I stepped off the train at Gare de Perpignan with the kind of anticipation that sneaks up slow and low, like the first sip of coffee in the morning. This place isn’t just a station. No, Salvador Dalí himself once called it the Centre of the Universe.
That’s right. Not Paris, not Madrid, Perpignan. A small city on the edge of France, where time and space folded just right for a surreal awakening.
It was September 19, 1963, when Dalí had his famous “cosmogonic ecstasy” right here on these platforms. A moment so intense he saw the station as the axis of all creation, the cosmic heartbeat pulsing under the vaulted roof.
Years later, he poured that vision onto canvas in a monumental painting, La Gare de Perpignan; however, that masterpiece lives far away now, in Museum Ludwig, Cologne. Still, the spirit of that revelation lingers in the air you breathe here.
Outside the station, the scene feels like a whispered secret between the stones. The square is no longer just a transit hub; it’s been renamed Place Salvador Dalí, a subtle salute to the artist who made this spot immortal.
Just beyond, the Passage Dalí stretches like a hidden artery beneath the tracks, walls splashed with murals and graffiti by local artists who keep his surreal spirit alive in colour and spray. Walking through, you feel like you’re entering an alternate universe, one where art isn’t confined to galleries but breathes beneath your feet.
Nearby, the statue Dalí en lévitation floats serenely, suspended midair with a playful grin, as if he’s about to burst into laughter. Dalí’s influence seeps quietly through crooked doorways, sun-dappled streets, and in the way shadows linger just a bit too long.
I let my feet wander through narrow alleys, where a laundry line sways like a flag of the surreal, and shop windows hint at worlds unseen. In a quiet café, the clink of cups blends with soft chatter. The barista hands me a steaming coffee in a simple white cup—no melting clocks here—and I sip slowly, savouring how even the ordinary can feel extraordinary if you just slow down and lean in.
Perpignan’s streets hold small wonders if you look closely.
A cat curls on a windowsill, eyes half-closed but full of knowing. Old stone walls carry the patina of centuries, yet each crack and crevice hums with fresh energy.
Eventually, my feet carry me to Couvent des Minimes, the city’s proud art museum.
While La Gare de Perpignan isn’t hanging here, the museum offers a true treasure: the Espace Dalí. This permanent exhibition brings together photos, videos, and multimedia pieces that feature Dali himself.
As I retrace my steps back through the city, the sun softening the edges of buildings, I realise the station was never just about trains or timetables.
It was a portal, a moment caught between reality and dream, where Dalí glimpsed the universe’s secret rhythm. Perpignan still holds that magic, tucked in quiet corners, in the gentle tilt of the afternoon light.
And maybe that’s the real art here—not just the paintings or statues, but the way the city invites you to see the world a little differently.
To find the surreal in the everyday. To believe, even if just for a moment, that the Centre of the Universe might be wherever you choose to stand.
Catch you soon!
Hi, I’m Juliana — a 21-year-old journalism student from Malta, now exploring the world one story at a time. I’m currently doing an Erasmus experience with Kate, at PO Life magazine. When I’m not chasing headlines or snapping photos, you’ll find me diving into local culture, youth issues, and all the moments that often go unnoticed. I’m all about sharing stories that connect us, whether through words or pictures.