PYRENEES ORIENTALES TOURISM

The Vermillion Coast

Perpignan

The Pyrenees

History

Beaches & other attractions

The Pyrenees Orientales is France’s most southern department. Bounded on the east by the Mediterranean Sea, to the south by Spain, and to the west by the small principality of Andorra and the region of Midi-Pyrénées. The area was Spanish until 1659 and Catalan is still widely spoken as well as French.

The landscape is the most dramatic of the Languedoc departments. The west is predominantly large areas of forest and the mountains of the Pyrenees, with peaks reaching almost 3000 m. There are a number of Cathar castles on high rocky peaks.

In the valleys of the rivers Tet and Tech are fruit farms. Along the coast, the étangs (inland lakes) cater for fishermen and wind surfers, and between Barcares and Argeles are long sandy beaches. Further south, from Collioure to Cerbere, the coast is rocky with picturesque bays and headlands.

The sunny climate means that the region produces France's first crop of each year’s fruit. The first cherries from Roussillon are a ceremonial gift presented to the President each year.

The department has the coastal beaches, the fertile plain, the mountains, the warm sun, a rich history and Catalan culture.

The sandy coastline down to Argelès-sur-Mer, then just a few kilometres from Spain the rocky headlands of the Côte Vermeille rise out of the sea.

Great painters like Matisse and Picasso found inspiration in the beauty of these picturesque old fishing ports Collioure, Port-Vendres, Banyuls and Cerbère.

Collioure, with its fortifications, the cafés and restaurants around the old port, and its pretty houses, was the adopted home of the late nautical novelist, Patrick O'Brian. website.

The capital of the Pyrénées-Orientales is Perpignan. The department was created from the historic province of Roussillon, the region of Cerdagne and fragments of Languedoc.

Perpignan lies between two rivers, has well-groomed parks and boulevards, and is a bustling city full of boutiques and good restaurants.

This southern, half-Spanish, town is the third largest Catalan city, after Barcelona and Lleida (both in Spain).

Jacques le Conquérant (the Conqueror) decided to make Perpignan the continental capital of the kingdom of Majorca. The Palace of the Kings of Majorca at Perpignan, built between the 13th and 14th centuries, is the oldest royal dwelling in France.

The department is mountainous in the south, with the Roussillon alluvial plain in the center. Prades is in the east of the department ( website) near the highest mountain of the region, the Pic du Canigou website.

At the extreme west of the department, the Pyrenean mountains are split in two, the Cerdagne and the Capcir. The Cerdagne is a high plain (1200 m altitude on average) carpeted with fields and prairie, surrounded by the peaks such as Carlit (2921m) and Campardos (2914m). Forests, cold mountain lakes and torrents sweeping down the slopes of the hills.

The Cerdagne benefits from a sunny climate (3000 hours per year), and in summer is a paradise for ramblers and hikers. In winter there is superb skiing: there are six ski resorts, the most famous being Font-Romeu. website

Le Capcir, more windy and colder than the Cerdagne, (swept by the Carcanet, a cold north wind), is a high plateau 1400 m altitude enclosed by the peaks of Carlit to the west and Madrès to the east (2469 m). The Capcir is a mountain region to explore at any time of the year.

Like much of the Pyrenees the rural exodus hurt this region and villages were semi-abandoned for many years. Now, with the increase in tourism, life is picking up. Tourists can see the old mountain life style. A land of cattle raising, and villages of typical houses with slate roofs and picturesque 11th & 12th century churches.

Mont Louis: perched at 1600 m is the highest fortified town in France, and controls access to the Cerdagne. A military barracks established by Vauban in the XVII th century to confront the Spanish army, Mont-Louis is still an active fort and currently houses the National Commando Centre.

Formiguères: is a traditional mountain village that has kept its charm. Used in the Middle Ages by the kings of Majorca, it is today a ski station in winter and and a point of departure for hikers in summer, notably towards the magnificent lakes of Camporells. website

Evol : classed as one of the prettiest villages of France, this little medieval hamlet has a remarkable homogenity to its houses and has a feudal 13th C chateau and a 15th C church.

Les Angles

An old mountain village of narrow streets of pretty slate-roofed houses, many with their own bread ovens. The fortifications date from the 12th C put in place by the King of Aragon. There are the vestiges of the Chateau and from the square there is a good view over the plain of Capcir.
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Dorres: this village has conserved its authenticity as a rustic mountain village. Bathed in pure air and sunshine, it has the highest warm water source of the Pyrenees. At the centre of the village, the church dates from the 12th century.

The Museum of Tautavel traces the life of the Homo erectus skeleton, Tautavel Man, discovered in 1971 near the village Tautavel in the caune (cave) of Arago and is the oldest European found to date (450 000 ans) . website

Some of the most famous Cathar castles are in the Pyrenees-Orientales and the constant conflicts between the Spanish and French have left a number of forts and fortified towns.

The Salses castle, is just north of Perpignan. Constructed in the late 15th century by the Spanish, the fortress guarded the former frontier between Catalonia and France.

It is a rare example of the transition from the medieval fortified château to the fortifications of the more modern era. The Fortress survived the Thirty Years War and was later abandoned to the French. website

The beaches are excellent and all have superb views of the mountains.

Just to the south-west of Perpignan is Ceret, a small town with just 8000 inhabitants with a Museum of Modern Art.

The Little Yellow Train

With its red and gold livery, this train run through Cerdagne all year round for the past 90 years. Built at the beginning of the 20th century, the aim of the Yellow Train line was to link the high Catalan plains with the rest of the region.

The train’s route takes it through very hilly landscape, there are 19 tunnels and two remarkable bridges: the Séjourné viaduct and the Gisclard suspension bridge, which allow the Yellow Train to make the 44 mile climb.

Les Orgues de Roussillon

"The Organ Pipes" to the west of Perpignan, were formed by erosion of the sandstone,

L'abbaye Saint Martin du Canigou

Built high on a cliff-top in the wilds of the Pyrenees in the 11th C by Guilfred, Comte of Cerdagne, this beautiful abbey is only accessible on foot, but worth the effort. The views are spectacular.

Badly damaged by an earthquake in 1428 it was rebuilt 5 years later. The last monks left in the 18th C, and looters and smugglers pillaged the place. It wasn't until 1902 that the bishop of Perpignan launched an appeal for its restauration.

Since 1988 a monastic community again welcomes the faithful and tourists. website

Priory of Serrabone

On one of the routes to Compostella the medieval monastery, the Priory of Serrabonne, is also high on a hill-top reached after a long climb . The forest of pink marble columns of the cloisters date from the XII th & XIII th C.

There is a sharp contrast between the austerity of the schiste of the exterior walls and the delicacy of the carving of the pink marble columns and capitals. There is also a beautiful botanical garden. website.

Castlenou is a complete medieval walled village including a beautifully preserved 10th century castle in a fantastic situation surrounded by the mountains. The views from the castle are spectacular.

There is a lively market on Tuesdays throughout the summer and there are a number of little craftshops.

Villefranche de Conflent

Between Prades and Olette, this is a beautiful walled village in the mountains with an interesting Church.

Founded in 1090 and benefiting from certain fiscal advantages, hence the name "Ville Franche" (Free Town), until the 18th th C, it was the administrative capital of the region.

The ramparts are impresive and the town has picturesque narrow streets and houses of pink marble (13th & 14th C) website.