Collioure: Seaside village takes you back to another place in time

Abstract

Collioure is a tiny seaside Mediterranean village, dating from Phoenician times, tucked into the foothills of the Pyrenees at the far southern end of France. The village is wrapped around a circular bay. Only 20 km from Spain, it is in the heart of 'French Catalonia' - a region which France claimed in 1659 - and has two cultures and three languages. Firmly French with a historic vein of Catalan language and culture, locally celebrated in festivals, food and dance - Collioure is a gem in a time-warp wrapped in a landscape of light and warmth. Saved from the ravages of the developers of the 70's and 80's, and avidly protected by its enthusiastic Mayor, it has kept its true coastal village 'historique'.