lands - Pyrénées Orientales

france
pyrénées-orientales
welcome to the
Mediterranean Pyrenees

…discover
all the seasons of the Mediterranean Pyrenees
experience unexpected run-aways
prepare and reserve your stay
find the ideal accommodation
discover
the agenda of the manifestations
download and read
the various booklets…
www.cdt-66.com
Free booklet published by the Comité Départemental du Tourisme des Pyrénées-Orientales.
© CDT Pyrénées-Orientales – May 2005.
Photographic credits: integral or partial reproduction or representation
of the photographs contained in the present booklet,
by any process and without previous and formal acceptation
by the photographer or his legal successors is strictly forbidden.
Cover: © N. Hautemanière, © A. Mayans, © P. Palau, © R. Roig.
Text: Alter Ego
Translation: Toni Vert-Williams
Printing: Imprimerie Maraval

france
pyrénées-orientales
Welcome to the
Mediterranean Pyrenees
edito
The Catalan region is proud of its natural,
historical and culinary treasures that awake our
senses. Each inhabitant of this territory is an
ambassador of that heritage, this land and its
identity.
A generous region where nature reveals its multiple facets in a
very special light, that can be found in the paintings by Matisse,
Picasso and so many other artists…
The sacred mountain of the Catalans - the Canigou - is an
important link between Paris and Barcelone. There are so many
feats that are waiting to be accomplished, here, in this
Pyrenean territory, which is also the pathway leading to
knowledge and the Mediterranean Sea.
From the mountain to the sea, from Prades to Céret via
Perpignan, the men and women from this paradise open their
hearts to you to welcome you to this exceptional region so that
your motto becomes this one, so proudly upheld by a whole
population, “We are the Catalan accent of the French Republic”.
Christian BOURQUIN
Chairman of the County Council
1st Vice-Chairman Regional Council

© P. Palau
the Medit
Along the infinite curves of the seemingly never-ending beaches
or in the hollows of the cosy creeks, the Catalan coast,
parts sandy and parts rocky indolently stretches out under the hot sun.
Whether to completely relax on the sand,
a stone's throw away from the tranquil murmur of the reeds,
between Le Barcarès and Argelès-sur-Mer,
or to be drawn by the sweet smelling warmth of the creeks
between Le Racou and Cerbère…
Is that really such a dilemma?
The seagulls laugh at such a question.
They are as free as the 'white horses' in the evening breeze,
and their territory covers the whole length of the coast.
© C. Colomer

© N. Hautemanière
erranean sea
© N. Hautemanière
© P. Palau
Here we can see a trawler or a ”lamparo”,
a lamplight fishing boat, returning to port
in the setting sun, and there we can see
a white sailing boat slicing through the
blue sea in the wake of a couple of
dolphins, while over there,
as you turn a corner into a square
or a narrow street in Collioure you can
come across an artist at his easel.
You can feel the incomparable atmosphere
of those never-ending evenings everywhere,
that start at the pre-dinner drinks
and last until the final notes have been
played, along the quaysides and the
promenades, as well as the temptation of a
late night swim under the stars…
A forever-changing scene that
is to be discovered from one
end of this realm to the other.
5

The Catalan Pyrenees
are not like other mountains.
They have a southern accent,
a Mediterranean perfume and even more
sun both in summer and in winter.
© R. Roig
The Catalan mountains exist in white.
Winter. The purity of an immaculate sky
outlining the majestic peaks of the Canigou,
the Carlit, the Cambre d'Aze; the gentle warmth of
the villages from which a sweet smell of wood
burning in the stoves wafts from the chimneys
of the stone built houses; a gay liveliness at the heart
of the resorts where you can try every type of winter
sport in a remarkably well-preserved
environment.
© A. Mayans
© P. Palau
© R. Roig
Pyrenees

© P. Palau
In summer, the Catalan mountains are
very colourful. The green reflection
of a pine tree in the deep blue
of a lake; the gold of the broom bushes;
the crimson of the rhododendrons,
the flamboyance of the leaves
as autumn approaches.
The pleasure of hiking from
one refuge to another, of a simple
walk or the joys of trout fishing.
© Ph. Mahé © P. Palau
mountains
7

The heart of the south and a spicy accent,
Perpignan is turned towards Spain and the East,
an eye on its past and a smile towards the future.
in the city
© Ph. Mahé
Plane trees and palm trees cohabit
along the wide avenues that bathe in the sun.
They offer shade to the beauties sculpted by Maillol that are
both naked and proud, to be found in the corner of a courtyard
or a small square where a marble fountain gently sings.
The lofty splendour of the Palace of the Majorcan Kings
dominates the narrow popular streets overflowing with
spices, fruit or fish, a thousand different aromas
from around the world.
© P. Palau
© Ph. Mahé

perpignan
© P. Palau
© P. Palau
History is everywhere from the convents to
the museums, from the chapels to the processions.
Life is everywhere, in a sardane step, a
harmony of jazz, the plucking of an electric guitar
or the strumming of a Gypsy on his guitar,
an Arabic chant wafting from a window.
In Perpignan it is said that to live in the
present is at every instant, to unite both here
and there, as well as today and tomorrow.
9

© F. Orel
the lands
The landscapes of the Catalan region radiate a natural beauty.
On this generous land there are traces of the work of man,
of his will to live here that dates back a thousand years.

Near the river beds, the market gardeners have dug into the soft,
silty land to make vast rectangles of artichokes, lettuces, or the colourful tomato plants
that blend with the large buildings in “cayrou” stones and white pebbles.
In spring, the orchards of peaches, apricots,
and cherries are bedecked with every shade of pink and white...
It is so pleasant to stroll the fabulous gardens that run the length
of bubbling irrigation canals or the skilfully made aqueducts...
Further afield, on pungent striped hills, low walls built of dry stones, used where man
was unable to bring water, you will find the realm of vines and olive trees,
almond trees as well as the powerful aroma of plants, such as rosemary
and thyme, growing on the scrubland.
And, watching over all these treasures, the imposing silhouette of the
Canigou Mountain with its snow-capped peak that can be seen from afar.
© Ph. Mahé
© P. Palau
© P. Palau
© P. Palau
11

a land
of history
&
From the stone built monasteries to the fortified castles,
from the language of poets to the specific sound of the sardane,
these are all proof of a prestigious past and the specific
culture built on Catalan roots with some French influence.
© P. Palau
© N. Hautemanière
From the prehistoric vestiges
of the “Tautavel Man” to the
Roman or Visigothic periods
up to the loveliest examples
of Romanesque and Baroque art
or Vauban’s fortifications,
we have a gigantic “open-air
museum” spread out over the whole
territory of the Pyrénées-Orientales.
A former possession of the Realms of
Aragon and Majorca during the Middle
Ages, then becoming a far off province of
the Realm of Castille, the Roussillon was
only annexed to France after the signing
of the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659.

patrimony
© P. Palau
© F. Hédelin
Hundreds of religious, civil or
military monuments can still
be found in a remarkable state
of preservation, thousands of
ancient works of sacred
or profane art show the
richness of this history,
which is both
complex and original.
© N. Hautemanière
13

départemental d’art moderne
The strong and invisible breathe of inspiration
has always blown across the Catalan region, inherited
from a prestigious past and the birthplace of contemporary art.
de Céret. © Succession Picasso 2005
Pablo Picasso. Coupelle tauromachique, 17.04.1953.
Collection
du Musée
a land
of inspira
© P. Palau • ADAGP, Paris 2005
The artistic genius can be felt here in all its forms,
marked by a Catalan identity open to all sorts of influences.
The works of art by the masters of Romanesque art then Baroque art,
the audacious treasures created by Matisse and Derain in Collioure,
by “the Picasso group” in Céret, by Maillol in Banyuls-sur-Mer
are not just a fabulous heritage for the pleasure of visitors
but also seed from which grew the talent
of numerous painters and sculptors who live and work here.

Raoul Dufy. Laplace du Barri à Céret, 1940, aquarelle sur papier 49 x 65 cm.
Collection du Musée départemental d’art moderne de Céret. © ADAGP, Paris 2005
tion
A land of inspiration,
the Pyrénées-Orientales
was the birthplace of,
or has drawn
the greatest names
such as Pablo Casals, Salvador Dali or
Claude Simon, the Nobel Prize for Literature.
© N. Hautemanière • N. Saint-Phalle - ADAGP, Paris 2005
But creation is still very much alive and
a hope for the future for many artists from all
different branches.
They carry forth the flame of talent from within
the Catalan country.
15

a land
of talents
© N. Hautemanière
© P. Palau
To cultivate the art of living from the riches
that are offered by Mother Nature, is what we do best.
Such an art can also be considered a science… And also on a rugby field.
Whether it be in gastronomy or viticulture, discover the know-how,
which has attained near perfection. An impressive network of irrigation canals and
aqueducts supply water to the plains as well as the alpine pastures.
The terraced vineyards, artfully sculpted in the rock overlooking the sea;
the centuries-old reputation of local weaving, wrought ironwork,
and pottery continues today …

© R. Roig
These athletes with their Olympic medals,
the USAP rugbymen well supported
by the population raise the proud Catalan colours high
into the sky, thus making this area renown far and wide.
© photo 66
Perfection for the future can also be found
in the most advanced techniques using solar energy
as found in the Cerdagne.
A know-how inherited from the past and forever being updated.
17

a land
of wines
&
Are our eyes bigger than our basket?
© P. Palau
Is there room for this honey and that fresh cheese
from the Aspres, these grapes from the banks of the
Agly river and those cherries from Céret,
as well as those black or white “botifare” sausages
from Cerdagne, those anchovies from Collioure, those
“bunyetes” from Millas and those “rosquilles” from
the Vallespir? And what about all those wines?
© Ph. Mahé

tastes
© P. Palau
© P. Palau
There are those dishes made from seafood, those
from the plain as well as those from the mountains.
The very authenticity of the natural products
can be found in a simple meal of grilled meats or
fish, an assortment of local delicatessen products
accompanied by “pà amb tomaquet”, bread
rubbed with a clove of garlic and a ripe tomato with just
a dribble of olive oil, followed by a basket of fresh fruit...
There is also the tasty Catalan way of serving rabbit and snails, chicken and
prawns together like friends in a fable, mixed with the smell of saffron
or green aniseed or truffles ... Every day of a year, for each one of these pleasures,
there is a different wine. Côtes du Roussillon red, white or rosé wines;
Muscat de Rivesaltes, Banyuls or Maury wines not only for your pre-dinner drinks
but also with a local foie gras pâté, cheese or to accompany a dessert.
P. Palau
19

© P. Palau
a land of
festivities
Whether sacred or profane, serious or gay,
celebrations and ceremonies follow
a certain rhythm marking the passing of time
in our Catalan country.
Before Christmas, the “pessebres”, enacted nativity scenes that
are vibrant with songs and popular fervour, celebrate the arrival of
the Saviour. Towards the end of winter, when nature gently lifts up
its head, laughter and masks invade the streets at carnival
time; in the Vallespir each year the symbolic fight between
the bear and the shepherds is tirelessly re-enacted.
© P. Palau

© Ph. Mahé
© P. Palau
For Holy Week, the lugubrious sound of the bell and the
drum used to announce death accompany the long
processions of penitents who hide their faces under their
hoods.
In summer, the festivals of music, dancing
and plays are everywhere.
The bonfires of St John’s Eve light up the Canigou
Mountain; the nights are never-ending
during the warmest of the “ferias” where the
real meaning of life’s many pleasures in the south explodes
to the rhythm of the bandas - the local fanfares.
At Easter, Pentecost and many other times of year there is
the need to confirm some ancestral roots and so the gay,
shrill music of the “coblas” - orchestras - tugs at the
heartstrings of the sardane dancers and, they hold
hands to form a circle and dance together.
21

© C. Levillain
© Ph. Mahé
a land
of moveme

© R. Roig
Moving in the water or in the sky
on land and even under ground
But that’s not all,
there’s more to come!
There are about ten natural reserves
and numerous remarkable sites
to be visited by ramblers or hikers
of all levels, for amateurs of white
water rafting or canyoneering,
potholing, pike or trout fishing,
regattas at sea or windsurfing
competitions on the lakes…
There’s still more :
whether for beginners or specialists
there are golf courses, tennis courts,
horse-riding centres, mountain bike
or motocross circuits, micro-light or
paragliding bases …
There is only one problem,
with such a wide choice ...
where to start ?
at every season and at every age,
there is so much energy around !
It is quite rare to find both the sea and the mountains
in the same region and it opens
an infinite perspective to everyone:
to those who love skiing down snowy slopes or else
across the salty waves, then there’s rock climbing
or scuba diving, ice skating or pedalos,
deep sea fishing or raspberry picking…
© Ph. Mahé
nt
© P. Palau
23

a land
of contempla
© P. Palau
Here the land,
the sea and the sky cannot be explained.
You just gaze at them, listen to them,
© N. Hautemanière
taste them, touch them, and smell them.
The pleasure of it all needs time and silence.

tion
© P. Palau
© R. Roig
To be in the sun or in the shade?
On the sand, near the waves or under a tree on the banks of a lake?
In the centre of town or out in the countryside?
In the coolness of a river or in the bubbling water of a hot water spa?
It doesn’t matter. Wherever you are, just listen, breathe deeply and then breathe once
more. If necessary, close your eyes to get the feeling and maybe even to see everything better.
A white sail slicing through the blue sea, the laughter of a seagull, the cry of an eagle, the
rustling of the plane trees in the Tramontane wind, the muffled cries of a distant festival,
the murmur of a stream, the delicate perfume of a copse of mimosa trees, the promising
scent of a fire of vine twigs. At siesta time, the sun plays hide and seek
through the slats of the shutters, the outline of the hills dominating
the impeccable straight lines of the orchards or the vineyards…
In the depths of nature you can find the welcoming intimacy of a country
where things change every day.
25

come to our
land of exceptions!
So that your holidays are a moment of magic that is unforgettable, that is my wish and
that of all the inhabitants of the Pyrénées-Orientales!
Everything is here to make your stay with us a precious moment for you: an
incomparable style of life, a natural, cultural and gastronomic heritage which is very
diverse, a network of tourism professionals who are motivated, always ready to listen
to you and sensitive to you well-being, and of course, a sweetness of life which is
inherent in our beautiful “southern“ region.
Come and meet us! We look forward to offering you our traditional Catalan hospitality. Because it is
here and nowhere else.
Pierre AYLAGAS
Chairman of the Departmental Tourism Committee of the Pyrénées-Orientales
Vice-Chairman of the County Council of the Pyrénées-Orientales
Mayor of Argelès-sur-Mer

By plane
Perpignan - Rivesaltes Airport: information and booking
Tel. 00 33 4 68 52 60 70 - E-mail: aeroport@perpignan.cci.fr
Direct flights London-Stansted / Perpignan
Ryanair: information and reservations
Contact your travel agency or book on line on www.ryanair.com
Direct flights Birmingham/Perpignan and Southampton/Perpignan
Flybe: Information and reservations
Tel. 13 922 685 00 • www.flybe.com
Direct flights Paris Orly-Sud/Perpignan
Air France: Information and reservations
Tel. 0845 0845 111 • www.airfrance.com
By bus
Eurolines : London/Perpignan
www.eurolines.fr
By car
Eurotunnel Folkestone-Calais/Coquelles • www.eurotunnel.com
The Pyrénées-Orientales are linked to the European network by the
A9 highway.
A9, exit Perpignan Nord/Perpignan Sud/Le Boulou
RN20 (by Puymorens tunnel)
RN9
By train
Direct connections
• Eurostar : London (Waterloo) or Ashford (Kent) to Paris or Lille
• SNCF Lille/Montpellier/Perpignan
• SNCF TGV MÉDITERRANÉE Paris/Perpignan
• SNCF Paris-Austerlitz/Latour-de-Carol
SNCF information and booking: www.sncf.fr
Eurostar information and booking: www.eurostar.com

france
pyrénées-orientales
welcome to the
Mediterranean Pyrenees
www.cdt-66.com
Comité Départemental du Tourisme
16, avenue des Palmiers
B.P. 540 - 66005 Perpignan cedex - France
Tel. 00 33 (0)4 68 51 52 53
Fax 00 33 (0)4 68 51 52 50
E-mail : Tourisme.Roussillon.france@wanadoo.fr
www.cg66.fr
www.resinfrance.com