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Catalan Dragons' fans have some of the longest journeys in Super League. Photo: Getty

Shamefully it was my first experience of Super League's longest away-day. It does take planning, and a bit of cash for supporters to be able to accommodate the fixture in their season, which did prompt initial fears for the viability of the venture.

I took the Saturday morning Manchester flight, arriving at 1300 local time, well ahead of the 1830 kick-off at the , just outside the old town centre. That was easy enough, although things could get trickier for rugby league fans in the north of England with flight operator BMI Baby ceasing to operate from Manchester Airport after this summer.

A short drive into town from the airport, past the stadium, and we are ready to mix with the locals in the town centre. are in fact the opponents and as such the traditional congregational areas for away fans are a bit quiet. I meet a couple who coincide an annual two-week holiday with the Catalan-Harlequins fixture, driving through France and ending up at the Stade Gilbert Brutus. I also share a beer with a large contingent from the in Kent, whose club badge mimics that of the Catalan side.

It is not until we drive up to the stadium however that the real match-day atmosphere kicks in. It is ridiculously hot and the cafes around the ground are bursting with Dragons fans sipping pre-match . The stadium is impressive, recent renovation has brought a new stand in with attendances now hitting double figures - almost 11,000 in fact for the recent visit of Leeds.

A quick chat with Luke Dorn, coach Rob Powell and a couple of the Harlequins staff milling around by the tunnel, and you immediately get the impression that teams like coming here.

Quins flew into Perpignan on Friday are staying for two nights at the out-of-town golf complex favoured by most visiting Super League sides. Most of the Catalan players live up by the beach in . The matchday atmosphere is markedly different from the UK.

As coach Trent Robinson said: "It's actually a lot different to both England and Australia. There's more of a carnival atmosphere with all the cafes around the grounds and we'll have some bars opening in the ground soon too. I always enjoyed it here as a fan and now I am doing so as a coach."

I head down the tunnel and sneak into the home dressing room less than an hour before kick off. The professionally focused atmosphere is that of a team of players confident they can beat anyone in their own back yard. At the business end of the season Robinson's side lie fifth and within touching distance of grabbing home advantage for the play-offs.

In the dressing room, livewire winger Damien Blanch heads over for some banter while his team-mates sit at their individual changing areas, their names printed on large signs overhead, listening to music, playing on their mobiles, and strapping up their bodies for battle.

Robinson leaves the players to their own preparations, wandering over for the odd word with Ian Henderson and Gregory Mounis, before heading out to join us for a chat on the bench. The new boss lives and breathes rugby league in France, and you sense that the fact he feels so settled and at ease in Perpignan has rubbed off on his team.

"It was tough at start of year when we weren't winning," he said. "We were playing poorly and the crowd didn't like it and wanted to see a change. It took us a while but we've got momentum now, and it is great to see rugby league in France filling 10,000 seats."

Written off by many, including myself, after a dreadful start to the season, Robinson's boys look every inch play-off dark horses now. He believes visiting teams are finding it a more testing environment.

"I'd like to think we can build the fear-factor it into our game," he said. "A couple of years ago every team coming here knew they would have a very physical game. I hope we are building that again but I actually think players like coming here as it's a chance to get away and have some sun and escape for a bit."

Robinson is not your average Aussie coach abroad. He is young - at 34 just a year older than me which is rather scary - and pretty much assimilated in France. A former player and coach with Toulouse he is now enjoying his fifth year living in the country.

"It feels like home," he said. "I love it. My partner is French, my little one is half French, half Aussie so I'm fluent and we speak French at home. Living in France and coaching here both feel comfortable. I've grown and felt more part of the place as the year goes on and feel I'm contributing and investing in it now."

He is young but the players certainly respect Robinson. An engaging, friendly bloke, he is also very tuned into his job. After allowing me into the dressing room to watch the pre-match preparations he then made pretty sure that we conducted our own interview outside on the bench, out of earshot of his players as they set their minds to the game.

Catalan Dragons and Harlequins also clashed at Millennium Magic back in February. Photo: Getty

It is a game bossed by the home side. Coughing up possession, poor discipline, Quins just can't keep the ball and the Dragons brutally expose the obvious cracks for a 48-22 win.

I watch the first 40 from the stands and second half on the touchline by the Catalan dugout - an eye-opening vantage point. Blanch adds a 16th try of a prolific season. At the hooter I pile on to the pitch and grab Blanch for a chat as the players applaud a crowd of 8,471.

"We went into game wanting an arm wrestle, and we hardly made an error so Trent will be pretty pleased," he said.

"It's getting better every week playing here. The new stand really encloses the ground, and getting 10-11,000 fans in makes for a good atmosphere, the fans are superb."

Blanch is sparkling in the sunshine of southern France since his move from where he scored 36 tries in 52 games, a strike rate he's maintaining.

"It's been a great move. It's a very nice lifestyle. Happy players make for happy families which means good footy. Fingers crossed I can do it for a couple of years."

The Australian-born Ireland international is in the minority too. The French club set a goal at the start of their Super League existence that 75 per cent of its squad would be homegrown. At the start of this season 21 of their 30-man squad were French (70 per cent).

Beaten coach Powell is as dejected as I can remember but never shies away from a post-match interview. He fronts up to the touchline about ten minutes after the hooter to give me his verdict and blames his team's dreadful start. Despite the setback he tells me it is a "great place to come and play rugby league and a great experience."

It is an experience that the Dragons may just take deep into the playoffs.