Perpignan Airport serves the Languedoc-Roussillon region in the South of France, and is particularly suitable for tourists visiting the charming and often overlooked town of Perpignan. Perpignan is in the neighbouring region to the Cote d'Azur, and whilst the Riviera might often be colonised by expensive hotels and flash restaurants, Perpignan has retained its sense of authenticity.
Around 30km from the Spanish border and set at the base of the Pyrenees, Perpignan is the ideal base from which to explore both Catalonia and Languedoc-Roussillon, making car hire at Perpignan Airport very popular. Hiring a car at Perpignan Airport means you can exploit the fact that you're only 30km from the Spanish border, as well as seeing all the countryside Abbeys and Chateaus the area's famous for.
Perpignan has a distinct Spanish-French feel to it, borrowing as much of its cultural influences from Catalonia as it does from France. It exudes southern authenticity and rustic charm with a host of chateaus and abbeys to peruse for anyone hiring a car at Perpignan Airport. The Place de Republique is the central public square, and has a prevailing Mediterranean character; reasonable restaurants are abundant in this area of town. The St Jean Cathedral and the famous Perpignan Train Station help to give the town its Roman/Med character.
There's a lot of high culture here with the annual Guitares au Palais Music Festival and the Photo-Journalism Festival attracting artists from around the globe. If you rent a car at Perpignan Airport, you can explore the southern area of Languedoc-Roussillon. Here you'll find sites like the Chateau de Queribus in Cucugnan – 43km using the D1 – and slightly further along on the same road you'll find Chateau de Peyrepertuse. Perpignan is set at the foot of the Pyrenees with the Spanish border only 3km away - it's advised you enjoy both the town and its dramatic countryside setting.