A story that begins with cigarette paper
This elegant townhouse on rue Émile Zola was once the home of businessman Pierre Bardou, who set up the J.O.B cigarette paper factory here, before his daughter Jeanne and her husband Jules Pams transformed the premises into a sumptuous townhouse. The sober street façade contrasts with the rest of the building. The grand staircase of onyx, marble and stucco, at the base of which sits a sculpture by Raymond Sudre, and decorated with paintings by Paul Gervais, features numerous feminine representations, such as Venus perched on a ship's prow on the second floor and Cybele on the ceiling.
Access to the vast tree-lined patio is via the second floor. The west wing was built in the 1930s to unify the ensemble and conceal the former glass-roofed workshop dating from 1873. Typical fin-de-siècle and Art Nouveau decorations alternate with numerous J.O.B coats-of-arms, in ironwork, masonry or stained glass, reminding us of the company's connection, as well as allegories of the Côte Vermeille, where Jules Pams was born.
What you probably don't know...
After being sold to the municipality of Perpignan in 1946, the building became home to the municipal library and the offices of various city departments and organizations, most of them cultural. A large part of the hotel is open to visitors every day of the week, except Mondays from November to May. This romantic gem hosts exhibitions, debates, conferences and even concerts in an intimate setting, notably during the "Guitarra del arte" festival in summer 2022. It is also one of the main exhibition venues during the international photojournalism festival Visa pour l'Image, held every September.
It is undoubtedly one of the most unusual places to visit in the Pyrénées-Orientales département, along with its counterparts: Château de Valmy in Argelès-sur-Mer and Château d'Aubiry in Céret.
The favorite spot of the locals...
and social networks!
Over the past few years, this venue has become a favorite of Perpignan locals and local and international influencers. Promoted on social networks, it has become a must-see spot! Popular with all, the tourist office organizes occasional guided tours, to the delight of all. In addition, themed evenings such as Cluedo© are organized during the summer, and it's also one of the places where you can visit the patios, but we're not going to reveal any more in order to maintain a certain degree of mystery...
Find the Hôtel Pams in the Perpignan 3D application
The Hôtel Pams is part of the blue itinerary: Perpignan la militaire. You'll be able to discover augmented reality content at point 6. We won't go into all the details, but you can download the application via the dedicated platforms below.
