Collioure France
19
Cruises availables
At departure or passage at this port
Atlas Ocean Voyages (3 Cruises)
Emerald Waterways (1 Cruises)
Ponant (1 Cruises)
SeaDream Yacht Club (2 Cruises)
Silversea Cruises (1 Cruises)
Windstar Cruises (11 Cruises)
Star Legend
5 Cruises
Frequently Asked Questions
By tender. Collioure has no berth for large ships: small vessels such as Ponant's anchor in the bay and land passengers directly in the centre, between the Château Royal and the bell tower of Notre-Dame-des-Anges.
Yes, and four hours are enough to cover the village. You land in the heart of it: no shuttle, no taxi needed. Only the climb to Fort Saint-Elme calls for real effort.
The church of Notre-Dame-des-Anges and its altarpieces, the Château Royal, then the Fauvism trail through the lanes. Finish with anchovies and a terrace. Add Fort Saint-Elme only if the call runs past six hours.
In the summer of 1905 Matisse and Derain set up their easels here and produced canvases so bold in colour that a critic called them fauves — wild beasts. Matisse said no sky in France was bluer than the one over Collioure.
A route of twenty reproductions placed exactly where the originals were painted. You compare painting to view, enjoy the liberties taken, and see that the light itself has not changed. It is free and gives the visit a good structure.
Nine baroque altarpieces gilded in gold leaf, including a masterpiece by the Catalan sculptor Joseph Sunyer. The contrast between the plain exterior and that blaze of gold surprises most visitors. The round pink-domed tower was originally the medieval harbour light.
Yes, from the Gothic halls to the ramparts. Residence of the kings of Majorca and then Aragon from the 13th century, it was reworked by Vauban, who levelled an entire district to clear its glacis. From the walls the eye runs over the rooftops and out to sea.
Yes, about forty minutes on foot through terraced vineyards. It is a steady climb in full sun in summer: bring water and a hat. The wines of Collioure and Banyuls come from these schist slopes.
Anchovies, without hesitation. Two family houses keep the traditional salting alive and sell them in jars that travel well. A bottle of Banyuls, the naturally sweet wine of the nearby slopes, rounds out the trip.
The euro, cards accepted in shops and galleries. French is spoken, with living traces of Catalan in place names and dishes — this is the Côte Vermeille, at the gates of Catalonia.
