Collioure: St Tropez without the 'flim-flam, froth and laughable prices'

[European Knight]

Ask the Experts: Anthony Peregrine, our France expert, offers advice to a reader looking for a less crowded alternative to St Tropez

Jasmine Brand writes
I would be especially grateful if you could give us some advice on which is the right place for us for a holiday in the south of France. We are planning to take our three-year-old son and are looking for somewhere warm, with beautiful natural surroundings, clean beaches and not too busy. I went to St Tropez a few years ago and absolutely loved it – so we were hoping for somewhere similar, but less crowded.


Anthony Peregrine, France expert, replies
On the Med, I’d go for Collioure, south of Perpignan and moments from Spain. It’s as near in style to St Tropez as the Languedoc-Roussillon coast has to offer, but without the flim-flam, froth and laughable prices. It’s also regularly among the sunniest, warmest summer spots in France.



The small town (pop: 3,000) has a fine castle; an emblematic church quite as distinctive as St T’s; a wriggle of little, old streets; arty connections by the palette-ful (Matisse and Derain devised fauvism here); good restaurants and lovely beaches.
Naturally, it gets crowded in summer – everywhere on the Med does – but it’s easy to escape to the hills: behind rise the beginnings of the Pyrenees, affording as much nature as most people can handle. Markets on Wednesday and Sunday will provide the fresh veg you require.

Given that you intend to cook, you’ll need self-catering. I’ve no idea of your budget, but Homeaway (homeaway.co.uk) has a good range of apartments, and there is a Pierre & Vacances (pierreetvacances.com/gb-en) residence by the sea, with an early July studio for three for £920 a week. Fly with Ryanair (ryanair.com) to Perpignan from Birmingham – or from Manchester to Girona in Spain, an easy 80-minute minute drive from Collioure.

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About Anthony Peregrine
One of the most knowledgeable writers on France, Anthony has lived near Montpellier for many years.

http://fw.to/UWYgnEV

[Rudel]

Great, now another place foreigners can ruin.

[Petalpusher]

They are heading them in the 'right' direction. It's a waste to go to St Tropez and settle in some "Pierre & vacances" anyway.

[Rudel]

It's a waste to go to St Tropez and settle in some "Pierre & vacances" anyway.

I doubt anyone from South of Loire river would make the mistake to go to Saint-Tropez.