Catalan Media
Making the most of your matchday
experience
The Perpignan weekender is the highlight of the season for many Super League fans who are travelling to watch their team play against the Catalans Dragons.
Make the most of your time in the south of France with Catalan Media's guide to the perfect Perpignan experience.
It's so much more than 80 minutes of Rugby League... this area has much to offer fans who are visiting the city for one day only or spending more time to take in the surrounding area.
Ask us anything - email your queries to catalanmedia@orange.fr
For more info go to the club website www.catalansdragons.com
Perpignan party people
Most fans head to the red-bricked major monument Le Castillet (no. 2 on the map) to eat and drink in the many surrounding bars, but Perpignan offers much more than sunshine singalongs.
The centre of the city has a castle dating back to 1276 - the Palace of the Kings of Mallorca. Excellent place to stroll around and picnic and learn about the ancient history of the region.
There is designer shopping at the Galeries Lafayette (across the river from Le Castillet) which has a rooftop café terrace for excellent views of the city centre.
Great restaurants line either side of the central Basse river, a tributary of the bigger River Tete which also crosses the city boundaries.
Pedallo boats glide between family picnics on the grassy riverside banks.
Le Castillet
Perpignan
Les Halles Vauban is a beautifully refurbished al fresco dining experience - under cover!
It combines a fresh food market with the very latest street-food and drink.
Café Vienne is one of the oldest and most well-known city centre restaurants. Its art-deco interior and extensive al fresco eating area provides visitors with all-day-long eating and extensive menus to suit all tastes.
Delirium Bar and O'Flaherty's are also popular with fans pre-match as are the many bars in the Place de la Republique
The ticket office and turnstiles are at the away end of the ground. Pre-booking you can select your seat but on matchday you can only select the Stand. The away fans are mainly in the Puig Aubert. Prices are as follows:-
Under 12's
4 €
Students
10 €
General admission
16 €
Puig Aubert stand
20 €
Guasch-Laborde stand
25 €
Bonzoms Stand - Silver
30 €
Bonzoms Stand - Gold
35 €
Bonzoms Stand - Official
53 €
Once you have your ticket you will queue through security then be asked to scan the barcode on your ticket on the turnstile scanner - stewards are there to assist.
There are many bars and food outlets within the stadium, and the good news is, that although the old plastic token system still exists, most bars and food outlets in the Brutus take card payments.
There is Guinness and fish and chips available as well as beer, wine, burgers, hotdogs, chips and churros (sweet donut fingers).
There is a club shop selling souvenirs and replica kit beneath the Puig Aubert (away) stand.
At the ground...
Food, drink
Eating...
Regional favourites, Cassoullet (above) a hearty sausage and bean stew, not to be confused with Crème Catalane (below) a set cold custard with crunchy caramelised sugar on top
Perpignan is packed with great cafes and restaurants with every taste catered for in a wide variety of styles and price brackets.
You can expect to be paying 20-25 Euros for Entrecote (rump) steak and frites (chips) and, don't forget, the French like their meat rare so it's usually best to order a little more well done than back home.
Salads (salades) and fish (poisson) dishes are amazing in the city but if you want a true taste of the region, go for the Cassoulet. It's a hot stew of beans, sausages, pork and sometimes duck which might not sound too appetising on a hot day in the sun but, once tried, never forgotten. Truly delicious and a source of pride to individual chefs. Very filling, order a starter (entrée) portion unless you're very hungry.
Finish up with a Crème Catalane (see right) or Iles Flottantes (meringues in custard) for a true taste of local cuisine.
Drinking...
A day at the rugby in Perpignan wouldn't be the same without a cold beer or glass of the local plonk.
Most fans gather at Le Castillet for a pre-match singalong and there are bars there that cater especially for the rugby crowd, with outdoor beer and wine taps.
There are often queues to the bar and especially to the toilets at the back of the bars, so if you don't like waiting why not try other parts of town.
Pelforth, Kronenberg and Estrella are popular brands of beer and you can pay between three and five euros for a pint of draught (biere pression grande) depending where you stop.
Of course, being France, wines are available everywhere. Order a glass (verre), bottle (bouteille) or half-litre (demi pichet) of the local red (rouge), white (blanc) or rose and you'll be surprised at the fine quality of vin being produced in the Languedoc Roussillon region these days.
The friendly Dragons
Catalans Dragons provide open training sessions where fans can get to meet the players.
If you're in town a couple of days before the match you could go along, check with the club website www.catalansdragons.com for times and dates.
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The Stade Gilbert Brutus has seating on three sides and a small standing area.
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Away fans tend to occupy the Puig Aubert Stand.
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The club shop and offices are beneath the Puig Abert Stand
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Food and drink is available behind all three stands.
Finding your way to the stadium...
There are a number of ways to get to the Stade Gilbert Brutus, which lies to the north of the city, near the airport.
You can walk from Le Castillet (around 25 minutes) or take a free bus service to the ground. A taxi will cost 15-20 euros.
The Gilbert Brutus is at the north-east of the city, near to the airport of Perpignan. The address is : Stade Gilbert Brutus - Avenue de l’aérodrome - 66000 Perpignan.
By car :
If you are approaching Perpignan on the A9 (from Montpellier-Toulouse)
Take the exit N°41 - Perpignan North - Follow AIRPORT
Join the D900 - Follow AIRPORT
Take the exit Avenue de l’Aérodrome - Haut Vernet
At the airport roundabout, take the 5th exit onto the D117. You’ll find the Gilbert Brutus Stadium on your left, you can't miss the floodlights.
Driving from Spain - Via the E15 toll motorway and A9
Take the exit N°42 - Perpignan South - Follow PERPIGNAN CITY-CENTER
Stay on the D900
Follow AIRPORT
Take the exit N°7 D117 - Follow Foix/Airport/Haut-Vernet
At the roundabout take the 1st exit on the right onto the D117 and the Gilbert Brutus Stadium is ahead on your left
Car-park :
There is free parking on the streets around the ground and a number of free car parks but these can fill up quickly on matchday so you may have to park further afield or in the many city centre car parks.
Remember, you can take the bus for FREE to and from the stadium, just make sure you keep your match ticket.
By train :
On the high speed TGV line, Perpignan is approximately:
1h20 to Barcelona
1h30 to Montpellier (1h50 with the TER)
2h50 to Toulouse (via Narbonne)
5h00 to Paris
Further information on : http://www.voyages-sncf.com/
By plane:
Some airlines have direct flights to the Perpignan-Rivesaltes Airport, based just six minutes to the Gilbert Brutus Stadium by car.
Many fans choose to fly to Girona, over the border in Spain. It takes approximately 1 and a half hours to driver to Perpignan from Girona.
Further information on : http://www.aeroport-perpignan.com/
By Bus :
On a Catalans Dragons game day, all the buses from CTPM Company will be free for supporters of both teams on presentation of their game day ticket.
Fans can take advantage of this offer by taking the bus from any bus stop in the town centre to go to the Gilbert Brutus Stadium.
The bus routes that pass by the Gilbert Brutus Stadium are 4 - 12 - 13 - 14. All of these buses stop at the bus stop BRUTUS (behind the swimming pool on Avenue de l'aérodrome).
To return to Perpignan, a special bus will depart the stadium from behind the swimming pool on the opposite side of the road from the drop off every 15 minutes after the game and head into the city centre.