At Villa Estrella - Collioure, the high citadel of painters, and ‘Jewel of theVermilion Coast’, you can share the untrammelled art de vivre with friends or family in a home designed to suit everyone and all ages. On the Mediterranean, just 20km from the Spanish border, in ‘Catalan country’ (pays catalan), nestling in the foothills of the Pyrenees, Collioure offers the visitor sporting combination of sports, leisure and cultural activities all year round in a romantically poetic setting.
COLLIOURE
Collioure was the epi-centre of Fauvism; from here, the work of many renowned artists including Matisse, Derain and Dufy founds its way into the museums of the World; we offer residential art appreciation seminars here at Villa Estrella where you can learn about the art associated with the history of Collioure.
The beauty of the bay of Collioure, and the majestic backdrop of its famous buildings; the Catalan festivals of St Jean and St Vincent featuring 'Sardanes' and music groups; the Château Royal, former summer residence of the kings of Majorca, later fortified by Vauban, provides an ideal venue for a wide and diverse range of exhibitions and events.
For cultural, leisure and sporting activities in Collioure, please click to the following link to Collioure tourist office website
Collioure has something for everyone all year round and caters for the sports diver, sailor, fisherman, swimmer (5 beaches) hiker andmeditator. Also offering many opportunities for wining and dining, and for cultural encounters (e.g. the annual International Piano Festival, the autumn Antiques Fair in the castle, the fabulous Cour de Noel [Yuletide Fair] and New Year fireworks to rival a European capital city), there really is something to suit all tastes…
Summertime in Collioure is a celebration with events all over the village.
In autumn, the place adopts the golden hue of the vines; Collioure's cellars abound withcrus classés from Collioure and Banyuls, to accompany Catalan cuisine and seafood... Port-Vendres and its vibrant little fishing port is just 10 minutes away by car.
In winter, the generally mild climate alternates with stronger natural elements: a season much appreciated by painters.
In springtime, the maquis in flower and the mimosa fill Collioure and the villa gardens with wonderful fragrances…
Leaving directly from Villa Estrella, you can take to secluded pathways through the vineyards, affording a wonderful vista of the sea from the Balcon de la Côte Vermeille or you may prefer the maritime immediacy of the Coastal Trail [Le Littoral](the ‘1 euro bus’ stops at numerous points along this coastal and clifftop walk that extends all the way from Argelès to Port Bou)…
Other activities 20 minutes from Collioure: the THALACAP Thalassotherapy Centre in Banyuls, tennis lessons in Collioure and Banyuls, the St Cyprien golf course, horse riding in the Albères….then there are the hundreds of hiking trails linking the Mediterranean to the Pyrenees.
CATALAN COUNTRY, THE PYRENEES ORIENTALES
Barcelona, Cadaques, Céret, Figueres: walk in the footsteps of Dali, Picasso, Gaudi… 1 - 2 hours drive from Collioure.
Within this same driving radius from Villa Estrella, you will find a wealth of sites steeped in Franco-Spanish history (Villefranche-de-Conflent, Amélie les bains, Prats-de-Mollo…) the Cap de Creus nature reserve, Cap Cerbère marine reserve, the mythical Mont Canigou, symbol of Catalan unity: not to mention the other , Pyrenees resorts: Font-Romeu (the nearest ski resort to Collioure), Les Angles, and very many natural open-air hot spring centres (Llo, St Thomas, Dorre)...
To discover Collioure's rich surroundings, visit the Pyrénées-Orientales website : 500 religious or military buildings, sites of natural beauty, prehistoric remnants (e.g. ‘Tautavel Man’), vestiges of the powerful kingdom of Majorca, Roman and Gothic architecture, Cathar castles…
