 Collioure's history
 After Collioure was retaken by the French in 1642, design of the town's fortifications fell to Saint-Hillaire. He organised the construction of both Fort Miradou and the Château Royal, along with a protective ditch and wall around the town.
However, displeased with Saint-Hillaire's work, Vauban, a Marshall of France and the state's foremost military engineer, erupted, declaring "the fortification is commanded and enfiladed at several points, in one word, [collioure is] a useless fortress".
He proposed Collioure be razed and the population transported to nearby Port-Vendres, which at the time was struggling commercially.
Fortunately, Vauban's plan was never carried out and Collioure survived this early experiment in town planning, and continued to outshine its commercial rivals.
An artists' haven
 Fauvism - From "Les Fauves" - French for 'Wild Beasts'
Collioure is perhaps most renowned for its art. The town was the cultural home of the Fauvism movement.
This short-lived movement used deep and brilliant colours, exaggerated perspectives and simplified lines, making the painting easy to read and refreshing to view.
Today, artists' studios line the narrow streets in the heart of the town, continuing the rich heritage of the Fauvism movement.
Derain, Braque, Friesz, Matisse, Picasso and Tsuguharu Fujita have all been inspired by Collioure's forts and castles, medieval streets and harbour.
It's mine. No, it's mine
After maany years in Spanish hands, Collioure was retaken in 1642 by the troops of the French marshal Maréchal de la Meilleraye. A decade later, the town was officially yielded to the French Kingdom at 1659's Treaty of Pyrénées.
Because of its high strategic importance, the town's fortifications, including the Fort Saint-Elme stronghold, were improved by the famous military engineer Vauban under King Louis XIV's reign.
Nevertheless, Collioure was besieged and occupied again by the Spanish troops in 1793.
The blockade was broken a year later by French general Dugommier. It has remained with France ever since.
Once Collioure town was divided into two villages, separated by the Douy river. The old town was Port d'Aval (today known as Le Faubourg) to the south and the upstream port was Port d'Amont (today's Collioure).
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