Nearby towns and villages
Argelès-sur-Mer
Argelès Ville
A nice little town (note that it's quite a long way from the beach at Argelès Plage), though packed in summer. Walking around the old streets and small squares is very pleasant, with many small shops, cafés and restaurants.
Eating: The Flowers (English-owned) is good. La Kemia (near the cinema) is cheap, cheerful, and definitely French.
Argelès Plage
Eating: L'Amadeus (opposite the Tourist Information) is reputed to be excellent.
Banyuls sur Mer
Not as busy as Collioure in the summer, and more sophisticated than Port Vendres.
Eating: For Sunday lunch, it's hard to beat "Claude", across from the sea front at the corner of Ave Charles de Gaulle. There is a chalk-board menu (only) for 15 euros including wine, and it will be full of locals. "Al Fanal" at southern end of town, looking onto harbour, is a Michelin "suggestion" and a bit more expensive.
Market: Sunday.
Visits: The Musée de Maillol, in the restored home of the great French sculptor Aristide Maillol (1861-1944), is beautifully situated in a valley about 4km west of Banyuls. It contains many of his bronze sculptures, period photos of Maillol with Matisse and other artists, and a reconstruction of his kitchen and dining room.
The Aquarium is reputed to be well worth a visit.
Le Boulou
Visits: Outside Le Boulou, the tiny chapel of St. Martin de Fenollar (to the south, off the N9 to Le Perthus) dates to the 9th century, was used as a barn for 150 years, and yet still has quite staggering 12th century Romanesque frescoes.
Céret
Céret, about 30 minutes drive to the west up the Tech valley, is a really lovely old town with connections to several famous 20th century artists. It is known for its cherries which ripen in the spring (the name Céret means cherry).
Eating: in the Place des Neuf Jets, "La Fontaine" and "Le Pied dans le Plat" are both great lunch stops. Les Feuillants on boulevard Lafayette is good but expensive.
Market: Saturday morning. This is our favourite local market by quite a large margin; it takes over much of the old town centre. Best to arrive as early as possible and try to park in Parking Les Tins (follow signs to Parking Centre Ville then Parking Les Tins). If full, there is plenty of parking in the fields behind the official car park.
Shopping: Lots of small shops of all sorts, particularly art shops. Several interesting "brocantes" or second-hand shops. Maison de la Presse has English, Dutch, and German books; good cards, maps, calendars, and guidebooks; and newspapers (including The Guardian).
Visits: The Museum of Modern Art is superb. Just before you leave Céret for Le Boulou, stop and walk across the old Pont de Diablo.
Collioure
An absolutely beautiful little seaside town, long a favourite with artists. Nice to walk around, but always very busy; parking can be a problem in summer, so aim to get there early.
Eating: Numerous places to eat. Vieux Remparts (mainly seafood) on the sea front can be a bit variable, but is usually good. Try the moules with frites. Les Templiers is excellent.
Market: Sunday, Wednesday (??).
Shopping: Lots of good pottery shops and art galleries.
Visits: Walk up to Le Moulin for a fabulous view over the town. Around the seafront and in the village centre there are many reproductions of Fauve paintings (most by Matisse or Dérain), placed at the exact locations where they were painted.
Elne
Visits: The 12th century cathedral cloister is lovely, with well preserved and amazingly beautiful carvings on its stone columns. Panoramic view of the Albères mountains from in front of the cathedral. The centre of the village has well-signposted walking routes.
St. Génis des Fontaines
The nearest village to Laroque going north, in the direction of the Roussillon plain.
Market: Friday.
Shopping: Excellent baker and butcher shops in the area of small streets running up from the main street. Several roadside market stalls where you can buy local fruit, vegetables and wine; one is at the roundabout a little way past the end of the village in the direction of Le Boulou, another is on the road from St. Génis to St. André. Excellent, inexpensive vin "en vrac" can be bought in the Caves situated towards the west end of the main street; they will provide a plastic bottle if you forget to take your own.
Visits: 11th century church and cloister.
Sorède
The nearest village to Laroque going east, in the direction of the sea.
Eating: Salamander is very good.
Market: Tuesday.
Port Vendres
Much less of a tourist destination and more of a working port than Collioure. Fresh fish landed here is sold by the fish van that visits Laroque on Friday mornings.
Eating: Le Chalut, across the road from the harbour at the southern end of the town centre, is a good seafood restaurant. Côte Vermeille, on rue de la Soleille towards the fishing port, is excellent but expensive.