Saint Jean-Baptist Festivities in Collioure – June 23

As every year, we invite you to participate to the Saint Jean-Baptiste Festivities in Collioure.

Origins

The origins are linked to sun worship which explain the festivities take place at the summer solstice. The Catholic Church christened these pagan festivities & transformed into Saint-Jean Baptiste Festivities. These festivities have always been accompanied by great bonfires.

In Paris, the bonfire was traditionally lit by the king of France on the “Place de Grêve” (now the place of the town hall). These festivities are celebrated in many countries including the Scandinavian countries, Spain, Belgium or Canada.

Saint Jean-Baptist Festivities in Catalonia

Every year on 22 June, the villages of Catalonia ascend a small bundle of branches to the cross of Canigou. Three mountaineers of  Perpignan are also carry the “Flame of Canigou” from the Castillet (symbolic monument of Perpignan). This flame is then lowered and distributed in every Catalan village. June 23 to 22 hours, all catalan villages with a bonfire lit this flame.

Program in Collioure

The festivities start at 4:00 p.m. with the arrival of the flame of Canigou in Collioure and ends around midnight after the burning of the bonfire on the beach Boramar. Please click on the image below to see the detailed program (to be confirmed).

During the evening: aperitif, sell of protective herbs, songs and Sardana dances.

Festivities of Saint Vincent

We also invite you to participate in the feasts of Saint Vincent which will be held from August 14 to 18 in Collioure. You can consult on this blog an article dedicated to the feasts of Saint Vincent

Feasts of Saint Vincent – from 14 to 18 August in Collioure

From 14 to 18 August, do not miss the Saint Vincent Festival in Collioure.

On the morning of August 16, 1701, the relics of the patron saint of Collioure were transported in the chapel of Saint Vincent ïlot where according to legend the saint was martyred. Since then, every year Collioure fishermen honom him with a seagoing procession. Then, the relics back to port to the cheers of the people clustered on the shore, the windows and on the roofs of houses.

This is the starting of four days of celebrations: water-based games, concerts and bands, traditional Catalan sardane dances, street art and the grandiose fireworks display over the Bay of Collioure on the evening of 16 August.

These festivities are celebrated in many countries, especially in Scandinavia, Spain, Belgium and Canada.

Les Déferlantes Festival in Barcarès

History

This music festival, featuring mainly French chanson and rock, was founded in 2007. Year after year, it has grown in size, eventually hosting some 30 artists and nearly 100,000 spectators.

Location

Since 2023, the festival has been held in Barcarès, in the gardens of the Lydia.

Until 2019, the festival took place in the park of the Château de Valmy in Argelès-sur-Mer. This park, which offers one of the most beautiful views of the coast, has been managed by the city of Argelès since 1987.

We invite you to discover this spot, located 10 minutes from the hotel, to enjoy the park’s tranquility, taste and/or purchase wine (we especially recommend “Les Roses Blanches de Valmy”), or have lunch or dinner at La Table de Valmy in a truly pleasant setting (see also our article on restaurants in Argelès).

After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival returned in 2022 at the Château d’Aubiry in Céret (fans of the movie “The Count of Monte Cristo” will recognize it!).

We invite you to check out the Les Déferlantes festival program on the festival’s official website.

Please note: the festival generally does not announce the order in which artists will perform.

Practical Information

Ticketing

If you’d like to attend the Les Déferlantes Festival, you can choose between a 1-day, 2-day, 3-day, or 4-day pass.

Distance

It will take you about 35 minutes to get to the Barcares from Collioure

Visa pour l’Image – International Photojournalism Festival

The “Visa pour l’Image” International Photojournalism Festival is held annually in Perpignan during the first half of September.

Considered the largest festival of its kind, it offers visitors the chance to discover the work of numerous journalists who have chosen photography to bear witness to the reality of our troubled world and, at times, to awaken our dormant consciences.

This festival is also a great way to explore the city of Perpignan, as the photo exhibitions take place in iconic venues: the Couvent des Minimes, the Dominican Church, the Arsenal des Carmes, the Théâtre de l’Archipel, the Hôtel Pams, the Palais de Corts, and the Chapel of the Third Order.

Exhibitions

Throughout the city, you’ll discover magnificent photo essays by journalists from around the world. You can also attend open-air screenings in the stunning setting of the Campo Santo, a cloister adjacent to the Saint-Jean Cathedral in Perpignan.

Some dates and times:

– Exhibitions: daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (free admission)
– Screenings: daily during the first week at 9:45 p.m. at the Campo Santo (Each evening for 6 days, two months of the past year are reviewed)
– Events / Lectures: daily during the first week at the Palais des Congrès (Program)

Note that the TER train takes you from Collioure to Perpignan in less than 20 minutes—convenient and eco-friendly

Several awards are presented each year: the “Visas d’Or” (in the News, Magazine, and Daily Press categories) and the City of Perpignan Award.

The Camille Lepage Award was created a few years ago in memory of the French photojournalist who was murdered in May 2013 in the Central African Republic at the age of 26. This award reminds us of the risks these journalists take to raise awareness and alert us to important issues.