Canet-en-Roussillon is a commune located in the northeast of the Pyrénées-Orientales department , in the Occitania region (France). Its inhabitants are called Canétois.
It’s a popular part of the Amethyst Coast of the Mediterranean resorts of France.
It is the second largest city in the Pyrénées-Orientales department. Historically and culturally, the commune is in Roussillon, a former province of the Kingdom of France, which existed from 1659 until 1790 and which covered the three vigueries of Roussillon, Conflent and Cerdagne.
Exposed to a Mediterranean climate, it is drained by the Têt, the Réart, the Agouille de la Mer and two other rivers. The town has a remarkable natural heritage: two Natura 2000 sites (the “Canet-Saint Nazaire lagoon complex” and the “Canet lagoon complex”), two protected areas (the “Grau des Basses” and the “Canet lagoon complex”) and four natural areas of ecological, fauna and flora interest.
Canet-en-Roussillon is an urban and coastal commune which has 12,598 inhabitants in 2021, after having experienced a sharp increase in population since 1962. It is in the urban unit of Canet-en-Roussillon and is part of the Perpignan attraction area.
The town is known today primarily as a seaside resort. It is the coastal town closest to Perpignan.
Canet-en-Roussillon is also the former seat of the viscounty of Canet.
Main attractions
- Notre-Dame-des-Flots Church in Canet-en-Roussillon.
- Saint-Jacques Church of Canet-en-Roussillon.
- Saint-Martin chapel of the castle of Canet-en-Roussillon.
- Viscount’s castle is known from the middle of the 11th century. Certain elements of the ramparts date back to this period, as does the Saint-Martin chapel, having served for a time as the village’s parish church. Gradually falling into neglect during the 17th century, the castle was restored by the Association of Friends of Vieux Canet at the end of the XXth century.
- Oniria Aquarium. 3,500m² with 83 pools to admire the life of more than 660 species.
Beaches
The large, Blue-Flag approved seaside resort of Canet-en-Roussillon has 9 km of beaches of fine sand.
How to get to?
From Paris: 8 hr 34 min (868 km) via A71 and A75
From Toulouse: 2 hr 24 min (226 km) via A61 and A9
From Carcassonne: 1 hr 31 min (135 km) via A61 and A9
From Perpignan: 18 min (16.4 km) via D914
From Narbonne: 1 hr 5 min (85.1 km) via A9
From Monaco: 5 hr 19 min (517 km) via A8 and A9
From Andorra: 3 hr 5 min (186 km) via N116
From Barcelona: 2 hr 24 min (204 km) via AP-7
From Madrid: 8 hr 11 min (808 km) via A-2, AP-2 and AP-7
From Moscow: 38 hr (3,423 km) via E30/M1
From Belgrade: 18 hr 26 min (1,803 km) via E70
From Istanbul: 30 hr (2,750 km) via E70
From Bern: 7 hr 38 min (756 km) via A9
Main information
Area: 22,39 km2
Population: 12 598
Coordinates: 42°42′24″N 3°00′28″E
Language: Catalan, French
Currency: Euro
Visa: Schengen
Time: Central European UTC +1
See here best sea and ocean resorts of France and Spain
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See here France travel guide
See here Spain travel guide
