The first time I went (2015) it was through the Club and they offered the Fenels Gardens in Loret as well has the Tahiti Playa in Santa Susanna for 5 days.
In 2016 it changed to Loret only so I booked it through Thomas Cooke and stayed at the Tahita Playa in Santa Susanna, I got 6 days including evening meal for near enough the same money. All I had to do was buy my own match ticket through the Club and arrange match day transfers which I did through Catalan Sports Tours.
I have booked the Tahiti Playa again for this year, I like the area so much I went back for 10 days in September last year.
Santa Susanna is a bit quiet but it suits me and in September I found out it was 8.5 Euro return into Barcelona to see the sights. These day trips to Barca were most interesting, easy to get lost so I mostly stayed with the different Hop on Hop of bus tours, apart from one afternoon spending a few hours wandering down La Ramblas which is quite an experience.

Carcassonne is indeed lovely but IIRC the cost of the train to Perpignan is ridiculous (well over 100 Euros). Plenty of cheap hotel rooms in Perpignan and although the town is fairly quiet it is still a very pleasant place to spend a weekend.

Perpignan itself isn't much of a tourist town, but it is a good place to use as a base to explore that region from (car required). Best restaurants are in what looks at first glance to be a side-alley behind the Castillet. Don't bother with the more touristy stuff on the main drag by the river.

Thanks, Nicky (and aboveusonlypie and CPM), that makes sense. I speak a fair bit of French but no Spanish, which perhaps makes me a little more comfortable there. Although I've been to Barcelona before, the Ramblas, the Sag Fam, Gaudi Parc etc, and I realise *everyone* speaks English there.

I know France isn't cheap but 100 euros! I'd have thought hiring a car wouldn't be much dearer than that.

Last year I stayed in Spain for first time. Upon getting to Perpignan for the match, the beer in city centre was double that in Spain. Soon mounts up!

Quote: Aboveusonlypie "Carcassonne is indeed lovely but IIRC the cost of the train to Perpignan is ridiculous (well over 100 Euros). Plenty of cheap hotel rooms in Perpignan and although the town is fairly quiet it is still a very pleasant place to spend a weekend.'" £44 return fare if booked in advance https://uk.voyages-sncf.com/en/?prex=T_ ... g!!+trains +to +carcassonne&ectrans=1&ef_id=Vtmg6AAABAYCJHhk%3A20170117153459%3As&gclid=COSB39fAydECFQ6NGwodossCbg#/proposals/Carcassonne/Perpignan/2017-01-17/16:00/2017-07-08/06:00/passengers:senior;60;1/class:Economy/direct:0

Quote: Aboveusonlypie "Carcassonne is indeed lovely but IIRC the cost of the train to Perpignan is ridiculous (well over 100 Euros). Plenty of cheap hotel rooms in Perpignan and although the town is fairly quiet it is still a very pleasant place to spend a weekend.'" £44 return fare if booked in advance https://uk.voyages-sncf.com/en/?prex=T_ ... g!!+trains +to +carcassonne&ectrans=1&ef_id=Vtmg6AAABAYCJHhk%3A20170117153459%3As&gclid=COSB39fAydECFQ6NGwodossCbg#/proposals/Carcassonne/Perpignan/2017-01-17/16:00/2017-07-08/06:00/passengers:senior;60;1/class:Economy/direct:0