Information on the area
On this page you will find general information about the area as well as links to useful sites and maps.
Our aim is to keep the site concise and current, therefore we won't repeat information here which is readily available elsewhere or subject to frequent change.
If you can't find the information you are looking for, don't forget to use the Perpignan English Speaking Facebook group,
Why 66?
Answer : It's the number of the department
France is administered via a hierarchy of semi-autonomous local governments.
At the highest level are REGIONS. Our region is Occitanie, governed by the Regional council in Toulouse. It's recently been renamed Occitanie Pyrénées-Méditerranée.
The next tier down is the DEPARTMENT. Our department is the Pyrénées-Oriéntales. Each department has an official number and ours is 66. All the postcodes of the towns in the department begin with 66. For example Perpignan is 66000.
Each department is governed by an elected council, called the Conseil Départemental. They are responsible for most local public services and infrastructure.
The national government also appoints their representative, known as the prefect, who runs the Prefecture. It handles administration at the national level, such as Cartes de Sejour and Driving Licences. Both these organisations are based in Perpignan, our departmental capital.
The lowest level is the COMMUNE. These can vary enormously in size from a city to a small village. They are run by a locally-elected Maire and a town council. For most administrative issues, the Mairie (town hall) is your first point of contact.
The Climate
The climate of the Pyrénées-Orientales is Mediterranean. Summers are sunny, hot and dry, which explains its popularity as a beach-holiday destination. In fact this area has the most sunny days in the whole of France. The sea is warm enough to swim in comfortably from June to September. June, July and August can experience heat-waves with temperatures in the high 30s Celsius (90s in Fahrenheit) and hot, humid nights. However, there is usually a sea-breeze at the coast. Most houses have air-con, fans or (traditionally) shutters to keep them cool.
Spring and Autumn are generally perfect. It's unlikely that you would need either heating or air-conditioning in these months and people are usually comfortable in shorts and T-shirts from May to October. A perfect time to enjoy the many outdoor pursuits in the region.
Winters are cold but dry and sunny. You will still see many people out hiking, cycling and walking along the sea-front. Some days can even be warm enough in just a shirt in the afternoon. However, homes do require some form of heating from December to February.
There is a strong wind called the Tramontane, which blows sporadically throughout the year, normally for between 3 and 7 days in a row. In summer it is refreshing but in other seasons it drops the temperature. Gusts can be over 40 km/h making it unpleasant to be outdoors. On the plus-side, it blows the clouds away.
Rainfall is very low and tends to come in downpours, usually at the beginning of winter and in early spring. Drizzle is almost unheard of and high humidity is rare. In recent years the area has suffered from drought and water restrictions have been put in place for such things as filling swimming pools, watering gardens and washing cars.
Certain areas have microclimates. The Vallespir is known to be the most protected from the wind and (obviously) the mountainous areas of Capcir and Cerdangne are significantly cooler and wetter, with snow visible on the tops for most of the winter. The Cote Vermeille experiences the highest winds. The area around Rivesaltes is the hottest.
Jeff The Expat
Jeff moved from the US to Perpignan in summer 2024. He has recently started creating videos of his experiences. Check out his YouTube channel for more videos on Perpignan.
Useful Sites and Maps
Here are some useful links that we have used in the past. Some of them are only in French but you can always use the translation features of your browser.
Perpignan English Speaking
Our Facebook Group. It's aim is to help English-speakers around Perpignan connect with each other. Ask questions, share your experiences, post classifieds, advertise local events and organise meet-ups with other members.
The group has no ties to any advertising media, therefore there are no restrictions on recommendations.