Itineraries › Céret
Céret,
a day on foot
From the plane trees of the old town to the Pont du Diable, in the footsteps of Picasso, Braque and Soutine: our favourite walk in the capital of the Vallespir, the museum of modern art, our table and what is happening this week.
- Duration
- 1 day
- Getting around
- On foot
- Distance
- ≈ 3 km
- Stops
- 9 + 1 places to eat
Céret, capital of the Vallespir, nestles beneath its great plane trees between the Albères and the Canigou. A small Catalan town of narrow lanes, fountain squares and shaded terraces, it is famous for its cherries, the first of the French season, and for a unique episode in the history of art: in the early 20th century, the sculptor Manolo drew his friends there, Picasso and Braque came to paint there in 1911, Juan Gris in 1913, then Soutine after the war. It has been nicknamed the “Mecca of Cubism”.
Our walk is done on foot, over a leisurely day. The morning is spent at the museum of modern art and in the old town, between the medieval gates and the place des Neuf-Jets, followed by a lunch break on place Picasso, then the afternoon at the museum of music and the bullring, before heading down to the Pont du Diable, the 14th-century arch that spans the Tech.
On Saturday mornings, the market spills over the boulevards; in May and June, it is cherry season. The last stretch, as far as the bridge, is about twenty minutes’ walk away from the centre.
01 · The route
The walking map
Stop Our pick Route · tap a marker to see its name
- 12Church of Saint-Pierre130 m · 2 min on foot
- 23Porte de France140 m · 2 min on foot
- 34Place des Neuf-Jets120 m · 2 min on foot
- 45Place Pablo-Picasso120 m · 2 min on foot
- 56Porte d’Espagne30 m · 1 min on foot
- 67Museum of Music230 m · 3 min on foot
- 78The bullring780 m · 10 min on foot
- 89Pont du Diable1.3 km · 18 min on foot
In total: 2.9 km, about 39 min of walking, not counting visits.
Google Maps works out the walking route from stop to stop with street-by-street directions; on a phone it opens the app. Distances above are estimates along our route.
- 1
Museum of Modern Art
Starting point: Picasso, Matisse, Chagall, Juan Gris, Soutine… the collection of the "Mecca of Cubism".
- 2
Church of Saint-Pierre
The church of the old town, with its marble portal and altarpieces.
- 3
Porte de France
One of the gates of the medieval ramparts, whose line you then follow.
- 4
Place des Neuf-Jets
The fountain with nine jets beneath the plane trees, the heart of the old town.
- 5
Place Pablo-Picasso
Terraces and arcades: the ideal pause, our table A is right next door.
- 6
Porte d’Espagne
The other medieval gate, facing south and the border.
- 7
Museum of Music
The Centre international de musique populaire and its instruments from all over the world.
- 8
The bullring
Céret's bullring, a focal point of the summer festivals.
- 9
Pont du Diable
The final viewpoint: a single medieval arch above the Tech.
02 · See and visit
Sights and monuments
Religious heritage · Stage 2
Church of Saint-Pierre
The parish church of the old town, rebuilt in the 18th century on an older building: marble portal, altarpieces and organ.
Old town · Stages 3 and 6
Porte de France and Porte d’Espagne
The two surviving gates of the medieval ramparts frame old Céret: between them lie lanes, small squares and old stone houses.
Square · Stage 4
Fontaine des Neuf-Jets
The town's most emblematic square: its nine-jet fountain, its plane trees and its cafés, the meeting place of the people of Céret at any hour.
Monument · Stage 9
Pont du Diable
Built between 1321 and 1341, it crosses the Tech in a single 45-metre arch, then the longest in the world. Legend has it that the devil built it in a single night in exchange for the soul of the first person to cross, and that the people of Céret sent him a cat.
03 · Museums and permanent exhibitions
In the painters’ footsteps
Museum · Stage 1
Museum of Modern Art of Céret
Founded in 1950 by the painters Pierre Brune and Frank Burty Haviland, with the support of Picasso and Matisse, who gave it works: Picasso (including his small dishes on the theme of the bullfight), Matisse, Chagall, Juan Gris, Soutine, Manolo, Masson, Herbin… and major temporary exhibitions.
Museum · Stage 7
Museum of Music
The Centre international de musique populaire brings together traditional instruments from all over the world, from Catalonia to the five continents.
04 · Our recommendations
Where to eat
★ Our pick · A
Lunch · Place Picasso
Le Pablo
Restaurant-bar with a large terrace on place Picasso, in the heart of the old town: pizzas and tapas to share.
05 · Coming up in Céret
What’s on
Exhibition: Picabia, Méditerranée. Picasso, Delaunay, Laurencin…Exhibitions · Céret · Céret – VallespirOn now · until 29 November
Our pickExhibition: Picabia, Méditerranée. Picasso, Delaunay, Laurencin…Exhibitions · Céret · Céret – VallespirOn now · until 30 November
Our pickThe Must-See Highlights of CéretCulture and heritage · Céret · Céret – VallespirTuesday 3 November · 15:00
Our pickDiscovery of Mas Py – Mill, Olive Trees and Tasting of Exceptional Olive OilFood and wine · Céret · Céret – VallespirTuesday 3 November · 15:00
Discovering Mas Py – Mill, Olive Trees and Tasting of Exceptional Olive OilFood and wine · Céret · Céret – VallespirTuesday 3 November · 15:00
Discovery of Mas Py – Mill, Olive Trees and Tasting of Exceptional Olive OilFood and wine · Céret · Céret – VallespirThursday 5 November · 15:00 From the Éden Catalán events calendar, updated daily.
06 · Further reading
Go further
Our We Are Living houses
Stay on the Catalan Coast
Extend your walk: characterful homes between sea and mountains, about twenty minutes from Céret.
Availability and direct booking on weareliving.fr
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