Tourism in
Pyrénées-Orientales

Pyrénées Orientales: an ideal tourist destination

Situated in the south of France, the Pyrénées-Orientales department is a multifaceted place steeped in Catalan culture, offering a unique blend of sea and mountains, as well asa rich historical heritage, including former Templar strongholds and passing possessions of the kings of Majorca.

Visitors can discover a variety of exceptional natural sites, lively seaside resorts, authentic villages preserving their ancestral traditions, anda sublime architectural heritage.

Close to the Spanish borderthe département offers a multitude of leisure and activitiessuch as water sports, cultural visits, hiking, mountain biking, relaxation, urban recreation, sports and leisure activities. historical discoveriesand, of course, the tasting of local produce.

Camping in Saint-Cyprien-Plage is an excellent way to enjoy the benefits of the sea and discover all that the département has to offer.

What to do in Pyrénées-Orientales : Sports & Activities

Whether on the coast or inland, the Catalan region offers visitors a wide range of leisure activities. The region’s high level of sunshine makes it ideal for water sports and leisure activities: the Catalan coast is dotted with renowned seaside resorts such as Argelès-sur-Mer, Saint-Cyprien, Sainte Marie de la Mer, Port Vendres, Banyuls-sur-Mer and Port-Barcarès. Boat hire, sea fishing, scuba diving, snorkelling, sailing, jet skiing, wake-boarding, kayaking or towed buoys – the list of things to do by the sea is long!

Ideal for families, the sea trip can be made on a glass-bottomed boat to discover the richness of the coastal waters and the fine sandy beaches. Many beach clubs offer intergenerational activities such as paddleboarding and introductory sailing, as well as thrill-seeking activities such as parasailing and towed buoys.

Snorkeling enthusiasts can take the Cerbère-Banyuls marked underwater trail.

The 66 is also an easy department to discover by bike: the Vélittorale and the Véloroute en pays Pyrénées Méditerranée allow you to explore the coast and the hinterland respectively.

Numerous mountain bike trails also criss-cross the region, including the Albères massif and the Pic du Canigou, as well as many of Occitanie’s regional nature parks. During your stay in the Pyrénées-Orientales, you’ll also enjoy a wide range of events: local markets and night markets, major festivals such as Les Déferlantes d’Argelès, and typical Catalan festivals. Discover the many UNESCO World Heritage buildings on the Mediterranean coast of Catalonia.

Visit the Pyrénées-Orientales: places of interest

Among the many sites to visit around your campsite in Saint-Cyprien, there are a few that are particularly unmissable. In Perpignan, don’t miss the palace of the kings of Majorca in Southern Gothic style, and the monumental Saint-Jean-Baptiste cathedral, the largest religious building in the region.

The pearl of the Côte Vermeille, the royal castle of Collioure offers a magnificent panorama of the entire bay from its covered walkway. The Pyrénées-Orientales is also home to small, unspoilt villages such as Canet en Roussillon, Saint-André and Palau-del-Vidre, famous for its glass art.

Not far from Saint-Cyprien, the upper town ofElne boasts an impressive cathedral and marble cloister, testimony to its former status as the episcopal see of Roussillon. In the north of the département, set against the Corbières mountains, the fortress of Salses is a perfectly preserved defensive structure built in the 15ᵉ century by the Spanish Catholic kings.

Only an hour and a half’s drive from Cala-Gogo, in the Aude department, lies the exceptional walled city of Carcassonne. Staying at the Camping Cala-Gogo between Saint-Cyprien and Argelès-sur-MerYou can also easily travel to the Spanish side of the country to discover the Costa Brava In Figueres, don’t miss the unusual architecture of the Dalí Theatre-Museum, the city’s landmark and considered the last of its kind in Europe. by the surrealist artist.