Collioure’s Modern History (1800 to the Present Day)

Collioure’s Fishing Industry Comes of Age, 1800 to 1950

As we all know, fishing has always been the lifeblood of Collioure for millennia, but it really came of age from the 1800s.

The original fishing boats from Greece and Roman times started off as rectangular, then eventually triangular, and were the choice for galleys, Arabian felucca and chebecs, which were all three-masted ships of the Mediterranean. Their simple designs were well suited to the Mediterranean's sailing conditions and the Latin rigging could quickly respond to the sudden shifts in wind.

By the Middle Ages, Collioure was already a major port for anchovies and sardines and Anchovy salting stations were dotted all over the town. Tuna fishing was also important and, in the 17th century, there was as many as 60 tuna fishing boats.

From May to September, the peak season, lookouts, known as “guetteurs,” would spot fish schools and signal the fishermen. Once alerted, it was all hands on deck on the beaches of Collioure, where a full-on fleet would set out to sea.

The traditional Catalan boats, known as “sardinals”, that we all know and love, were well used for many centuries until as late as the 1950s. Slender and long at about ten metres, Catalan boats are pointed at both ends to slice through the waves and soften the blows from the sea's choppy swells that can quickly rise in the Mediterranean.

The Sardinals, unsurprisingly, were mainly used for catching sardines and anchovies and were known for their shallow draft, which allowed them to beach easily on unprepared shores in the absence of ports. Also called “Llaguts”, they fell out of use as fishing boats got larger and many were even burnt for firewood.

Fortunately, some enthusiasts, charmed by their maritime grace and elegance, looked after these boats lovingly and a number of associations have even started restoring them to preserve this important part of Collioure’s heritage.

So, by the twentieth century, the fishing fleet got bigger and more modern trawlers took over and revolutionised the fishing activity with several large-tonnage ships that carried out commercial fishing across the Mediterranean. Upon reaching the fishing spots, boats would form a semicircle, cast their nets, and then close them by rowing power to trap the tuna—a method known as purse seine fishing - before returning back with their catch.

They also practiced "beef fishing" where nets were hauled by two large boats, each about 16 meters long, an early version of trawling and incredibly hard to get right. At its peak, Collioure boasted of a fleet of around a hundred of these fishing boats.

Collioure’s neighbour, Port-Vendres, which had been neglected for many years, also found new life when Algeria was conquered and it sparked a flurry of investment in the port as Port Vendres became a crucial link with Algeria.

As a result, Collioure welcomed the Duke of Orléans, son of Louis-Philippe, who was about to set sail from Port-Vendres and, a bit later, Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie, returning from Algeria, stopped by Collioure and were warmly received.

Collioure Builds a New Beach, 1880

The boom in trade with North Africa, along with the arrival of the railway and better roads, gave a big boost to the local economy, and fishing and traditional winemaking, the mainstays of the town, flourished even more.

By the end of the 19th century, Collioure outgrew its old fortifications and the increase in fishing boats highlighted the need for a breakwater between Saint-Vincent Island and the church rocks, which led to the creation of a new beach overlooking the church. So, the completion of the breakwater, topped by a lighthouse, along with the church and its bell tower, became iconic symbols of Collioure.

Around the same time, they built a promenade linking the suburb of Faubourg to Boramar, right at the foot of the Royal Castle, so one could now walk along the whole beachfront of Collioure and admire all iconic sights of Collioure.

Unsurprisingly, from the beginning of the 20th century, Collioure started to become known for its charming beauty for artists and tourists alike and thus modern day Collioure started to emerge.

Collioure Becomes an Artist’s Haven, 1900 to Present Day

It was really from the late 19th century that word spread to Paris of Collioure. Collioure’s geography always made it picturesque, nestled between the Mediterranean Sea and giving it a cobalt blue color, and the Pyrenees Mountains, which protects it from the worst of the wind and rain.

Indeed, many artists found solace in the enchanting Mediterranean glow that bathes the town and they were drawn to the light and beauty, as well as the bohemian atmosphere that exuded freedom and creativity.

The pioneers to arrive were French artists, Paul Signac and Henri-Edmond Cross, in the 1880s who  developed the pointillist style, and you can see many of their paintings of Collioure’s coastal life. 

Soon, Collioure read like a who’s who of French and international artists and welcomed greats like Matisse, Derain, Dufy, Marquet, Camoin, Juan Gris, Henri Martin, Henri Marre, Signac, Picasso, Fujita, Survage, Brayer and many more.

Matisse & Derrain in Collioure, 1905-1914

In the summer of 1905, Henri Matisse travelled to Collioure, depressed and confused about where he was going in his artistic life. He was still unsure of his painting style and was looking for answers. Back in Paris, Matisse had been opposed to Cubism, which emphasized realism and two dimensions.

So, he went on a summer holiday to Collioure with his family and to escape the Parisian summer heat for him and his wife, Amelie, and their sons, Jean and Pierre.

It was in Collioure, with its bohemian artistic atmosphere and Collioure’s beautiful colours and lines that rejuvenated and inspired Matisse and pushed him towards a new artistic direction: Fauvism.

Unlike cubism, Fauvism went against all the traditional painting styles of the time and used bold colours with aggressive brush strokes and created a sense of an explosion on the canvas as witnessed in his work “Open Window, Collioure", which captured the vivid colours and dynamic atmosphere of Collioure.

Matisse felt renewed and energised by Collioure and his new Fauvist direction and decided to stay in Collioure and paint its beaches, cork forests and coastal vistas.  He even enrolled his children in the local school.

He was then later joined by his artist friend, André Derain, who also started experimenting with Fauvism and together they became the driving force of the movement. There was just one problem: finding models for their art and they surprised Collioure’s Catalan locals with their persistent requests for portraits to which they were often refused. So much so that, in the early years, they had to rely on Amelie Matisse to sit for paintings, which is why she features so much their work during this period!

Though Matisse spent some time in Morocco in 1912, it was to Collioure that he would always come back time and again during this period with his last major sojourn being 1914 when the first world war change the world for everyone. As a side note, Matisse tried to sign up to serve in the French Army at the outbreak of the war, but was rejected on account of his senior age.

Charles Rennie Mackintosh & Collioure, 1923-27

Charles Rennie Mackintosh, the iconic architect, designer and artist from Glasgow, moved with his wife, Margaret, to Port Vendres in 1923 to retire. By this time, Mackintosh was focused on his watercolour painting and was interested in the relationships between man-made and natural landscapes.

The Mackintoshes would frequently make trips to Collioure where Charles would make meticulous watercolours of the town and catch up with other artists at Les Templiers. Indeed, one can often tell the season of his drawings since he would sketch in Collioure during the Autumn, Spring and Winter, whilst paint watercolour landscapes from the hills to escape the intense heat of the summer. There is small museum in his honour at Port Vendres.

Les Templiers Bar & Collioure’s Art Scene, 1925

What ties together such illustrious names as Pablo Picasso, Eduard Pignon, André Derain, Aristide Maillol, Willy Mucha, Raoul Dufy, Maurice Chevalier, Edith Piaf, Pierre Brune, Henri Matisse, Salvador Dali, Léopold Survage, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Antonio Machado, Patrick O’Brien, Saint-Saëns, and Rostropovich? These artistic luminaries all graced the Hotel des Templiers in Collioure with their presence.

From the 1920s to the 1970s, the Hotel des Templiers became a cultural hub that significantly contributed to Collioure's reputation as an artistic haven. The establishment was not only a place for spirited discussions and laughter among thirsty artists into the wee hours, but also a repository of their works. Indeed, the hotel, bar and restaurant are adorned with a staggering collection of 2000 artworks, decorating every corridor, stairwell and bedroom.

Les Templier’s story began in 1925 when René Pous, together with his wife Pauline, took over what was initially a modest bar called Maison Fontano, later known as Café de Sports. This establishment served as a combined café, restaurant and hotel with Pauline taking charge of the kitchen and the whole family, along with close friends, helping manage the venue and René serving as the maître d’hôtel.

René, who attended school with Henri Matisse’s children, was well-acquainted with the artistic community and nurtured a welcoming environment for artists at the bar for over forty years and it really became a second home for many painters and sculptors.

René's son, Jojo, born in 1927, began working at the hotel as a teenager and devoted his life to the establishment. By the 1970s, René then had handed the reins over to Jojo and his first wife, Therese, who expanded the hotel and restaurant by acquiring its adjacent properties.

Today, the Hotel des Templiers remains in the hands of the Pous family, with Manée Pous, her daughter, and granddaughter, Julie, continuing to enliven this historic establishment.

The vast collection of paintings at the Hotel des Templiers began with René Pous’s passion for art and his deep connections within the artistic community. He acquired these works through purchases, trades for accommodation and meals, and gifts. The hotel's walls, much like a secret art gallery, are lined with over 2000 paintings, offering a visual feast as compelling as any museum.

Notable entries from the Hotel des Templiers Visitors Book reflect the artistic and poetic nature of its guests, with Raoul Dufy poetically noting, "Collioure without sails is a night without stars," and Edith Piaf adding, "What can I add to this book that would not be banal. Alas, I cannot paint and that I regret. So I am happy to write 'with all my heart'."

While many are familiar with the Impressionist works in the bar of the Hotel des Templiers, fewer may realise the extent of the collection that spreads throughout the hotels rabbit warren of corridors and rooms. This historic hotel could easily host tours showcasing its impressive array of paintings, each telling a story of the artists who once found solace and inspiration within its walls.

Patrick O’Brian in Collioure, 1949 to 2000

Patrick O'Brian is well known for his series of naval historical novels detailing the adventures of Captain Jack Aubrey and his friend, the ship's surgeon Stephen Maturin, most notably ‘Master & Commander’, which became a major movie with Russell Crowe. His works have contributed significantly to the historical fiction genre and are particularly praised for their meticulous research and authenticity.

But, did you know that Patrick O’Brian was a long standing resident of Collioure?

O'Brian moved to Collioure with his wife, Mary, in 1949 and there they lived a self-sufficient life, attracted by the Catalan culture and the village's wine-making tradition. O'Brian would normally write in the morning and then tend vines and make wine in the afternoon.

He was notably frugal and lived in their first house at Number Two Arago that had neither electricity nor hot water and relished the simple life they led there.

In 1955, he moved further up the valley to Rue du Correc d’En Baus and bought some land to build a modest house for themselves. There was a shelter for wine growers on the plot, which he fixed up to create his writing space, which he called his Casot, a Catalan word where he wrote all of his famous novels.

The writer became a prominent figure in the community and  translated into English the works of Simone de Beauvoir and Henri Charrière, amongst others. Moreover, O'Brian is celebrated for his biography of Picasso, crafted with precision and detail, exemplifying his ability to understand and articulate the nuances of another creative genius.

O'Brian's affection for Collioure is also palpable through his contributions to the local heritage. At the Hotel des Templiers, he inaugurated the Livre d'Or (Guest Book) with an inscription celebrating the village as a stronghold of free spirits and colourful painters and he wrote a book on the Catalans, which publish posthumously in 2016.

After he died in 2000, the owner of the house gave a lot of his personal effects to the town of Collioure who created a unique O’Brian Archive of sorts at the Mediatheque in Collioure where you yourself can see a selection of his objects and novels including handwritten manuscripts and his original writing desk.

Picasso in Collioure, 1910-1912 & 1950

After the Fauvist and Impressionist invasion of Collioure in the early 20th century came a new wave of modern artists inspired by Collioure's terrain and architecture including Pablo Picasso, James Dickson Innes, John Fothergill and Derwent Lees.

Pablo Picasso first visited Collioure in around 1910 passing through on his way to Cadaques with his muse of the time, Fernande Olivier.

Picasso then spent summers in Ceret in 1911 and 1912, later joined by Braque, but often came to Collioure, though he was practically not on speaking terms with Matisse and it’s unlikely they would have socialised.

Later, in the 1950s, Picasso returned to Ceret, after forty years, and returned a number of times to paint bullfighting and sardane dance scenes, which you can see at Musee D’Art Moderne in Ceret today.

Collioure Becomes National Commando Training Centre, 1946

Fort Miradou was set up in 1946 as a Naval Commando Training Centre for the 11th Shock Parachute Battalion, which was broadened to become the National Commando Training in 1964 with the main Base at Mont-Louis. The CNEC upholds the elite traditions of World War II commando units, particularly honouring the 22nd March 1943 Battalion from Staouéli, with the motto: “Always On Point”.

The Commando Centre trains the French Army's land force units and develop officers with expertise in commando tactics and techniques, and to provide specialised training to units for deep engagement and operations.  Known for its training in diverse terrains from coastal areas to mountains, the area around Collioure is an ideal base to learn rappelling, hand-to-hand combat, survival, and sabotage.

Collioure Modern Art Museum, 1980

In the early 1980s, the Modern Art Museum of Collioure was founded in the villa of former senator Gaston Pams, staring with Jean Peské’s art collection. It houses historical artworks from luminaries such as Louis Valtat, Georges d'Espagnat, Yves Brayer, Henri Martin, Léopold Survage, Jean Cocteau, Mario Praxinos, Camille Descossy, Balbino Giner and René Perrot

So, Collioure’s rich artistic history gives it a right to proclaim itself a “Town of Artists.” The legacy of masters such as Matisse, Picasso and many others have made the town a pilgrimage site for art lovers that resonates to the modern day. Today, there are over thirty galleries in Collioure, with a number of well-respected artists living here and continuing its artistic legacy.