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The Vallespir Valley -
Pyrenees
The
Vallespir valley, is a beautiful part of the French Pyrenees,
right next to the Spanish border. It is the southernmost
valley of France, forming a part of French Catalonia, and is
dominated by Mount Canigou
The valley
begins at Le Boulou, and follows the river Tech through
Amelie-les-Bains, Arles-sur-Tech and Prats-de-Mollo.
vallespir.com
Le Boulou
A small frontier town, located just south of Perpignan, Le
Boulou is the largest producer of cork in France.
At the beginning of the 20th century the surrounding
countryside was plan ted with cork oak trees to replace the
vines, which had been devastated by phylloxera. Cork oaks are
resistant to forest fires, and as a consequence certain areas
are now being replanted. These plantations produced the
cork for the champagne industry, but production has greatly
reduced over the past few years.
There is a good bus service from Le Boulou.
Just to the south of the town are spa resorts and a casino.
An
advertisement for the Central and Orleans Railways' service,
shows that Le Boulou has been a popular spa town for many
years.
Office de
tourisme Le Boulou
Céret
The road from Le Boulou winds it's way along the River Tech into the Pyrenean Mountains, passing through Céret,
famed by artists and the colourful Saturday morning market.
Most of this area is famous for its cherry production, and the mild climate guarantees early maturity, around mid April. The very first picking is traditionally sent to the French President, as a gift from Catalonia.
A busy town,
with a network of narrow and winding streets, Ceret is
dominated by medieval fortifications.
Céret is an important centre
of Catalan tradition, and culture,
and all the street names are written in French and Catalan.
During the summer, there are many festivals celebrating
Catalan culture. The Sardane dance is frequently performed,
and the streets inside the old city are filled with stands
selling food, and drink. In July there is a festival
dedicated to the Corrida (bull fighting) with bulls running
through the streets.
Throughout
the year, the lively Saturday market is full of local
produce. The town boasts a museum for modern art, with works by Matisse, Chagal, Maillol, Dali, Miro.
The valley gets increasingly narrow as you approach the Spa town of Amélie.
Office de Tourisme de
Céret - Office de Tourisme de Céret
Amélie-les-Bains-Palalda
Located in
the Valespir, at an altitude of 230 meters, and 30
kilometers from the Mediterranean, on the southernmost slope
of Mount Canigou.
Amelie dates
from Roman times. Numerous sources flow down into the resort
from the Serrat d’en Merle hills, supplying more than a
million litres of thermal water per day. Rich in sulphur,
chloride of sodium, and carbonates of sodium amongst other
elements, their natural temperature is around 44° - 66°.
This attracted the Romans who saw a steady and sufficient
supply for villas they wanted to build. Thus appeared the
ancient thermal baths, the "Aquae Calidae", famous
throughout the region, and the start of a city that never
really fully developed at that time.
 Amelie is
one of the most frequently visited thermal baths in the
whole of France, and is built on a very old, hot water
source. It explains why this village has been known to man
from very early times. Stone engravings show that
prehistoric man lived here from at least 800BC, and before
the arrival of the Romans.
It was Roman
ingenuity, and know how that built the baths. The main hall
measured 22.40 m long, 12m wide and 11.20 m high. The
central basin, called Lavacrum, measured 8.50 m by 16m and
2m deep and it was paved with small bricks. There were also
two smaller individual basins.
At the
beginning of the 5th century, barbarian invasions drove the
Romans out. The various peoples who successively invaded the
region did not stay long enough to enjoy what had been
built, and when the Visigoths settled, they deemed the baths
unnecessary. The ancient thermal baths were abandoned and
the site abandoned.
It was not
until the end of the 8th century that a written record made
mention of the baths. In a document called "The Baths of
Arles ". Charlemagne gave the land to the monks of Arles,
who lived in the Abbey of St. Mary that was established
further along the valley. People who lived scattered in the
valleys regrouped around their protectors.
Thus,
protected by priests, the baths of Arles were transformed
into a thriving city during the middle ages.
Amélie came
under state control after the French revolution, the town
sold the spa in 1813 to a family called Hermabessière. They
added many buildings, and renovated the old. They managed to
make a fashionable health resort.
In 1840 the
town changed its name "The city of Arles baths" to "Amélie
les Bains" in honor of Queen Amelie, the beloved wife of
Louis-Philippe, King of France. There are two public, and
one military Spa here, the latter founded by Queen Amélie,
in 1854, who apparently recognized the sufferings of
rheumatic and asthmatic soldiers.
Above Amélie
sits a Fort, which protected the town. This fort is old but
it was heavily renovated in the seventeenth century by the
engineer, St Hilaire, and was profoundly changed by Vauban
during his tour of Roussillon. It is small, roughly square
in shape. Today it is privately owned. There was also a
military hospital in the town. This hospital was built in
1853, and contained a chapel, and has now been converted
into apartments.
The town was
hit twice by floods. The first time in 1908, then again on
Nov. 18, 1940 when a flood devastated the Tech. In 1942, the
small village of Palalda cited for the first time in 833,
was attached to the spa. The current name of the town is "Amélie
les Bains-Palalda".
The healing
sulphur springs rise from the Gorge de Mondony, and the
sanatoriums are situated conveniently near by. The spas fall
into two general categories, pampering and medical. The
Medical Spa can provide a realistic alternative for those
seeking to alleviate a wide range of adverse health
conditions.
Amélie les bains, Office du
Tourisme.
Arles sur Tech
Arles-sur-Tech was known in the past for its iron ore industry, but now lives mainly from tourism. It boasts a beautiful 900 century church, and convent.
In
common with Prats de Mollo, and St Laurent de Cerdans, Arles
sur Tech has a Bear Festival each February, but Arles is
probably best known for its Abbey of Sainte Mairie, founded
in the XIII century by Sunifred, brother of Wilfred the
Hairy (whose shield became the Catalan flag).
It was
destroyed by Viking raiders, and replaced by the present
church in 1046. The beautiful cloisters were added two
centuries later. In the X century a plague of “monkey men”,
dragons, bears and other beasts were causing havoc in the
area. Abbot Arnulfe set off to Rome in search of relics to
safeguard the population and ward off all evil. He returned
with those of Abdon and Sennen, obscure Persian saints,
martyred in the Arena of Rome. They did the job. One man was
instantly cured of leprosy and the monkey men, and co melted
away. The IV century sarcophagus in which their bones used
to be stored, and known at “La Sainte Tombe” has run with
pure water ever since, defying scientific explanation. The
water is drawn off periodically and distributed to the
faithful.
The church
is rich in baroque art, and XII century frescoes decorate the
apse of the high chapel. It also houses a superb XIII
century Schmidt Organ. An old refectory in the cloisters,
contains a small museum of local iron mining history.
The medieval
city centre is full of winding narrow streets with elegant houses.
Tourist
Office tel: 04 6839 1199.
Halfway
between Ceret and Prats de Mollo, Arles sur Tech is the
starting point for excursions to St Laurent de Cerdans and
on, via Coustouges, into Spain; or for the drive through
mining history to Corsavy, la Baterre and over to Valmanya
and the Tet valley; or why
not visit Gorges de la Fou?
http://www.tourisme-haut-vallespir.com/favicon.ico
“Les Gorges de la Fou: the narrowest gorge in the world"
The Gorges de la Fou is located two kilometres beyond Alrles sur Tech, on the road from Le Boulou to Prats de Mollo, and thence to the frontier with Spain'
La Fou is an old Catalan word meaning precipice, but when you first arrive, you have no idea of the amazing sheerness of the walls of this gorge, It is said to be the narrowest gorge in the world, and in some parts the walls are only about 1 meter apart, with a depth of between 200 and 250 meters. The gorge stretches for about 1739 meters and the constructed metal passageway allows one to walk 1500 meters of its length. There is an incline of about 9% giving a rise of 157 meters from the beginning of the walk to its end. The average time needed for a visit, is between one and a half to two hours. The metal passageway passes over the stream throughout its length. It is the constant flow of this stream that has cut the gorge, and the numerous galleries and caves. The water continues to erode the calcified rock base. It is said that bandits used the gorge as a hide away, more than 100 years ago, but it was not until 1928 that a group of local people explored the full length of the canyon for the first time.
The Fou Canyon is not as grand as the one in Colorado, but it is certainly the narrowest, and in many ways as interesting. Judge for yourself by undertaking this perfectly safe exploration.
Prats-de-Mollo
Prats de Mollo is situated, on the south face of Mount Canigou, and is a departure point for a variety of walks at all levels. At the nearby Roc Colom (2507 m) the River Tech has its source.
Prats de Mollo-la Preste is a small town that increases its population to 4,000 inhabitants in summer, but is still ideal for a restful, and relaxing holiday, and is only 40 miles (1 hour's drive) from the Mediterranean coast.
It dates back to the counts of Bésalu, in the12th century. The town was fortified by Vauban, the famous military architect, and the old part of Prats-de-Mollo is extremely well preserved, as are the surrounding walls.
Fort
Lagarde sits high over the town reminding you that this
area was fought over, for centuries, by the French, and
Spanish before it was ceded to France in 1659.
The town has a number of good restaurants, and hotels, but if you bring a picnic go to Les Forquets in the mountains, where there is a wide choice of spots with breathtaking views, and a crystal clear stream. Some picnic places have barbecues, tables and benches.
http://www.pratsdemollolapreste.com
Fete de l’Ours (Bear Festival)
At the
beginning of February
Prats-de-Mollo comes out of hibernation in style, with the
Fête de l’Ours, followed by three days of carnival!!
Biting and clawing at any
onlooker, the last of
the "bears" of Costabonne come down into the town. Of course, these are not real bears! They are
men and women dressed in sheep skins, their faces and hands
blackened with a mixture of suie (soot) and huile (oil), the
hunters carry shot guns, filled with blanks, and a gourd of
’bon vin’. Bears, hunters and barbers are regularly revived
with copious mouthfuls of wine!
At 15h, three shots ring
out, and the
hunt begins. The bears run, hunters follow, the crowd cheers,
and deafened by gunfire, and everyone is drunk on the atmosphere.... Eventually
the ’men in white’ or ’barbiers’, covered in flour, and dressed in white with lace
bonnets, intervene to bait the bear! They are armed with
heavy chains. One has an axe, another carries a botifarra
(locally made black pudding!!) and a cuvette (basin)
A final struggle between
man and beast, and the chained bears are taken to the place
du Foiral, accompanied by the ‘cobla’ (traditional Catalan
music) where they are ’shaved’ and ’humanised’ by the ‘barbiers’,
using the axe for a razor, and the black pudding for soap
The day of the bear
finishes with the Bal de Corre, in which bears, hunters and
barbers dance around in a frenzied circle, until a gun shot
rings out, and the bears fall to the ground, dead.
Carnival
The ‘taming’ of the bear
is only the beginning of several days of carnival, and
tradition in Prats de Mollo.
On Monday, the Mascarade opens
the festivities, as the village children, dressed in white,
with faces covered in flour parade through the streets,
making as much noise as possible, banging on pans and bin
lids…
In the afternoon, it is time for the Encadenat - men
dressed as women, and women dressed as men, in flamboyant,
and colourful costumes, joining together to
form a long line as they dance through the streets of the
town, conga-like, followed by the Ball de la Posta.
The
’posta’ is a plank with a picture of a pretty girl at one
end, representing the virgin, and a devil at the other end.
Dancers range themselves in couples, opposite the carrier of
la posta, and his colleague, who carries a wooden sword. The
dancers advance three times, in couples, towards the armed
pair. The first time they bow, the second time the lady must
kiss the face on the posta, choosing devil or virgin, and
the third time, she gets a smack on the bottom with the
plank! In olden days, this dance was a judgement on vice and
virtue!
On Tuesday, a masked ball.
At midnight, there is the ritualistic burning of the
carnival king. Dressed in white, covered in flour, and
equipped with a lit candle, participants dance round in a
circle, and try to set the person in front alight! This
ceremony is called the Tio tio. Le porteur du balai is on
hand with a broom to put out the flames of anyone who is set
on fire. (Tio means
log and is represented by a roll of paper, stuck on the
back of each dancer. It is this, that they try to set
alight, rather than the whole person!!)
Great fun, a little bit
different, and well worth attending.
The Spanish frontier is just 14 kilometers beyond Prats de Mollo,
after a very picturesque drive over the mountains..
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