The South of France has been one of the
most fashionable tourist destinations for more than a century,
focused
on the Cote D'Azur
and wonderful countryside of Provence. Today, however, many
parts of this area are overcrowded and very expensive. Then,
there
is the Languedoc-Roussillon; a borderland of spectacular light
boasting snow-capped mountains, heady wines, historical cities,
and the sparkling Mediterranean. Many say that it is like returning
to the Provence of the 50's, with the added bonus of
colourful Catalan and Spanish influences.
Perpignan lies at the centre of both Roussillon and French
and Spanish Catalonia, with Chateau La Tour Apollinaire nestling
on the northern banks of the river Tet beyond the Jardin Exotique,
in it's own Oasis-like setting. This sparkling river flows
down from the slopes of the magical Mount Canigou, which has
proven to be an inspiration for artists and writers from Kipling
to Picasso. So central is the Chateau that, for example:
Ten minutes drive takes you to seaside resorts such as Canet,
which leads onto Europe's 2nd largest yacht harbour at
St Cyprien to the south and chilled out Torreilles beach to
the north.
A twenty to thirty minute drive away you can be in the mountains
and the medieval villages such as Castelnou or Ceret, or in
pictureseque seaside towns such as Collioure or Banyuls.
Thirty to fourty minutes from Chateau La Tour Apollinaire
you will find:
Mont Canigou. Canigou is surrounded by ancient abbeys poised
on mountainsides such as St Martin de Canigou; medieval fortress
villages such as Villefranche-de-Conflent from where one
can catch the famous Petit Train Jaune, or 'Little
Yellow Train', a UNESCO World Heritage railway which
runs up into the Pyrenean mountains.
Figueras, home to the world famous Dali Museum. Heading
toward the coast you will then find the picturesque town
of Cadaques, and just beyond, Dali's inspiration and
home, Port-Lligat.
Ninety minutes from Perpignan you can be in a ski resort
at Font Romeu; or in the ancient fortress of Carcassonne; or
in Barcelona, an avant-garde cultural, artistic and gastronomic
tour-de-force.
Use us as your base to explore this amazing
region, and after your day's outing return to the Chateau
for a quiet swim and drink around the pool before heading off
to dinner to one
of the hundreds of superb restaurants in town.
