Collioure Audioguided Walking Tour 1h30 and 21 reviews

Majestic, imposing, firmly anchored between the waves and the old town... Here you are in front of one of the last medieval seaside castles still standing in France: the Royal Castle of Collioure.

Here you are on Boramar Boulevard, the most emblematic seafront in Collioure. Between the royal castle on one side and the church of Our Lady of Angels on the other, this little bit of promenade offers one of the most beautiful panoramas in the Mediterranean.

Look up to the heights just above the bay. There, on the ridge, stands an imposing stone star: it is Fort Saint-Elme. Even from a distance, its massive figure catches the eye, like a silent guardian of Collioure and the entire Côte Vermeille.

It’s hard to ignore it: it sits on the water’s edge, with its feet almost in the Mediterranean. With its pink bell tower capped by a glazed tile dome, Notre-Dame-des-Anges church has become one of the symbols of Collioure.

You arrive at St. Vincent's Chapel, perched at the end of the pier. On your right... there, at the very end, appears a small discreet lighthouse, surrounded by salt air and the Mediterranean surf. It is not a military remnant, but a green port light, installed around 1886, with a wrought iron lampshade.

In front of you, placed on the rocks and beaten by the waves, the chapel of Saint Vincent seems almost to float between sky and sea. It marks the end of the pier, at the edge of the inhabited world. Built in 1701, it is said to have been erected on the supposed site of the martyrdom of Saint Vincent, patron saint of Collioure, according to a tenacious local tradition.

On your right, this building with blue shutters houses what is called the Fauvism House. It is not a museum in the classical sense, but a living place, entirely dedicated to artistic adventure that has brought Collioure into the history of modern art. It is here that you can learn more about the Fauvism movement, born here in the summer of 1905.

Here you are on Avenue Camille Pelletan, one of the main arteries of Collioure. Lively, lined with plane trees, it connects the station to the historic heart of the village. It is often here that the stays begin, because it makes the link between the Collioure of everyday life and that of postcards.

Here you are on the Place du Général Leclerc, one of the quietest and shaded squares in Collioure. At first glance, it is not spectacular. Yet, lined with plane trees and small typical houses, it embodies this discreet and authentic facet of the village, far from the hustle and bustle of the port.

You are in front of one of the oldest houses in Collioure still standing: Casa Quintana. Located in the heights of the village, it often goes unnoticed, and yet it deserves to be studied

On your right is the entrance to the Collioure cemetery. It is interesting to visit it because inside is the tomb of Antonio Machado, one of the greatest Spanish poets of the 20th century.

Opposite you stands the Protestant Temple of Collioure, also called Reformed Church of France. This elegant building, with a discreet but refined style, was designed by the Danish architect Viggo Dorph Petersen and inaugurated on March 4, 1906, in the presence of Pastor Camille Lénard.

You are on Place Jean Jaurès, a small peaceful space at the entrance of Collioure, between the station and the first alleys of the center. Here, there is no imposing monument, but a typical local atmosphere: plane trees, a few benches, a neighborhood restaurant, and the conversations of locals who meet on the way to shop.

You are in front of what remains of the former Dominican convent, a place steeped in history, often unknown to visitors. It was founded in 1290, when Collioure was part of the Kingdom of Majorca.

In front of you stands the Avall Tower, a discreet but historic stone sentry. It is part of the old fortifications of Collioure, erected in the 16th century to strengthen the defense of the port.

You enter Jardin Pams, a green setting nestled on the hillside, just behind the Museum of Modern Art. This Mediterranean park occupies the former domain of Villa Pams, transformed into a museum in the 1980s.

You are in front of the Collioure Museum of Modern Art, housed in the former Villa Pams, an elegant 19th century bourgeois house. Built by Jules Pams, a wealthy Catalan politician and patron, this Villa once overlooked terraced gardens and reflected the wealth of a certain local bourgeoisie.

You are in La Glorieta, an elegant Moorish-style pavilion built at the beginning of the 20th century, when Collioure became a popular destination for artists and walkers in search of light. Set on a rocky promontory overlooking the bay, this gloriette was conceived as a place of contemplation and rest, in the spirit of romantic gazebos.

You are in front of one of the oldest windmills in the area, the Moulin de la Cortina, set high on the hill, among the olive trees crushed. This stone tower mill dates from the 14th century: it was in 1337 that Raymond of Toulouse, prosecutor of the king of Majorca, granted Jacques Ermengald the right to grind grain here.

The Rue de la Démocratie is the historic artery that connects the old district of the Port of Avall to the main beach of Collioure. Its name illustrates the republican and open spirit of the city, rooted in the values of freedom and solidarity, carried since the 19th century.

Here is the port of Collioure, the living heart of the village for centuries. Protected by the natural bay and framed by the royal castle and the church of Our Lady of Angels, this small port has long been a shelter for Catalan fishermen.