Cote Vermeille by Bike: Collioure to Cerbere
A coastal ride through Banyuls vineyards, hidden coves, and painters' villages on the last coast before Spain.
Two days by bike on the Cote Vermeille, the last stretch of French coast before Spain, where the Pyrenees drop straight into the Mediterranean. The route starts at Argeles-sur-Mer and its Mas Larrieu reserve, reaches Collioure, where Matisse and Derain invented Fauvism in 1905, with its royal castle and lighthouse bell tower, then Port-Vendres and its working fishing harbour, Banyuls-sur-Mer and its terraced vineyards held up by dry-stone walls tumbling towards the sea, and finally Cerbere and the Cap Bear marine reserve. The route is short but frankly mountainous: the coastal climbs regularly exceed ten per cent. The tramontane wind can blow very hard. The Cerbere-Banyuls underwater trail is free to snorkel in summer.
Practical info
- Stops
- 5
- Duration
- 2 days
- Transport
- 🚲 Bike
- Distance
- ≈ 20 km
- Best time
- Spring and summer
Itinerary
- 1
Argeles-sur-Mer
Station balneaire familiale, reserve du Mas Larrieu et pin parasol.
- 2
Collioure
Cite des peintres fauves, chateau royal, clocher-phare et anchois.
- 3
Port-Vendres
Port de peche actif, obelisque de Sane et criques du littoral.
- 4
Banyuls-sur-Mer
Vignobles en terrasses plongeant dans la mer, cave des Templiers et Maillol.
- 5
Cerbere
Derniere gare francaise, reserve marine du Cap Bear et sentier sous-marin.
