Feel Argelès-sur-Mer with our top 5 sensory experiences…
See the coastal panoramas from the Tour de la Massane, a hiker’s paradise
Hear the waves on Argelès’ sweeping 7km sandy beach
Smell sun-ripened Roussillon peaches
Taste creamy goats’ cheese on the menus all over town
Touch a zip-wire in the popular canyoning park if you fancy an adrenaline rush.
Situated at the heart of Catalan country, just 20 minutes from Perpignan and the foothills of the Albères mountains, Argelès-sur-Mer is the spearhead of a collection of around eight villages, all conveniently connected to provide a long list of attractions for your holiday.
Chief among them is Argelès’ sweeping seven-kilometre sandy beach, boasting a blue flag for its safety and cleanliness and offering watersporting opportunities in abundance: windsurfing, scuba diving and sailing among others. There are two other beaches worth their salt here too, namely the Plage Nord and the southerly Le Racou, which is lapped by amazingly blue water.
Argelès-sur-Mer grew rapidly at the end of the 1930’s and today it offers a plethora of hotels, bars and restaurants, attracting over 300,000 holidaymakers each year. The village is colourful and eccentric, with a strong Catalan flavour and crammed with a warren of narrow streets. Must-see sights include the 14th-century crenellated church, the ramparts and city walls, the traditional market and craft industry workshops. The modern marina is endowed with 750 moorings and provides all types of boat-related repairs and services; in fact, Argelès is a great base for exploring the whole of the sparkling Côte Vermeille by boat, which includes the stunning natural site of Cape Béar a few miles away.
Nature plays a pivotal role in Argelès and the resort caters for a multitude of outdoor activities: visit the Sentier de Littoral nature reserve, hike up to the Tour de la Massane for its coastal panoramas and, if you have older kids, the canyoning park should be on your list. It’s situated in an old quarry and offers zip-wire and wake-boarding activities. Mountain-biking and horse-riding are other popular means of exploring the beautiful natural surroundings of Argelès. And when you need to refuel, taste sun-ripened Roussillon peaches, creamy goats’ cheese and fresh salads doused liberally in the local olive oil.