Perpignan`s airport is located 4 miles northwest of the city center. The airport is one of the smaller airports of the county and services destinations for London Stansted, Birmingham, Brussels (Ryanair); Southampton (Flybe); Dublin (Aer Lingus); Paris and Lille (Air France).

There are many forms of transportation that are quick and convenient to and from the airport. There are taxis available, buses and car rental companies. The airport has just a single terminal building which is quite easy to navigate, and all transport options are within a short distance of the building. The airport bus stop is found outside the arrival area.

The airport buses depart from the bus stop outside of the arrival hall. Bus number 7 links the airport with Place de Catalogned on the northwestern edge of the old town. Tickets can easily be purchased from the bus driver. The trip from Perpignan Airport to the bus/train station is a couple of Euros, and takes 15 to 20 minutes, depending on your stop (about 15-minutes to the bus station and a further 5-minute to the train station).

A taxi from the airport to the center of Perpignan will cost around €20 to €25.

By car, on the highway A9 between Orange and Spain, exits 41 and 42 lead to the city center of Perpignan by the north and the south.

The Perpignan railway station is on the western side of the city about 1100 yards from the historic city center. There are connections by long-distance trains from all the major cities of France - for information see www.voyages-sncf.com. There are a large number of high-speed trains, as well as numerous lines and regional trains that flow through it. The station is in easy walking distance to the city center.

There is a Central Bus Station (Gare routière) which is situated adjacent to the train station with an entrance in Boulevard Saint-Assiscle.

Taxis can be flagged down but they have a reputation for being expensive. If you do venture away from the city center check out trains and buses as the public transport is efficient and cheap.

The main way to get around in Perpignan (due to its relatively small size) is by foot. Thanks to its compact layout, manageable size and romantically curving and entwining streets, walking is the perfect mode of transport in Perpignan to take in the sights and sounds.

Perpignan has a public transportation system that deals primarily with buses and trains. There are bus routes that run all throughout the city that connect to the center of town, Perpignan Airport, SNCF Railway Station and Gare Routiers. These are some of the bigger and more important stops in the city, the last two being the major train stations in Perpignan. The bus system is operated by Les Couriers,Tel. (0)4 68 55 68 00. The prices for the tickets are not too expensive (around €1), and it is definitely a smart way to get around the city.

A network of buses from Perpignan connects it with the various towns throughout the region. Services are generally infrequent, do not operate after about 7 pm and there are virtually no buses on Sundays and holidays, except in July and August to some of the more popular seaside resorts. Timetables can be viewed at www.sankeo.com

Buses do stop elsewhere in the city according to the route. There are timetables posted at all the bus-stops. When the timetable indicates `scolaire` it means that the bus does not run during school holidays.

City Buses

The Compagnie des Transports de Perpignan-Méditerranée (CTPM) operates the city bus network, which extends out to the nearby beach resorts of Canet Plage, Ste Marie Plage etc. Buses operate between about 6:00 am and 9:00 pm Monday to Saturday. There are few buses on Sundays and Holidays except, in summer, to the seaside resorts. Timetables are very irregular, with seemingly random intervals between buses, but the timetables and maps are posted at every bus-stop.

Bright yellow and red, Le P`tit Bus is a free hop-on, hop-off minibus that plies a circular route around the town center.

Driving is also a good way to get around, with lots of underground parking in the city center, but beware, during the summer months there will be a lot of traffic, and few parking places left.

The surface car parks (parking meters, closed or underground car parks) are free from Monday to Friday between 12:00 and 2:00 pm and after 6:30 pm, on weekends from Saturday to Monday at 9:00 am, and holidays. For Additional information on parking options in the city visit: www.perpignantourisme.com/gb/infos-pratiques/parkings

Perpignan`s bike-share program BIP Vélos has around 150 bikes at 15 stations around town. Sign up for the Liberté subscription on its website using a credit card (about €150 deposit is held on your card); a PIN is sent to your email address to to unlock the bike. There are bicycle lanes in the center of the city and in the outskirts.

Perpignan is not a dangerous city, but you need to look out for yourself. Because there are so many tourists who visit all the time, there are thieves and pickpockets that try to take advantage of the unsuspecting visitor.

Always when traveling, there are certain precautions that you should follow in order to ensure a smooth visit. We recommend you avoid wearing expensive jewelry or looking flashy, do not carry large amounts of money, avoid walking alone at night (especially women), and remain in lighted areas at night. Try to keep a good distance between people when you are walking on the streets so that no one can bump into you and grab your things. Don`t keep your camera slung around your neck, as this is a hint that you are a tourist. You should always have your passport on you, no matter what. If you get into any trouble you can call the Perpignan Police Department, or get in touch with the United States Consulate or Embassy.

The currency of Perpignan is the Euro, US dollars are not accepted.

We recommend that you exchange a small amount of cash prior to your trip, enough for a cab ride or basic spending on arrival. It is also useful to remind your bank and credit card company that you will be traveling to make sure your cards will work while in France. We recommend you record all your credit card numbers, as well as the phone numbers to call if your cards are lost or stolen.

Under the euro system, there are seven notes: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, and 500 euros. Notes are the same for all countries. There are eight coins: 1 and 2 euros, plus 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 cents.

In Perpignan, like elsewhere in France, a service charge is always included in the bill. If you are particularly pleased with the service, you may certainly leave a few extra euros on the table. But this additional tip is neither expected nor necessary.

For more information about tipping visit: Tipping in France

Perpignan is located deep in the southern part of France, close to the Mediterranean Sea. Because of its location, the city experiences a Mediterranean climate similar to much of the Mediterranean coastline of France. The best time of year to visit is probably in the spring or summer (average temps high 80`s), not only for the better weather, but because there are many festivals and events going on during this time of year as well. During the fall and winter months, it can be rainy and is a lot colder. The coldest month is January which usually averages temps in the mid-40`s.

French is the official language spoken in Perpignan however; you will find the staff at most tourism-related venues (hotels, restaurants, shops, cafes) speak some English. However, they will usually give you a chance to express yourself in French. Once you go out of town to the countryside and the mountains there is less English spoken. We suggest you get a good English-French guidebook and familiarize yourself with common phrases such as hello, goodbye, excuse me and numbers 1-10.

Just like everything else in Perpignan the food has a strong Catalan accent. Many of the traditional restaurants in the city serve paella and other saffron-infused rice dishes. Catalan Tapas and traditional French dishes feature locally renowned ingredients such as figs and olives and most dishes are accompanied by the Catalan Pa Amb Tomaquet, finely chopped tomatoes spread in oil on fresh bread. Seafood is popular here thanks to Perpignan`s proximity to the coast as well as duck and other more unusual poultry meats. If you’re an adventurous diner you can give a try to cargols à la llauna, which are snails bake or grilled and accompanied with aioli or vinaigrette.

The center of Perpignan is filled with lots of small boutiques, but there are also large stores such as the department store `Galeries Lafayette`, and the small shopping center `fnac`. The area offers inviting storefronts and pedestrian streets.

As with most tourist areas, there are plenty of smaller shops that sell smaller trinkets and souvenirs. Things like t-shirts, shot glasses, key chains, and postcards can be found at low costs. However, if you want to spend a bit more or get something more memorable, you will be able to do so as well. There are plenty of antique and rare goods shops located throughout the city.

Art is also something that you can pick up in Perpignan. There are plenty of clothing stores as well. If you are looking for the latest French fashions, you will be able to find them in the city. You will find that many of the influences in the area come from the Spanish Catalan, which makes the taste a bit different from that in Paris.

Note: Value-added tax (VAT) rate is currently 20% in France for standard goods. A reduced rate of 10% applies to restaurants, transport, and certain medical drugs. And a 5.5% tax applies to food, water and non alcoholic beverages, books, some entertainment events and some domestic personal services. If you are not an EU resident, you may be able to reclaim VAT if you jump through enough hoops.

Although Perpignan is busier over the summer, there are plenty of great bars for all tastes in a lively atmosphere year around. Perpignan`s nightlife centers on its cafes, especially in the summer and during festivals. Evenings often begin with an a peritif and tapas at one of the bars in place Arago by the waterside. The pedestrianized place de la Loge is always buzzing in the evenings when the outside terraces are full. This area also has the most concentration of bars and clubs than any other part of town. Discos usually open at 11 pm. During the summertime the beachfront strip near Canet Plage is very popular with its seasonal venues.

During July and August, there`s live street theater in the city center each night, centered around the Place Verdun.

Electro music festival, Tilt takes place in March.

During holy week, a festival of sacred music is proposed in Perpignan.

Around April 23, Sant Jordi, the patron saint of Catalonia, transforms Place Gambetta into a large book market, also celebrating the rose according to a 15th-century tradition.

Every holy Friday, the city proposes its procession of the Sanch, an annual Catholic ceremony of Catalan culture.

In June, you can discover the festival of the art book and the film.

Every last weekend of August, the Palais des Rois de Mallorca hosts the Guitar Festival at the Palais with concerts.

In July and August, on Thursday evening, the city offers street concerts.

Dedicated to jazz music, Jazzèbre is a festival offering different concerts between September and October.

Every year in October, the Voice Festival brings together artists from around the world.

At Christmas, a large Catalan nativity scene is installed in the town of Perpignan.

Emergency dial 112

Centre Hospitalier de Perpignan - 20 Avenue du Languedoc, 66000 Perpignan, France (tel. +33 4 68 61 66 33).