France – Collioure (En)

We went to Collioure because our friend María José told us we had to, since it’s beautiful. So, following her advice, we went, and it’s stunning, as you’ll see in the photos.

Following the policeman’s advice, we went to the centre of Port-Vendres to catch the bus. There was no one at the bus stop, and since we didn’t know when the bus was coming, we went to the tourist office to ask. A very friendly employee who spoke English told us that, since it was a holiday, we would have to wait an hour. So we decided to have a coffee by the bus stop, overlooking the port.

What to see

We arrived in Collioure in 5 minutes by bus. Getting off at the stop, you reach the seafront promenade where the Avall Tower is located. From the promenade, you have stunning views of the Moulin de Collioure, a 14th-century windmill, and the medieval Royal Castle of Collioure.

We saw people walking along the seafront, exploring the castle, and we did the same. If you do it, be careful, as the waves crash right on the path.

You reach the corner of the castle and find yourself in a square where there is a market and restaurants. From the square, you have incredible views to the other side of the castle, as well as to the 17th-century church of Notre-Dame-des-Anges. The church’s bell tower was once a lighthouse.

Passing through an alley next to the church, you reach a bridge; crossing it, you ascend to a chapel. From the chapel, there are incredible views of the church and the Rock Castle.

We finished our stroll through the alleyways lined with bars. We went to the castle entrance but didn’t pay to go in. Below the castle entrance is a military diving school. Then we caught the bus back to Port-Vendres.

Our next destination is Leucate, with 8 km of white sand beaches, oyster farming huts and a unique limestone cliff, which you can see in the next blog post.