Owner Login. The Perpignan region in South France has a real Catalan feel to it. Partly, this is due to its proximity to Spain 25 kms away and partly due to its history as part of the old King of Majorca's province. I really like the old town of Perpignan. It is a real pleasure to walk around, especially the narrow maze of street towards the Palais des Rois de Majorque.
Perpignan has a couple of buildings worth searching out. It is also a great town to shop in and quite pleasant to look at along the grassy esplanades of the river that runs through it.
In short, ther are plenty of things to do in Perpignan to occupy an afternoon or evening. Our Perpignan tourism guide helps shed some light on the best things to do in Perpignan and the surrounding region in Perpignan is the capital of Roussillon.
As I have said above, the people from Perpignan have a real identity as being Catalans. I am all for people adopting a primary and secondary identity - like the French Bretons - but Catalan is a bit of a strange one because there has never been an independent country called Catalonia. There was a Count of Barcelona who was created by the Franks under the leadership of Charlemagne , but his territory never extended much beyond the province of Barcelona and certainly, never extended up to the Pyrenees and into the area around Perpignan.
In fact, much of modern day Catalonia was divided up by the Frank rulers into separate principalities, each with their own local ruler. In fact the nearest and most closest association with Spain came from two distinct periods of history. The Kingdom of Majorca ruled over the Balearic Islands, the county of Roussillon in modern day France and interestingly, the County of Aumelas in France which is today the city of Montpellier.
