4K Splendor and misery of PERPIGNAN, south of FRANCE 🇫🇷

[@titteryenot4524]

I like Perpignan the way I like my least-likeable, wayward, troublesome child. I first visited back in 2013, and, having been all over southern France, and its ‘preserved in tourist aspic’ sights, was pleasantly surprised by the place, albeit, yes, with a slightly rough-around-the-edges, authentic, ‘take no prisoners’ feel to the city. However, not once (in about a dozen visits since) have I felt my personal safety even remotely in danger whilst there. (This includes several strolls around the so-called ‘notorious’ St Jacques area; alas, there have been mutterings for years, locally, about razing this entire area - really a small village within the city - and starting again, but I feel this would be an egregious error, both from a human point of view, and from an aesthetic point of view, as in my opinion, the old cluster of St Jacques houses and intermittent churches and small squares, is actually a potential jewel in the city’s crown. Perhaps they may have to gentrify it a bit to pull in the casual visitors, but to erase it from the cityscape?, well, I shudder at the thought, and pray they don’t.) But … and here’s what those not in the know may not be aware of: 1. Perpignan has a small, but lively and lovely central core: sure, the cultural barbarians bulldozed the old town walls to, you’ve guessed it, put up parking lots and roads, but they had mercy on the actual buildings within the walls, such that you can stroll around the town’s heart for a morning and be pleasantly surprised. 2. It’s sunny, almost always. I was once there in the depths of January one year and the thermometer shot up to 23/24/25 degrees on a blissful run of 3 days. Sure, doesn’t bode well for global warming proponents (of which I am one), but hey, gotta take your pleasures where you can find them! 3. It’s close to beach and mountain. One of its delights is that splendid thing whereby you can take a photo in Perpignan with palm trees in foreground and Canigou dusted with snow, like icing on a birthday cake, in the distance. That sub-tropical/Alpine (strictly, in this case, Pyrenean) juxtaposition always fascinates me. 4. The people are, on the whole, warm and welcoming. 5. Spain is right on the doorstep; and to take you there a run of delicious wee Cote Vermeille villages, climaxing in the cute-as-a-button Collioure (due respect to dinky, but frankly slightly underwhelming Cerbere). If you take the more direct route and the fast train from Perpignan, you can be in Dali’s birthplace, Figueres, in 20 minutes, or 20 minutes further down the line again and the quite glorious Old Town ensemble of Girona (where the city fathers - and mothers! - wisely opted to leave the city walls, such that they provide one of the most wonderful urban-based walks in all Spain), and just another 40 minutes after that, perhaps Spain’s most world-renowned city. (Due respect to the non-Catalans amongst us.) So there you have it. Perpignan is worth the hike. I did it on a Ouigo (Paris-Perpignan return) a couple of years back for less than the price of a round of drinks. Or thereabouts.

[@fabijanac]

I loved it, I’ll definitely go back

[@juliet3827]

Wow! Love your comment. It was as if I was reading a well-written, insightful travel article. Thanks! I live in Paris but am thinking of retiring there.

[@titteryenot4524]

@@juliet3827 I might join you one day!🤣

[@ruedigerdecker9906]

Coming in August to our holiday in Gruissan, wann to go to Perpignan in this time,thanks for the informative Video..

[@fabijanac]

You’re welcome

[@wahnano]

Wonderful indeed. Thanks !

[@fabijanac]

You’re welcome

[@gabrielleauguste5946]

TOUT EST DIT. "" TRES BELLE VIDÉO. J'AIME BIEN VISITER L'ÂME DES VILES .ON APPRENDS BEAUCOUP DE CHOSES JUSTE EN REGARDANT. ET PUIS IL Y UN PARFUM QUI SEN DÉGAGE ET QUI DIT TOUT. ❤❤❤❤❤🕊🕊🕊🕊💥💥💥💥🇨🇵🇨🇵🇨🇵💎🌟😇🕯🙏🏻🌞🌞🌞

[@fabijanac]

Merci 😌❤️

[@Juliukas101]

I would like to buy an apartment there. I was going to buy a studio in the Résidence Le Carlit, however I got a really bad vibe from that building. I am not looking at Les Platanes.

[@kwakester]

Thanks for your video. I'm currently living near Paris and would like to purchase a house near Perpignan for my retirement. Do you have any suggestions on the best place to look? Looking for a small town, very quiet, a house with some land.

[@fabijanac]

I don’t know, I live in Paris as well. I was there rod holidays.

[@Just4Growers]

@Kwake check out the villages along the Agly valley about 20 - 30 k west of Perpignan.

[@javiluxekir92]

I am from Barcelona and I am thinking about moving to Perpignan in some months. If there's somebody knowing more about this city I would like to know about ghettos and criminality. Je suis de Barcelone et j'ai l'intention d'aller vivre à Perpignan dans quelques mois. S'il y a quelqu'un qui en sache davantage sur cette ville j'aimerais savoir à propos des ghettos et la criminalité.

[@fabijanac]

I only went there on holidays, I hope someone local will answer your questions.

[@teki8840]

Franchement vient pas ici ca en vaut franchement pas la peine du tout.St jacques est un quartier dangereux que si tu cherches à embêter les gens mais pas comme tout le monde le qualifie de “ghetto” apres ta des cités un peu partout certaines qui craignent d’autres non mais bon pour la ville les gens ne sont pas très sympas.

[@javiluxekir92]

@@teki8840 vous dites que les gens ne sont pas sympas, est-ce que c'est vrai ?

[@cyrillenetzer6013]

Don't trust that shitty comment! OK in Perpignan we have some "popular" districts, but not more than French Towns. Perpignan is a small city with a great spirit, and all the area is interesting, between see and mountains you can ride your bike, your paddle or do a trek for a day on the country or mountains! Swimming or walking by the see, taste wine or local specialities. Watching rugby (Union or League) games, visiting some museums or historical sites. Perpignan is not the best place around the world but it's a nice region for have great spare time.

[@javiluxekir92]

@@cyrillenetzer6013 thanks a lot for your encouraging comment

[@titteryenot4524]

The St Jaques area seems edgy and tough but actually it’s just got the poor slice of Perpignan inhabiting it. I would say it is a bit of a ghetto but populated by human beings; good, bad and indifferent ones like anywhere else on the planet. I agree that it could do with a sweep and lick of paint here and there, but in a way, the flaky, peeling paint suits it, as it is seems more authentic than pretending it is something it isn’t. It feels very much souk-like as it’s populated principally by North Africans but it’s none the worse for that. The main issue here is the latent and not so latent (ie blatant) racism which is quite strongly prevalent in white French indigenous (for want of a better word) society; I have quite a close association with this part of the world and it’s something very real, simmering away like a dormant volcano.

[@fabijanac]

I agree completely, I only ment that the city should do something to make it cleaner, at least. I was only there for a couple of hours, and that was my impression.

[@papillon7084]

Why your said it looks like algeria , sorry it does not exist places like that in algeria ’algeria a very clean count you have to visit it after you speak

[@carlosortega8357]

So much dizzines I just could not watch. Rather see photos than such a bad video rolling from side to side back and forth.... but thanks....

[@titteryenot4524]

Z.

[@MrGino714]

horrible filming, get that camera stable for god sake.

[@nananenette1705]

😅

[@wavyboyo]

Dirty place

[@fabijanac]

But nice anyway