night, and treat the tramontane wind and summer heat as the real hazards.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Perpignan yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Castillet and the old town
- Campo Santo cloister cemetery
- Catalan food and the anchovy trade
- Gateway to Collioure and the Côte d'Améthyste
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Perpignan–Rivesaltes Airport: www.aeroport-perpignan.com/
- SNCF Gare de Perpignan: www.garesetconnexions.sncf/fr/gares-services/perpignan
- Sankeo (city buses): www.sankeo.com/index.php
- Wikivoyage: Perpignan, revision 5280362 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5280362
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
PerpignanPerpinyà
À cette adresse, s'il vous plaît
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No US or UK embassy in Perpignan; embassies are in Paris, with consulates in Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse (check).
Catalan is widely spoken and signposted alongside French; a bonjour or bon dia on entering a shop goes a long way.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/perpignan). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.