You’re now on Boulevard du Boramar, Collioure’s most famous seafront promenade. Between the Royal Castle on one side and the church of Notre-Dame-des-Anges on the other, this short walkway offers one of the most stunning views of the Mediterranean. Along the pebble beach, you’ll spot people strolling, kids splashing in the water, and brightly colored Catalan boats pulled up on the sand. It’s hard to imagine now, but this peaceful spot was once a bustling fishing port, with nets drying in the sun and barrels of salted anchovies stacked along the shore. Even today, the spirit of the sea still lingers in the air. It was right here, in the summer of 1905, that two painters—Henri Matisse and André Derain—arrived, struck by the dazzling light and the vivid colors of the harbor. They painted side by side in the open air, their work bursting with energy and color, breaking free from realism. The result was bold, bright, and wild—it was the birth of Fauvism, a movement that would change modern art forever. And if you look around, you’ll see that some of the views they captured haven’t changed much at all. So take a moment—because right now, you’re standing inside one of their paintings.