Banyuls Sur Mer

Situated in the heart of the Catalan region of France at the foot of the Pyrenees, Banyuls is a small traditional fishing village with just 4800 inhabitants.  There are beautiful beaches and an old town full of narrow winding streets.  The nearest airport is at Perpignan which is only 36 kilometres away.

Banyuls sur Mer is surrounded by hills covered with olive and orange groves and mimosa trees.  It is a wine growing region famous for its sweet Banyuls wine with vineyards which are enclosed within over 6,000 kilometres of ancient walls.  Because the hillsides are so steep the grapes are harvested by the traditional method of hand picking, with a few of the vineyards now also producing organic wine.

Situated at the foot of the Pyrenees between the Alberes hills and Mediterranean Sea, the three main beaches in Banyuls sur Mer are Place Central, du Troc Pineil and Elmes.  They all offer safe swimming areas with lifeguards during the summer months, and leisure amenities including volley ball, sand ball, tennis and water sports such as  sailing and windsurfing.  In the parks nearby you can join the locals in a game of boules or petangue or visit the mini golf course, Thalacap Catalogne swimming pool or gymnasium.  There is a cycling club here and several bike trails you can follow to explore the environs if you fancy hiring a cycle for the day.

There is a picturesque fishing village, harbour and marina where you will find an aquarium  which is well worth a visit.  It was built in 1885 and belongs to the University of Paris.  The area is famous for its painters and sculptors and you can watch local artists at work here at the Muse Aristide Malliol here which also houses the tomb of the famous sculptor Malliol who lived in Banyuls all his life.  If you feel like a long leisurely stroll then Cap Rederis at the end of town and the Chapelle de la Salette 200 metres above it have amazing views of the sea and mountains.

With its connections to the sea it will come as no surprise that seafood is the local speciality here in the restaurants, followed by desserts made with fresh figs and oranges – all washed down with the excellent local wine Loisirs.