In the south of France and on the Spanish border, one foot in the Mediterranean, with the Pyrenees chain as a backdrop, this department has everything for itself! You will find large ski resorts, including Font-Romeu, a resort for top sportsmen and women who come here to train in both summer and winter, natural areas, fine sandy beaches and charming sites, not to mention Perpignan, a capital city with sumptuous buildings and beautiful vitality, particularly around photojournalism. The coastline is home to the Cerbère-Banyuls marine reserve, which is of great biodiversity and interest to scientists, and Collioure, a charming port that attracts artists. The Côte Vermeille aligns the seaside resorts where you can sunbathe: Canet-en-Roussillon, Argelès-sur-Mer, Saint-Cyprien, Le Barcarès. The most sporty ones climb trees in the mountains, canyon in white water, reach the summits by hiking trails. The department also hosts the largest karting circuit in Europe: the Roussillon circuit. The heritage is not to be outdone and includes classified religious buildings. Thermalism is represented, as elsewhere in the Pyrenees, massive with many beneficial springs, with five thermal resorts, including Amélie-les-Bains.

When to go Pyrénées-Orientales ?

When to go to the Pyrenees-Orientales? Even if this destination has two high tourist seasons in summer for all outdoor sports and in winter for skiing, it remains pleasant all year round, given the mild climate. However, you will find fewer establishments open in the off-seasons, the advantage being that prices drop as the number of tourists drops and you can enjoy the country at your own pace by meeting more authentic producers and hospitality professionals who have more time to devote to you. In summer, the Côte Vermeille, on the Mediterranean, is a mass tourist destination, with numerous hotels and campsites, as well as attractions and activities. The mountains also see an influx of tourists, but they are not looking for seaside pleasures, rather for outdoor sports activities (hiking, rafting, mountain biking...). The year is punctuated by festivals, meetings and celebrations in the winter resorts or the seaside resorts, depending on the season. Perpignan offers an annual cultural program that can make your stay attractive in any season and particularly in September during the photojournalism meetings, Visa pour l'image de Perpignan.

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Pictures and images Pyrénées-Orientales

Castell. Benjamin Malassingne - Shutterstock.com
Font-Romeu. Iain Frazer - Shutterstock.com
Le château de la Brède où Montesquieu vécut une partie de sa vie. nbnserge - stock.adobe.com
Le village de Céret. Iakov Filimonov - Shutterstock.com

The 12 keywords Pyrénées-Orientales

1. # Organic Agriculture

20% of farmland in the département is organic. Respect for the earth and living things is on the rise in the Catalan region. In vineyards, gardens and orchards, farmers are increasingly turning their attention to the agriculture of tomorrow. Visit our village markets, meet the producers, you'll be seduced and converted.

2. # Modern art

In the last century, the Pyrenees-Orientales were a source of inspiration for painters drawn by light and nature. Collioure, cradle of Fauvism, remembers Matisse and Derain. Céret keeps Picasso in its memory. And Perpignan, the "center of the world", swears by Dali! And let's not forget the renowned artists born in the region, such as Maillol and Terrus.

3. # Romanesque art

The département is a priceless treasure trove for those who know how to lose themselves inland and look up into the freshness of religious buildings, large and small. The region's most emblematic monuments include the Serrabone priory, the abbeys of Saint Michel de Cuxa and Saint Martin du Canigou, and the cloister at Elne.

4. # Canigó

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The Canigó massif rises to an altitude of 2784 m. Visible from afar, this imposing massif has become a symbol for the Catalans, who have dubbed it the sacred mountain. Every year, at the summer solstice, the flame is rekindled at its summit and sent down to all the villages. You must climb it once in your life, for the view from the top is magnificent.

5. # Catalan culture

Catalan, a member of the Neolatin language family, was born in the 8th century. The vast majority of its speakers live in Catalonia. It is a pillar of identity in this region, just as Catalan culture is alive and well, rich in tradition and claimed by a wide cross-section of the population in the Pyrénées Orientales.

6. # Mediterranean

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The Catalan coastline stretches over 70 km with an amazing variety of landscapes, two thirds of which are sandy beaches bordered by a vast lagoon between Le Barcarès and Argelès-sur-Mer. Then come the pebble beaches and creeks. All styles of water sports activities are available on the coast: kite surfing, paddle, scuba diving...

7. # Mountain

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Conflent, Vallespir, Cerdagne and Capcir are the department's mountainous regions, occupying a third of its surface area. The Catalan Pyrenees are not only a delight for hikers, skiers and mountaineers, they also offer unique ecological diversity and a wide variety of landscapes, from altitudes of 300 to almost 3000 m.

8. # Retirada

Between January and February 1939, over 500,000 Spanish refugees crossed the border to escape Franco's regime. This is the retreat that history will remember under the Spanish name of " Retirada ". Today, more than 70 years later, many descendants of the exiles live in the département and keep alive the memory of this exodus of no return.

9. # Rugby

The Catalan region is a land of rugby. With the USAP XV team, this year's French Pro D2 champions, joining the Top 14 elite, and the Catalan Dragons XIII team, competing brilliantly in the English championship and flying the "Sang et Or" colors high, with perhaps a second English Cup to their name this season.

10. # Traditions

Catalan traditions are just as alive. Going hand in hand with language and culture, they seal the seal of this regional identity. They give rise to numerous events throughout the year. The most famous are the Correfocs, the Gegants, the Castellers or the Sant Jordi celebrations.

11. # Vauban

How can we talk about military architecture without mentioning Vauban? From north to south and even in the Catalan mountains, the Sun King's architect closed the locks and consolidated the borders with Spain. The state of conservation of the buildings is surprising in Villefranche-de-Conflent, Salses, Mont Louis and at the Fort of Bellegarde in Perthus.

12. # Vineyard

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The terraces of the Catalan amphitheater have been planted with vines since Roman times. A mosaic of varied terroirs unique in France! The wines of Roussillon are rich, fruity and full-bodied, each expressing a particular character inspired by the land, the climate and the winemaker. Not forgetting the famous Vins Doux Naturels.

You are from here, if...

in summer, you go to the beach very early to avoid the flood of tourists

in winter, you sometimes go swimming too

at aperitif time, you order tapas

you leave the plains or Perpignan to spend the weekend in a mountain chalet

you swear by Roussillon wines and your gullet refuses any other beverage

you're a fan of the USAP or the Dragons and don't miss a single rugby match

you know a dozen or so expressions in Catalan and can string together a few sentences in the language

you call anyone who isn't from northern Catalonia "gavatx

you go shopping in Figueres or Barcelona at the weekend

if you're a woman, you wear at least one Catalan garnet

you've climbed Canigó, the Catalans' sacred mountain, at least once in your life

you no longer pay attention to the gusts of the Tramontane (the wind that drives you crazy but chases the clouds away)

you marvel at living in a land where sea, plain and mountains come together

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