"Ceret, a great day trip from Perpignan" Céret by Beausoleil

Ceret was a charming find. We were staying at Canet Plage for a couple weeks exploring the area. There is a noted Beaux Arts in the town so we decided to drive up one day. This was the scene that greeted us. The locals were sitting out under a tree watching the world go by. There were outdoor cafes and a nice art shop across the square from them.

We had no trouble parking to explore and it is a lovely town for walking. The museum was having a Soutine retrospective and we didn't care for it, but on the other hand, we truly loved the little town and the exhibit won't last forever. The permanent collection is worth the trip.

There is a little drain or canal running down the hill and it adds a great deal of charm to the village . . . and sounds wonderful on a warm day.

Modern Art Museum in Ceret

This was the reason we were in Ceret. We came to visit the art museum. As it turned out, not only did we not particularly care for the Soutine retrospective, the staff won the prize for the most unfriendly in France. We had to check absolutely everything including cameras, purses, passports, the works. Needless to say, we were uncomfortable the entire time we were in the museum and quickly looked through everything when we retrieved it. I had to check a backpack once in Dijon (in the afternoon; in the morning I didn't) but other than that, I've never had to check anything in France. They weren't particularly polite about it either and that is extremely unusual. We've found France to be particularly polite so the entire experience was not the best. We did love the rest of the town though.

Entry to a courtyard with restaurant and houses

There is a little open canal-stream running down the street. There is also this lovely arched structure than looks like a viaduct and has a courtyard inside.

Everything in the town seemed charming.

• Pros:Utterly charming little town in the hills
• Cons:None that we could see
• In a nutshell:A lovely place to spend a day or a month