Collioure is great: two weekly markets, sailing, boat trips, intimate restaurants, hill walks, a good museum, vineyards, beaches - even diving in summer and skiing (2hrs away) in winter.
But it is also a fine base from which to explore the Catalan region, both French and Spanish.
Nearby, there is Port-Vendres, an active commercial port and a good place to eat. Then there is Banyuls sur Mer, known for its excellent aperitif wine.
Departmental capital, Perpignan, is 25 minutes away by car and accessible by bus or train.
The Cathar Castles and Fitou are around 80 minutes from Collioure - definitely worth visiting - take a picnic and a walk back into medieval history.
Céret with its modern art museum is 40 minutes from the village, and then there is a wealth of medieval villages, churches and cloisters within 90 minutes driving.
Elne, St Génis, Sorède, the tiny village of Castelnou - voted one of the prettiest villages in France - are all fine places to visit.
Figueres is just 60 minutes from Collioure and the site of the Dali Museum, as well as an attractive old town and a thrice weekly market. The medieval town of Gerona, is 75 minutes away by car while Barcelona is just over two hours by car, or 4 hours by train.
Andorra, the small duty-free principality, is less than three hours by road and a good spot for duty-free shopping, mountain scenery and all those gorgeous villages you'll pass through on the way.
Alternatively, Le Perthus, the frontier town between France and Spain, has the odd attribute of selling almost duty-free goods - on the east side of the road only.
On the west side of the main road, the prices are either French or Spanish.
AND... getting around the départment by bus costs just one euro per journey for 1km or 30km.