Coastal Path (E12)/guide 2022: Elmes Beach/Banyuls-sur-Mer - Troc Beach/Banyuls-sur-Mer

Exploring Banyuls, the radiant town of art and science.


Starting from Elmes Beach towards the center of Banyuls-sur-Mer
Enjoy the panoramic view of the bay—it's worth it. Turn left along the sidewalk towards Cap d’Osne, then continue downhill towards the central beach. Pass by the terraces of bars and restaurants until you reach the Tourist Office, where you can admire a work by the local artist Aristide Maillol ("L'ile de France without arms").
Continue past the Tourist Office (don't hesitate to step inside to learn about activities and tours in Banyuls), then follow the promenade towards the Arago Laboratory (Aquarium) along Maillol Avenue. Another sculpture by Maillol ("La jeune fille allongée") awaits you there. At the entrance of the harbor (classified as a Terroir Port).
Continue along the promenade in front of the Arago Laboratory leading to Ile Grosse. At the end of the building, turn right and take the stairs leading to RD 914. In the early 1880s, after founding the Roscoff marine station in the English Channel, the Sorbonne zoologist Henri De Lacaze Duthiers (1821–1901) decided to explore the Mediterranean coast to establish a second station. The rocky coast near Spain offered a wide variety of habitats and organisms. Henri De Lacaze Duthiers, captivated by the site of Banyuls-sur-Mer, decided to build his new laboratory there. At the top of the stairs, turn left and head towards Troc Beach, your final destination.