No 20 - Getting There

By car	There’s a plethora of choice for routes and crossings – remember to contact us first if you’re booking through ‘Chez Nous’, so you can check out their packages. The drive from Calais to Collioure is about 1200 kilometres (about 750 miles); Roscoff about 730 miles; St Malo about 640 miles. On motorways that works out at about l0-12 hours drive, plus stops, averaging 100km/hr (62.5mph) speed limit 130kph (just over 80mph); 110kph (just over 68mph) if wet. So all comfortable with an overnight stay – depending of course on your UK mileage and choice of crossing. If you have access to it, Autoroute Express (or similar software) helps planning timings on motorways and more scenic roads according to time of year and how you want to balance your journey. Eurotunnel
By train	Travel by train is now much faster with Eurostar and the TGV to Perpignan, then you can take the local SNCF train. SNCF run a regular service from Collioure – northwards to Perpignan, soutwards to the Spanish border - both about 30 minutes away. Eurostar SNCF
By air	The nearest airports are just north of the provincial capital Perpignan – 30-40 minutes away; and Girona in Spain (NOT to be confused with Genoa in Italy, as has been known) about one hour fifteen minutes from Collioure. Or the walled city Carcassonne, about two hours; Barcelona, Toulouse, Nimes, all around two and a half to three hours drive. Ryanair, Flybe, and Easyjet seem to be the cheapest airlines currently covering these routes. Bmibaby EasyJet FlyBe Ryanair
Car hire	A wide choice again. The most convenient car hire is probably from the Renault garage in Collioure – which hires out Citroens(!); from Perpignan station; or of course from any of the airports or via the Internet. The area is covered by most of the major companies and Sixt often offer good deals - over to you!
Parking	Collioure’s town car parks are only 70-100 metres from the house. The entrance to the main one le Glacis is just opposite Place Jean Jaurès. A smaller seafront car park is a little further along on the left. It’s worth buying a ticket for the duration of your stay from the Mairie. Or there is free street parking. Best to unload before parking: either from Place Jean Jaurès, at the bottom of rue de la Liberté or if you’re comfortable to do so, by reversing up from there to the front door. Let us know in advance of your arrival so that we can arrange access for you - beeper is needed to raise and lower bollards giving access to Place Jean Jaurès. Rue de la Liberté is a pedestrian street and access is needed for both the daily (except Sundays in the low season) rubbish truck, and for the emergency services, but up to 15-30 minutes should normally be fine - after which you will need person with beeper to come and let you out for longer-term parking.