Hôtel Pams, Perpignan, France
I’ve become very fond of Perpignan after numerous day trips over the years. The historic city centre is primarily pedestrianized, which means you can stop and stare without worrying about getting run over. Not far from Spain, it’s a bilingual city (French and Catalan), and I think that adds to its appeal. Some of the streets are a bit dirty and rundown, but the city is full of history. It was the continental capital of Majorca in the 13th and 14th centuries, and you can still visit the palace of the kings of Majorca. Picasso regularly visited the city (he is well represented in the Musée d’Art Hyacinthe Rigaud) and Salvador Dali had a vision of the train station as the cosmic centre of the universe.
I particularly enjoy visiting the Hôtel Pams. It’s a beautiful building, but what draws me back over and over again is the second-floor patio. The mansion, which has stood on this site since the 15th century, was purchased in 1857 by Pierre Bardou Job along with several other nearby buildings to house his family and the JOB cigarette paper factory. His son-in-law, Jules Pams, completely renovated the building at the end of the 19th century.
It's a sumptuous building with marble columns, floors, and trim, an elegant stairway leading up past murals of the nearby Côte Vermeille, iron railings, and chandeliers. The factory was originally attached to the house and now hosts art exhibits. The factory was later moved to a building across the street, which still bears the JOB logo.
The second-story garden originally connected the house to other family-owned buildings and the factory. It’s a sheltered oasis even on a cool day.
While you’re in Perpignan, I encourage you to visit La Pause Polar, a coffee shop and bookstore selling new and used mysteries in both French and English. And be sure to enjoy a meal on an outdoor patio, perhaps one with a view of Le Castillet.
