No sky in all France is more blue than that of Collioure - Henri Matisse
Collioure and the Region
Collioure is a delightful, unspoilt fishing village steeped in history, dating back to the middle ages. Situated on the Cote Vermeille/Vermilion Coast of Languedoc Roussillon, Collioure is just 20 minutes from the Spanish border. Having 320 days of sunshine a year – you couldn’t choose a better holiday destination.
Check out Collioure’s live webcam here. Go to Picture Tour for photographs of Collioure and the region.
To find out more about the history of Collioure please click here. This link gives a full and very interesting history of Collioure in French. To translate from French into English please click here
With beautiful, quiet, swimming beaches, art, culture, glorious cafes and restaurants serving some of the best food and wine in the area, this seaside idyll has something for everyone.
For those who like walking there are some glorious walks and if you plan your route carefully you can take in some delightful watering holes as well as stunning views. History is all around you with chateaux to visit as well as artist trails throughout the town and further afield or the more hedonistic visitor may prefer trips to local wine producers or regional restaurants to sample the many fish and seafood menus or other gourmet delights.
Click on www.collioure.com for more information about the village of Collioure and surrounding region, to help you plan your holiday.
Local Information
The local tourist office produce lots of literature about the places to go and places to see, restaurants, attractions etc. but we are also happy to pass on reviews from our guests, particularly with regards to wheelchair accessibility, sources of equipment and supplies, transport tips or non-emergency medical services.
Travel
Whether you want to fly, drive or travel by train, L’Origine is easy to get to. Please find here travel details, tips and useful contacts to help you plan your trip.
Plane
There are numerous flights to/from the area. Here are the driving times to various airports from
- Collioure. Perpignan – 45 minutes
- Carcassone – 2 hours
- Girona in Northern Spain – 1½ hours
Fly to Perpignan, Carcassone, and Girona in Northern Spain. Flight times under 2 hours. Ryanair, easyjet, Flybe and others have regular flights.
Taxis
Taxis for disabled travellers can be arranged from this taxi company:Ambulances Philippe, Port-Vendres Tel. 04 68 82 04 34 or email info@ambulancesphilippe.com. You can check out there services at http://www.ambulancesphilippe.com/
Self drive rental
Non-adapted hire vehicles are available locally from the usual large car rental companies.
Train
Rail travel via Lille or Paris to Perpignan can be completed comfortably within the day and is a wonderful way of seeing the French countryside.
The Lille route has the advantage of no change of railway station in Lille, whilst the Paris route necessitates a changeover from Paris Nord to Paris Lyon.
Via Lille – From London to Lille there is a direct service on Eurostar arriving in 6 hours at Lille Europe station. From here there are high speed TGV connections, from the same rail station, to Perpignan and the overall travel time from London to Perpignan is around 9 hours.
Perpignan is some 35 km from Collioure which can be reached by local train or taxi in about 30 minutes. Taxis are available from A2R (Tel: (0033) 046 8640800). The local trains are frequent and run by TER or CORAIL LUNEA.
Car
Several autoroute options. Allow 12-14 hours plus stops from Calais. Motorways all the way to Perpignan with dual carriageway to Collioure. Route planners: www.rac.co.uk or www.viamichelin.com Ample off road parking is available at L’Origine. Level access to property from car parking area. Much of Collioure is pedestrianised so there is no need to drive when you are there unless, of course, you wish to explore further afield.
