Cerbère is located in the Pyrénées-Orientales department, in the Occitania region (France) and borders Spain (Girona province). It has the southernmost seaside resort of mainland France.
It’s a popular part of the Vermillion coast of the Mediterranean resorts of France.
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 an altered oceanic climate, it is drained by various small rivers. The commune has a remarkable natural heritage: two Natura 2000 sites (the “rocky coast of the Albères” and the “massif des Albères”), a protected area (the Cerbère-Banyuls national nature reserve) and four natural areas of ecological interest, fauna and flora.
Cerbère is a rural and coastal commune which has 1,257 inhabitants in 2021. It is part of the Banyuls-sur-Mer area. Its inhabitants are called Cerberians.
In Catalan its name is Cervera de la Marenda or Cervera.
Main attractions
- Church of the Transfiguration of the Holy Savior of Cerbère: built from 1884 to 1885, was dedicated to Saint Savior (original name of the Cerbère valley);
- Church of Saint-Sauveur de Cerbère;
- The ruins of the Querroig castle, located on the border and straddling the territories of Banyuls-sur-Mer, Cerbère and Portbou;
- The Belvédère du Rayon hotel;
- Cape Cerbère lighthouse, built in 1982.
Megaliths
- Dolmen of Coll de la Farella;
- Dolmen of Coll de les Portes;
- Dolmen of Coma Enestapera;
- Pedra Dreta de Sant Salvador.
Beaches
- Terrimbo Beach. D914 – village des Aloès 66290 Cerbère.
- Peyrefite Cove. D914 – CMRRF 66290 Cerbère.
- Peyrefite Beach. Peyrefite las Vignes 66290 Cerbère.
- El Saurel Cove. Route d’Espagne 66290 Cerbère.
- El Canu Cove. Route d’Espagne 66290 Cerbère.
Railway station
The village is best known for the border railway station, Gare de Cerbère, on the French side of the border on the railway line between Perpignan and Barcelona. Since France and Spain use different rail gauges, the border stations of Cerbère and Portbou are quite busy with various transfer or gauge adjustment operations.
How to get to?
From Paris: 9 hr 7 min (900 km) via A71 and A75
From Bordeaux: 5 hr 12 min (499 km) via A62 and A61
From Toulouse: 2 hr 56 min (257 km) via A61
From Carcassonne: 2 hr 6 min (166 km) via A61 and A9
From Monaco: 5 hr 52 min (549 km) via A8 and A9
From Nice: 5 hr 37 min (526 km) via A8 and A9
From Cannes: 5 hr 23 min (500 km) via A8 and A9
From Saint-Tropez: 5 hr 22 min (472 km) via A9
From Andorra: 3 hr 40 min (217 km) via N116
Main information
Area: 8,18 km2
Population: 1257
Coordinates: 42°26′39″N 3°09′56″E
Language: Catalan, French
Currency: Euro
Visa: Schengen
Time: Central European UTC +1
See here best sea and ocean resorts of France and Spain (223 objects)
See here Pyrenees travel guide
See here France travel guide
See here Spain travel guide
