 The regionAdd a sprinkling of Spain, mix it with a generous amount of France and stir it all together with a strong touch of Catalonia and you have the Pyrenées Orientales..............
Below you will find some basic information on some of the region’s towns and tourist resorts with links to their tourist office. We are adding to it every day. Do let us know of anything that we could add to these pages that might be of interest to readers. Do you know of a town or village in the Pyrénées-Orientales that deserves a mention, or a special event or attraction? Have you come across somewhere that was particularly well/badly adapted for the disabled, families, the elderly? We look forward to hearing from you. Contact us on info@fab-po.com
Argelès
At the foot of the Albères mountain range, just a short drive away from the Spanish border lies Argelès-sur-Mer. With its seven kilometres of wide sandy beach, safe and supervised bathing is ensured whilst the numerous little rocky creeks provide a perfect base for those who wish to scuba dive or get away from the crowds. The Tramontane and Marin winds makes windsurfing and surfing more challenging than in many resorts and all manner of water sports are available here.
Argelès has recently earnt the title of ’Handiplage’ due to its many facilities for the disabled. The town is undertaking a special programme in order to make the resort more accessible to disabled visitors, including training the staff in the tourist office and the ’police munipale’ to better understand the needs of the visually impaired.
Market: Saturday and Wednesday a.m (village) Everyday during high season (beach)
www.argeles-sur-mer.com
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Port Barcarès
Situated between the Etang de Salses - 7000 hectares of saltwater lake - and the Mediterranean, this purpose-built resort has something for everybody. With 8 kilometres of fine sandy beaches, a large marina, and fishing port, Port Barcarès offers all manner of water sports and activities for young and old.
Market: Monday, Wednesday, Friday (town) Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday (beach) in high season
www.tourisme.fr/office-de-tourisme/le-barcares.htm
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Port-Vendres
A typical Mediterranean fishing port, Port Vendres is renowned for its numerous fish and sea food restaurants. The fish comes literally straight from the boat onto your table! You can watch the fishing boats arriving with their daily catch - you cant get fresher than that! Why not try the ’peche du jour’ (fish of the day) which is chosen daily according to the catch, or join one of the scuba diving groups if you prefer to watch fish rather than eat them? For the best of both worlds, book a fishing trip with the pros - a sure way to catch your fish and eat it!
Market: Saturday am
www.port-vendres.com/gastronomie/vignoble.htm
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Canet-en-Roussillon
With some 9 kilometres of sandy, supervised beaches and a salt lake positioned between the sand dunes and the beach, Canet is a purpose built resort offering a wide range of activities, which manages to combine the old with the new, having been built around the original village of narrow streets and small traditional shops. If you or the family enjoy roller blading or skating, the beach is the place to go as skaters of all standards meet to practice their art on the smooth flat pavements along the sea front. The resort is host in the Summer to numerous events: concerts and fairs, exhibitions and markets and the evenings are animated by friendly, colourful cafés boasting live music of all types from folk to rock.
Market: Tuesday and Thursday a.m and daily during high season
www.ot-canet.fr/ang/index.htm
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to the mountain.........
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Font Romeu
In the heart of the Catalan Pyrenees, and situated at an altitude of 1800m, Font Romeu is apparently the sunniest ski resort in France with 300 hours of sun per year. A renowned ski resort, Font Romeu boasts 460 snow cannons and 54 km of ski runs: perfect for lovers of downhill skiing. For the cross-country skier, there are 100km of cross country pistes with marked circuits offering all levels of skiing. Worth visiting amongst other things, is the Chapelle de l’Ermitage built in the 17th century on the site of a fountain (hence the name Font Romeu - the pilgrim’s fountain) and Le Grand Hotel, which was frequented by royalty and the rich and famous from all over the world in the 1920s and 30s. Also in this area is the Four Solaire d’Odeillo built in 1968 - a laboratory researching solar energy, so if you see any strange consructions in the country side, don’t worry, the aliens haven’t landed yet!
It must of course not be forgotten that Font Romeu is also a thriving village packed with shops, restaurants and hotels. Le Petit Train Jaune (the little yellow train) built in 1902 to link the mountains with the plain, also passes through Font Romeu and it is largely due to this and the Grand hotel that Font Romeu has been able to develop into the popular resort that it is today.
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and in between.........
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Céret
’He who hasn’t seen Ceret when the cherry trees are in blossom, when it seems that a Spring snowfall has left a magical world of crystal frost patterns over town and countryside, does not know the meaning of enchantment’
AnnonymousThis beautiful little town, famous for its cherry trees and crop, with its narrow cobbled streets and shady plane trees is a ’must’ to visit. In the early 20th century, Ceret was the inspiration for Picasso and Braque who brought along with them their entourage of artists. Since then, it has attracted artists from all over the world and built up a firm reputation in the art world.The Musée d’Art Moderne in the centre represents the collections of many famous painters such as Picasso, Braque, Matisse and Soutine to name but a few.
Also famous for its cherries, early Spring witnesses the blossoming of the many cherry tree and culminates in the ’Fete de la Cerise’ on the 29th and 30th May. Dancing in the street is obligatory! Add to all this the fact that Ceret is only a 10 minute drive from the Spanish border (Le Pertus), a 15 minute drive from the nearest coastal resort and a 45 minute drive into the mountains and you can see why it is a town which really does offer you the best of both worlds!Market: Saturday morning - centre
www.ot-ceret.fr/ang/ville-ceret/sommaire.htm
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Prats de Mollo
Only 13 kilometres away from the Spanish border, situated on the south face of the Canigou,this walled town is a delight of narrow cobbled streets and ancient mediaeval architecture. With only 1,100 inhabitants, it nevertheless boasts numerous hotels, restaurants and cafés, the narrow streets forming terraces linked together by stairways and passages.A covered walkway leads directly from the town to Fort Laguarde, an impressive fort built by Marshall Vauban in 1683 to strengthen the town’s defences. Its position also makes it ideal as a starting point for endless walking and climbing itineraries.
Only a few kilometres away lies La Preste a spa town famous throughout Europe for its waters and treatment of urinary infections and related diseases. In the 14th century, people with leprosy used to bathe in the ’Leper’s pool’ to help to relieve their symtoms. The spa also offers health and fitness programmes.
www.pratsdemollolapreste.com
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Amélie-les-Bains
Amélie-les-bains, situated in the Tech valley, was named after Queen Amelia, wife of King Louis Philippe. Like La Preste it is a spa town with numerous sulphur springs which are apparently used to great efect by sufferers of rheumatism and lung diseases.This spa town combines the old and the new with a mix of narrow cobbled streets and modern accommodation. It has become a ’station verte’ meaning that it must strive at all times to ensure that tourists benefit from a calm and natural environment.
www.amelie-les-bains.com
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Vernet les Bains
Recommended to ease respiratory and rheumatic disorders due to its sodium sulphur waters, flowing down from the very heart of the Canigou mountains, this spa town and typical Catalan village was also awarded the ’station verte de vacances’ or ’green’ award for its green and natural environment. It is particularly recommended for those who appreciate outdoor sporting and leisure activities or are looking for adventure as its position at the foot of the Canigou mountain, nestled into the Cady valley, makes it a paradise for walking, mountain biking, and horse riding or for the more adventurous, canyoning, rock climbing and even an organised race up to the top of the Canigou! Not for the faint hearted!
www.ot-vernet-les-bains
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Eus
With a population of only 390, this small village built into the sunny side of the mountain, surrounded by peach trees and mimosa, is a great tourist attraction. Situated off the main road between Perpignan and Prades, the village is visible from afar due to its elevated position. Behind the church at the top of the village lie enormous granite rocks representing a monk, a pirate and a frog! Originally a fortified town, the narrow cobbled streets descend in terraces and the village is a pedestrian zone which enables the tourist to appreciate it without being constantly hooted at!
www.tourinfos.com
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Prades
This sous-prefecture, at the foot of Mount Canigou, halfway between the Mediterranean Sea and the pyrenean ski-ing resorts, is perfectly placed as a base to enjoy the pleasures of both sea and mountain. An hour’s drive from Andorra and two hours away from Barcelona, Prades and its surroundings in the Conflent region, are the starting point for a variety of excursions and numerous sporting and leisure time activities : Rambling, canyoning, mountain biking, horse riding, potholing, etc. These settings were the inspiration for Pablo Casals who chose Prades as his second home. Every year, in summer, this famous composer is remembered during the Pablo Casals Chamber Music Festival. The town has a bustling and lively market atmosphere with a wide variety of colourful shops, restaurants and cafés. The beauty of this town has got to be its enviable position giving you easy access to all that the P-O has to offer!
www.prades-tourisme.com
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Le Perthus
Le Perthus is situated on the border of France and Spain on the edge of the Vallespir 30k from Perpignan. Because of its position on the border, it is tax-free and therefore always packed with visitors buying alcohol and cigarettes. The majority of the shops line the main road that passes from France into Spain and onto La Jonquera. This street is usually overflowing with tourists who are frequently obliged to walk on the road as the pavements are narrow in parts. Parking is poor and there are regular traffic jams into and out of the village, paticularly around 17h00 when everybody is trying to leave at once. There is no doubt that cigarettes and alcohol are much cheaper here but beware! The town is a tourist trap and not all goods on sale are cheap or satisfactory quality. Be choosy and don’t assume because it’s tax free it’s worth buying!
Whilst you are there, it is worth visiting le fort de Bellegarde, built by Vauban, architect to Louis XIV, in the 17th century. This military fort served to protect the border as France and Spain were at war.
Many thanks to Kate from PO-Life for this information
More solar panels
The Pyrenées Orientales is a region of France that has whole heartedly embraced using solar panels for generating electrcity and heating up water. Thanks to workable but strict planning regulations many of the solar kits that people have installed look great on the roof. Many people are making money selling the power generated by solar panels to the electricity company. Lots of others use solar hot water panels to provide over 80% of the hot water requirements for there house and holiday home. Heating your swimming pool using solar panels is also very popular. Have a look at www.mysolarshop.co.uk for more information about how you can start benefiting from all the abundant free solar energy we have all around us. This region is a great place to do some some planet loving Solar powered DIY!
www.mysolarshop.co.uk
Many thanks to Kate from PO-Life for this information |
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