sang-et-or.net partners |
|---|
|
|
|
| Shopping guide to Perpignan |
 |
To do a brief guide to shopping in Perpignan we really needed a woman's eye for detail but with none available we decided Puig-Aubert's possession of a pink polo shirt meant he was as in touch with his feminine side as anyone so here are his thoughts. |
Shopping in France is a far more interesting experience than in the UK. In this country any one town or city centre will have pretty much the same shops as another - mainly chain stores - but in France the vast majority of shops are small independently owned affairs. Perpignan embodies this very well with a huge range of different shops, mostly in the ancient narrow (and largely pedestrianised) streets. This makes shopping a pleasant experience with plenty of opportunity to amble round the shops in between visits to Perpignan's many bars.
British supermarkets now stock a reasonable range of continental foods so shopping in France isn't quite the same experience for the 'foodie' that it once was and the main difference - decent quality fresh produce - isn't easy for someone travelling by plane to take advantage of, but there are still opportunities to stock up on a few carefully chosen provisions. The most obvious of these would be local wines (see below), the famous local anchovies and the foie gras and cassoulets from further afield in the Dordogne and Languedoc. For fresh produce though - even if only to look at - the daily food market is the place to go.
Perpignan's market place (on Place Cassanyes) was fully rebuilt and restored in 2005 and is now a place well worth a visit. The range of local foods is light years ahead of a British market with locally grown vegetables, sausages, olives, spices, snails, cheese, bread and fresh fish the real highlights. The only disappointment is that there is little a 'weekend visitor' can buy but if you are staying in a gîte and making a week of it then I'd really recommend taking advantage of the market. The cafés around the market place are a great place to sit and people watch as even for February fixtures visitors will be able to sit outside and enjoy a decent coffee.
For those with a sweet tooth there are plenty of patisseries on hand and also a couple of excellent chocolatiers where a very nice gift can be bought. If you are more into making than buying there are several very well stocked kitchen shops available in the city.
Perpignan might not have Parisian chic but, ladies, the city centre is full of clothing and shoe shops. These are generally small independent shops but one or two chains are represented, most notably Etam and Eden Park (with all its rugby union connections). The other typically French shopping experience is the perfumery with several in the city, ideal for ladies to treat themselves or gentlemen to spend £30 to ease their conscience at having a weekend away with the lads.
Perpignan has only one department store, Galleries Lafayette, situated across the bridge from the Castilliet on Place de la Résistance. Here you will find all the usual French department store staples such as clothing, perfumes, non perishable foods and toys, but it is also the home of Les Catalans club shop. Whilst a small range of merchandise is on sale at games (most notably shirts) it is here that the full range of apparel is available. The shop is on the top floor of the store: turn left left on leaving the escalator and walk diagonally to the left hand corner, beyond the toy department. The Catalans merchandise proved very popular with visiting supporters in 2006 and 2007 looks to be the same so those visiting earlier in the year will be likely to get the best choice. One word of warning for the clothing: the ISC goods tend to fit a size larger than the label so if you're normally a large you'll want a medium. Best bet is to try it on before you buy.
As you might expect, Perpignan can offer a range of fairly unique local products from the traditional Catalan clothing at El Corte Inglés to the delightful children's wooden toys, pottery and handicrafts available in a number of shops. The most famous product of the region is undoubtedly the wine with well known AOCs such as Fitou, Corbieres, Minervois, Cabardes and Cotes de la Malepére all in the region. These offer really good value gutsy reds but with perfectly pleasant whites and rosé also available. You can buy all of these locally in Perpignan but if you have a car then its well worth the effort to travel to local vineyards and sample before buying direct from the producer. Most producers offer little in the way of visitor facilities other than the ability to sample the wines but if you're looking for the full visitor experience head down to Banyuls sur Mer to the Cellier des Templier where you can have a full tour of the site and even see a short film on their wines (the fortified Banyuls and red Collioure), however do expect to pay up to 80 euros for six bottles afterwards. This compares very poorly with the bulk of local producers who will sell bottles of wine that might fetch £12 in a UK supermarket for the equivalent of about £4. For something a little different then look out for Crémant de Limoux a dry sparkling wine easily as good as its more famous cousin in Champagne.
Perpignan's airport is a a fairly small affair with just one small shop in the terminal. It's OK for snacks, sweets, tobacco and last minute gifts of over priced regional products but little beyond that so please do take advantage of the shops while you can.
One final word of warning. The French still respect their Sundays so virtually no shops will open (newspaper kiosks aside), particularly outside of the tourist season. If you're going to Perpignan for the weekend then do your shopping on the Saturday and head for the beach on the Sunday. Have fun.
|
|
|
Login |
|---|
Not a member yet? Click here to register.
Forgotten your password? Request a new one here.
|
|
|
