La Vie En Rose

In the pink 10 Travel The Guardian Saturday 22 February 2020 Collioure, on its natural harbour, looks like a painting Perpignan and Collioure Occitanie La vie en rose Perpignan It’s easy to see why this sheltered spot in south-west France attracted artists from Matisse Port-Vendres to Picasso. Liz Boulter tours the ancient city and Collioure nearby Vermillion Coast that inspired them e’re on a train but he encapsulated it in a surreal 1965 pink stone on the even older John the to the centre of painting (La Gare de Perpignan, now in Baptist Cathedral nearby, whose huge the universe. Cologne’s Museum Ludwig). Campo Santo burial ground is used for It sounds like Dalí also declared that sooner or later concerts and a summer festival. something from everyone changes trains at Perpignan: the Secular buildings are just as fascinating. Doctor Who, or city is on the route from Barcelona and Also rosy-hued, Casa Xanxo (rue de la Wmaybe Hitchhiker’s Guide, but in fact it’s Girona in Spain to all points French. But Main de Fer, free) was built in 1506 by a ride of less than seven hours from Paris. those who just use Perpignan as a way- a wealthy cloth merchant who felt the In 1963, Salvador Dalí was travelling station are missing out on a small (120,000 need for a richly carved frieze of the seven through Perpignan when he had a vision inhabitants), ancient, walkable city with deadly sins on the facade. More than – a véritable éjaculation mentale – of the a Catalan feel and a delightful climate – the 300 years later, another family felt no guilt city’s station as the cosmic centre of the Pyrenees to the west offer shelter from about growing rich on the manufacture of It had a long wait: she lived on for another universe, with the building’s proportions wind and rain. It’s also a place where wine Job cigarette papers and built the elegant 22 years, dying in 2012 at the age of 102. reflecting its structure perfectly. and rugby are the twin obsessions, with Hôtel Pams (18 rue Emile Zola, free), The extended gallery reopened in 2017. Whether paranoia or substance abuse tourism a distant third. furnishing it with gold, marble, onyx and Scantily clad women in the Hôtel Pams’ lay behind this vision we’ll never know, It may be the centre of the universe but huge murals by artist Paul Gervais. murals are cavorting against a backdrop of Perpignan station isn’t in the centre of For me, the best thing about this red and orange cliffs above cobalt water – Perpignan. We walk into town along the corner of the Med is its importance in the Vermillion Coast, 20 minutes away by green banks of the Basse River, arriving 20th-century art. From 1905, Matisse and train and our next destination. Much of the 20 minutes later at Quai Vauban, the Derain found inspiration on the coast, and western Med is flat and pretty featureless city’s answer to Las Ramblas, with cafes before Dalí had his epiphany here, another – though with great beaches – but this and tree-lined walkways – but no crowds Spanish genius, Picasso, was a regular changes south of Perpignan, where the or selfie sticks. To our left, early-20th- visitor. He was great friends with the Pyrenees meet the sea in a jumble of cliffs, century boulevards are lined with elegant local de Lazerme family, whose former hilltop forts and an indented coastline buildings; to our right lies the tangled home has just been incorporated into hiding cute coves and sandy bays. medieval city – narrow streets laid out Perpignan’s major gallery, Musée Rigaud Collioure, on a natural harbour with Best of three 800 years ago, low-rise and ungentrified. (from €8, under-18s free). Its collection four beaches, looks like one big painting. Nymphs, by The coast to the south is called the goes back to gothic and baroque periods, Locals are forbidden from using black or local artist Vermillion Coast thanks to the iron ore in but I prefer quiet, expressive sculptures white paint on their houses, so the town Aristide Maillol the rock and there’s lots that is red about by local Aristide Maillol (1861-1944) and is a kaleidoscope of colour schemes – gold Perpignan, too: wrought-iron balconies a tender 1954 painting of Mme Paule with bright green woodwork, cream and on old mansions have a rust-coloured de Lazerme in Catalan dress by Picasso. royal blue, pink and pale green – against patina, pavements are in red marble Paule, last of the de Lazermes, declared blue sea and vine-covered hills. It was and the city’s emblem, the 14th-century on her 80th birthday that she would originally an anchovy port. The little Castillet fort, is in early red brick. There’s bequeath the family home to the city. fishes are still all processed by hand, and JAMES WAGSTAFF/ALAMY JAMES Travel The Guardian 11 Eat, drink, sleep Perpignan and Collioure directory Restaurants Avoid menu anxiety at Le Dix-Sept (two courses €18, three courses €24), which does a set lunch of exquisitely presented dishes at tables in the courtyard outside Perpignan’s 10th-century Saint Jean le Vieux church. The menu at Le Figuier, on the edge of Perpignan old town, offers a choice of traditional or innovative at each course: starters of, say, Catalan paté and pickles, or goat’s cheese panna cotta with oregano oil and pine nuts, plus local Cap d’Ona Idle and co, and names a delicious sunny beers (two courses €15). red (best served slightly chilled) and a minerally-citrussy blended white after his almost namesake – Mon P’tit Pithon. Collioure’s wine cooperative is in a 13th-century former Dominican monastery (tour and tasting €3pp), making red, white and rosé with grapes from 160 growers. The most famous is Banyuls sweet wine, aged in demijohns in the cellar or out in the sun. It has a golden raisin flavour, citrussy when young but more honeyed when older – perfect with goat’s cheese. Where to stay Plug into France’s Slow Food movement Around a tranquil courtyard in Collioure’s at Collioure’s La Cuisine Comptoir, run lively centre, Hôtel Casa Païral (pictured by Cumbrian-born Victoria Robinson, below, hotel-casa-pairal.com, doubles celebrated at an anchovy festival held the Everyone in town seems to be an artist who has lived here for 20 years. She from €84 room only) offers views of first weekend in June. or collector: a hilly area behind the port buys all her ingredients from small terracotta rooftops, umbrella pines and When Matisse came in 1905, he was called Le Petit Montmartre, bright with producers – meat only from “people who seagulls. Breakfast in the courtyard (with depressed, broke and desperate to find his oleanders, hibiscus and bougainvillea, has knew the animal from birth”, fish from cheese, meats, eggs and lots of local fresh own style. The bright colours of Collioure sculptures on doorsteps and paintings on “petits métiers” (one-person businesses) fruit) is particularly enjoyable. lifted his spirits and inspired his art and walls. A group of children are on their own and goat’s cheese from unfenced herds. Family-run campsite La Girelle that of his friend André Derain, who tour, creating fauve works with palettes Among lots of vegan and vegetarian (campinglagirelle.unblog.fr, tent and two joined him. The pair made many paintings and brushes (collioure.com, English guide choices, standouts were beetroot people from €18.50, four-person chalet here, and though critics likened them to available, 4-12s, one hour €3). gazpacho with tahini, and new potatoes from €49) has direct access to L’Ouille the work of wild beasts (fauves), an art We climb to 16th-century Fort Saint- with aioli (small plates from €7). beach and is 20 minutes’ walk from movement was born. Elme to admire views of Collioure and For a treat, Le Neptune (pictured Collioure, with a small shop, restaurant Collioure has a gallery but the Derains Port-Vendres further south, and take above), on a cliff overlooking Collioure’s and bar on site. and Matisses are in collections elsewhere. a boat trip down the coast as far as the harbour, has tables on two stacked Instead, we take a tour of the locations of Spanish border. But there’s more to see terraces – one with a 300-year-old fig famous paintings. Remembering Matisse’s and do – not least the sandy beaches of tree – with panoramic views, and a fish- La Plage Rouge from London’s Courtauld l’Ouille and le Racou, both walkable from heavy menu. One favourite is sea bass with gallery, I stand on the spot he did and look Collioure. Dalí said Perpignan station was artichokes, mushroom cream and chorizo at boats, waves and headland (though the where his most ingenious ideas came crumbs (four courses €39). sand is not the ketchup colour he used). to him but I don’t need to be a surrealist I gaze at the town’s lighthouse, then at a visionary to see that another trip to this Wine tours print of Derain’s Le Phare de Collioure, corner of France is a brilliant notion. Try the elegant reds and floral whites of admiring the way his bright yellow and • The trip was provided by Perpignan and this area at Olivier Pithon’s biodynamic orange hues, contrasting with dark blue Collioure tourist boards (perpignanfr.com, winery near Calce (pictured above right). water, convey the dazzling sunlight.

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