One Of Rick Steves' Favorite Beach Hideaways Is A Charming French Coast For Every Beachgoer

The sunny French Riviera is best known for famous resort towns like Nice and the busy and glamorous hotspots like Cannes and St. Tropez, but there is a whole coastline of charming beach towns and inland villages to see. Close to the border with Spain, Collioure is one such charming town that you will find on France's southernmost coastline in part of a region known as French Catalonia. It's also one of the favorite beaches of European travel guru Rick Steves, who calls it "the laid-back Riviera ideal for anyone working on a slower pulse" on his website.

Steves describes this small city as "the perfect size for being on holiday," pointing out its beaches, sunny squares, and medieval landmarks, and he isn't the only public figure who found inspiration in this small French beach town. The impressionist painter Henri Matisse also captured the charm of Collioure when he spent a summer painting here in 1905, during which he produced "The Open Window," a piece that now hangs in the National Gallery of Art — one of the best attractions to visit in Washington, D.C.

Collioure is located 17 miles north of the Spanish border, so you can get there in three to four hours if you travel by train from Barcelona or about 20 minutes if you start in the small French city of Perpignan. Here's everything you need to know about making the most of a trip to Collioure.

The pastel-colored town of Collioure has many historical sites to visit, like the Château Royal (a fortified medieval castle from the 13th century). However, when the weather is sunny and warm, you will most likely want to spend a few hours laying out on one of the city's five beaches. They run the gamut of French Riveria beach quality from sandy to pebbly, but Plage Boramar is the most iconic; it is overlooked by the Church of Notre Dame des Anges, a tiny chapel whose bell tower was built from the old lighthouse. Behind it is the sandy Plage Saint-Vincent and the tiny chapel of the same name sitting on the rocks above it.

If the art history of Collioure has caught your interest, the tourism board offers guided tours highlighting the real-life vistas that inspired Matisse over a hundred years ago. You can also pay a visit to the Collioure Modern Art Museum, which displays contemporary works by artists from the Occitanie region.

Rick Steves also suggests the hike to Fort St. Elme "if you're feeling energetic," which is an uphill walk to a 9th-century watchtower. The historic monument is privately owned and closed to visitors, but you will enjoy a fantastic panoramic view of the village below. There is also a small tourist train that stops here if you're not feeling so energetic.

If you want to enjoy the sea, the dry summer season is the best time to visit Collioure, as high temperatures average between 77 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit. However, you will be competing for beach space against crowds of domestic vacationers who typically take time off in August. If you prefer to have more elbow room, you should visit in September and October when the crowds have thinned out a bit and you may be lucky enough to get a day warm enough for swimming.

Collioure has a wide range of accommodations, from affordable campsites for roaming RVers to stunners like the cliffside Les Roches Brunes, a romantic 4-star hotel with unbeatable views. You can also eat very well in Collioure at the one-star Michelin restaurant La Balette, which is run by a husband-and-wife (chef and pastry chef) team at the Relais des Trois Mas, another luxury hotel option that offers a small pool and sun-lounging area overlooking the village skyline. Either would be the perfect home base for a relaxing stay in this beloved village. Once you've seen Collioure, consider crossing the border to Spain, where more Catalan beach towns like the underrated Sa Riera on the Costa Brava offer a similar balance of peaceful seaside promenades and historical landmarks.