As you fly into Perpignan airport it is worth sitting at a window seat on the right-hand side of the plane, as you usually get a good view of the town about ten minutes before landing as the pilot turns along the coast to begin the final descent. You can even see the flat from the plane if you know where to look!
The town forms an inverted ‘L’ shape, as the etang – the large inland salt-water lake – and the protected wildlife zone prevent significant expansion to the south-west. To the east is the Mediterranean Sea, and to the north is the river Têt which forms the final town boundary.
Despite these physical constraints there is still some development happening in selected areas, but so far they have managed to keep from encroaching too much into the old part of the village or turning the whole area into a holiday park. There is a sizeable local permanent population, and the aim is to make the tourist and entertainment areas enhance the experience for the locals rather than detract.
So far this is working well.