castle
Château de Quéribus
The last Cathar stronghold, a lone keep perched on a rocky pinnacle with views to the Pyrenees and sea.
37 km · about 45 min drive
EuropeFranceOccitanie
Vernet-les-Bains
Occitanie, France · Europe
About Vernet-les-Bains
Vernet-les-Bains sits on the route: 15 minutes from Ria-Sirach, 37km from Château de Quéribus.
Vernet-les-Bains is in Occitanie, France, with about 1,500 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Ria-Sirach, about 8 km away.
Vernet-les-Bains (French pronunciation: [vɛʁnɛ le bɛ̃] ; lit. 'Vernet-the-Baths'; Catalan: Vernet) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France.
The Catalan word for an alder tree is "vern". "Vernet" is derived from "verneda", a Catalan word meaning a group of alder trees. Vernet officiallyRead more
became Vernet-les-Bains in 1953.
It is a centre for visitors and holidaymakers. The village has a sunny climate (with, on average, 300 days of sunshine each year) and is set in a sheltered valley in the foothills of the Canigó mountain – which rises to a height of 2,785 metres (over 9,000 feet). Vernet-les-Bains is also known for its hot water springs. There is a professional spa/therapy centre in the village.
Where to Stay in Vernet-les-Bains
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Vernet-les-Bains?
Within an hour or so of Vernet-les-Bains: Château de Quéribus (37 km), Cathar Castles (38 km), Château de Peyrepertuse (38 km), Castellfollit de la Roca (39 km).
Are there any good drives near Vernet-les-Bains?
The nearest famous roads are Port d'Envalira, Coll d'Ordino and Costa Brava.
Where is Vernet-les-Bains?
Vernet-les-Bains is in Occitanie, France, about 8 km from Ria-Sirach.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 1,493
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- France
- Region
- Occitanie
- Timezone
- Europe/Paris
- Coordinates
- 42.5495, 2.3869
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in France
Carrying a warning triangle and hi-vis vest in your vehicle is mandatory. Motorway emergency phones connect to official breakdown services only.
Full driving guide for FranceTags
Worth the detour from Vernet-les-Bains
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
castle
Cathar Castles
Ruined medieval fortress sanctuaries perched on impossible rocky peaks across the Languedoc, including Peyrepertuse and Queribus.
38 km · about 45 min drive
castle
Château de Peyrepertuse
A vast ruined Cathar castle stretching along a knife-edge ridge high above the Corbières vineyards.
38 km · about 45 min drive
photogenic
Castellfollit de la Roca
Village strung along the knife-edge of a 50-metre basalt cliff formed by overlapping lava flows, its houses ending flush with the drop above the Fluvià river. Best photographed from the viewpoint across the river on the N-260.
39 km · about 45 min drive
landmark
Besalu
A remarkably intact medieval Catalan town entered via a magnificent fortified Romanesque bridge over the River Fluvia.
47 km · about 55 min drive
landmark
Grandvalira
The largest ski resort in the Pyrenees and southern Europe, spanning six mountain sectors in the microstate of Andorra.
54 km · about 60 min drive
mountain pass
Port d'Envalira
The highest paved mountain pass in the Pyrenees at 2,408 m, linking Andorra with France above Pas de la Casa: a Tour de France classic with a bypass tunnel for winter.
54 km · about 65 min drive
museum
Dalí Theatre-Museum
A surreal red castle topped with giant eggs in Figueres, the artist's own museum and final resting place.
56 km · about 65 min drive
Driving roads near Vernet-les-Bains
- 54 kmPort d'EnvaliraThe highest paved mountain pass in the Pyrenees at 2,408 m, linking Andorra with France above Pas de la Casa: a Tour de France classic with a bypass tunnel for winter.
- 66 kmMirador Roc del QuerA vertigo-inducing steel walkway jutting 20 m off a cliff on the Coll d'Ordino road above Canillo, ending in a glass floor and a seated bronze figure gazing over the valley.
- 68 kmColl d'OrdinoA quiet 1,980 m pass on the CS-340 between Ordino and Canillo, a favourite driving and cycling detour with layered views over Andorra's central valleys.
Driving in France
- Drives on
- the right
- Petrol
- ~€1.85/litre
- Motorway tolls
- ~€10.00/100km
When to drive here
April to October
Nearby Destinations
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