Port-Vendres is a small fishing town on the Franco-Spanish border. There are remains of 17th-century fortifications here, and the town is famous for its excellent restaurants serving fish and seafood dishes.
From the Middle Ages, Port-Vendres was primarily important as a commercial and fishing port. It was also the subject of disputes between France and Spain. It has strong ties with Catalonia, and it was finally incorporated into France only in the 16th century. In the next century, the French military engineer Sebastian Vauban fortified Port-Vendres as a strategic point of this part of the coast. Several forts and the remains of the city walls have survived to this day.
In the center of the village, adjacent to the port, there is some old fishing building. At Cap Bear, a few kilometers outside the town, there is a lighthouse that can be reached via footpaths or via winding country roads.
