HOP!ping into Perpignan

Some smaller French airports have struggled to attract traffic since high-speed rail started to dominate domestic travel. Robbie Shaw reports from one facility in the south of the country that is fighting back.

PERPIGNAN

Perpignan Airport, like those in many other French provincial cities, now relies on links to Paris and the services provided by low-cost airlines.
(All photos author)

Perpignan is close to the southern coast of France, around 18 miles (30km) from the Spanish border, and midway between Marseille to the northeast and Barcelona to the south. It is the capital of the Pyrénées- Orientales department and was once part of Languedoc Roussillon, but is now within the much larger Occitanie region. Like its Spanish neighbour Perpignan is also part of Catalonia, and some of the signs – notably those on roads – are in French and Catalan. The city is close to Argelès-sur-Mer and one of the largest camping areas in Europe, as well as the popular beaches on the Côte Vermeille. It is also convenient for the Pyrénées Mountains and is close to the A9 /E15 motorway, which provides easy road access to the Costa Brava.

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