Page 487 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - France

arched windows. Two royal poraries, including Picasso,
chapels, one above the other, who had several prolonged
Did You Know? show southern Gothic style at stays here; his studio on the
its best. The fine rose marble second floor is open to
Salvador DalÍ insisted, doorway of the upper King’s the public.
with cosmic certainty, Chapel is typical of the
that Perpignan was Roussillon Romanesque style, Cathédrale St-Jean
the centre of although the capitals are ⌂ Pl de Gambetta # 8am–
the universe. Gothic. Today the court yard is 6pm Mon–Sat (to 7pm in
sometimes used for concerts. summer), 2–6pm Sun
The brick tower and pink ∑ cathedrale
belfry of the Castillet, built as perpignan.fr
interior the nave is flanked the town gate in 1368, was at
by gilded altar pieces, painted one time a prison and is all Palais des
wood en statues and a large that remains of the town walls. Rois de Majorque
font. A Chapel of the Devout It now houses Casa Pairal, "= ⌂ 2 rue des Archers
Christ in the adjacent cemetery a traditionally furnished and § 04 68 34 96 26 # Oct–May:
contains a poignantly realistic equipped Catalan kitchen. 9am–5pm; Jun–Sep: 10am–
medieval wooden Crucifixion. Two magnificient mansions 6pm ¢ 1 Jan, 1 May, 1 Nov
Some areas may be restricted dating from the 17th and 18th & 25 Dec
due to ongoing restorations. centuries house the Musée
Access to the vast 13th- d’Art Hyacinthe Rigaud, with Casa Pairal
century fortified Palais des an eclectic collection domin- " ⌂ Place de Verdun, Le
Rois de Majorque is as circu- ated by the work of Hyacinthe Castillet § 04 68 35 42 05
itous today as it was intended Rigaud (1659–1743), born in # Oct–May: 11am–5:30pm
to be for invaders, with flights Perpignan and court painter Tue–Sun; Jun–Sep: 10:30am–
of steps zigzagging within the to Louis XIV and Louis XV. 6:30pm daily ¢ Public hols
sheer red-brick ramparts. There’s also some medieval
Eventually, the elegant art, its chef d’oeuvre the 15th- Musée d’Art
gardens and castle within century Retable de la Trinité by Hyacinthe Rigaud
are entered by way of the the Master of the Loge de Mer. " = ⌂ 21 rue Mailly
Tour de l’Hommage, with One of the rooms is # Oct–May: 11am–5:30pm
a panoramic view of city, dedicated to Tue–Sun; Jun & Sep: 10:30am–
mountains and sea. Aristide Maillol 7pm daily; Jul & Aug: 10:30am–
The palace is built and a number 9pm daily ¢ Public hols
around a central arcaded of his contem- ∑ musee-rigaud.fr
court yard, flanked
on one side by the Salle
de Majorque, a great
hall with a triple Courtyard and churches
fire place and of the Palais des Rois
giant Gothic Majorque in Perpignan

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