Tourist Attractions & Monuments Pyrénées-Orientales

Symbol of the wild beauty of the Côte Vermeille, the listed site of Anse de Paulilles is now a haven of peace. This large cove bathed in greenery is home to 3 beautiful beaches separated by rocky promontories. The site that we are given to see nowadays is the result of the unfailing will of the Conservatoire du Littoral in partnership with the Department, which is now in charge of its management. Guided tours will allow you to discover Paulilles' industrial past and to appreciate the landscape rehabilitation of this exceptional site. A museographic space presents the history of this former dynamite works. A new one-hour guided tour entitled "Cap au Sud" (Heading South) will allow you to immerse yourself in the daily life of the dynamite workers in the 1970s. Don't forget to visit L'atelier des Barques, where marine carpenters will show you the restoration work on Catalan boats. From the lookout, you will have a 360° panorama of the cove of Paulilles. This is the favourite site of the Catalans when the fine weather is coming. An advice in high season, come early in the morning or late in the evening. A magnificent hiking trail allows you to walk along the creeks and climb up to the lighthouse at Cap Béar. On the way, beautiful discovery of the local flora and small hidden coves. From the summit, the view is breathtaking over the Vermeille coast to the south and the Gulf of Lion to the north. Simply magical!

It would be a challenge not to present the Regional Natural Park of the Catalan Pyrenees to you, even in a succinct way, as its competences are so vast. It must be said that its territory extends over 130,000 hectares on a gradient of 300 to 3,000 metres in altitude and 60% of the surface area of the territory is classified: 7 natural reserves, 5 classified natural sites, 7 Natura 2000 sites, 2 UNESCO World Heritage sites (the Vauban citadels of Mont-Louis and Villefranche de Conflent), 3 swimming sites in warm natural waters (Dorres, Fontpédrouse and Llo), thermalism and wellness activities (Vernet les bains and Molitg les bains) as well as the mobility of the inhabitants of the 66 communes with the development of carpooling (Rezo Pouce) and of course the sustainability of our famous Yellow Train. With the help of the Region, the Department and Europe, the NRP is also committed, through its Discovery for Schools programmes, to the preservation and study of the fauna and flora of the Catalan Pyrenees, the study and development of aromatic and medicinal wild plants, the development of local seed production chains, but also to the preservation of the heritage built through the intergenerational knowledge transfer around dry stone workshops. The transmission of knowledge between our elders and young people is one of the NRP's missions to ensure that our territory and culture are preserved.

Beautiful beach accessible from the village. 

The Privat family has been specialists in Catalan garnet since 1945. A circuit leads you from the exhibition hall (400^m2) where old tools are on display, to the reconstructed garnet mine. A guide accompanies you and tells you the history of this jewel. A video will tell you more about the manufacturing process: the garnet is a mythical stone that culturally symbolises Catalonia and represents truth and fidelity. Finally, the workshops where the Privat family works in front of you.

In the heart of a forest of holm oaks, perched on a rocky spur overlooking the Aspres massif, this small church was built at the end of the 11th century by local peasants. The richness of the interior of the priory is dazzling. The capitals and the Romanesque sculptures in pink marble from Villefranche-de-Conflent illustrate the religious art of the 10th and 12th centuries in the Roussillon region. The details abound: stylized mythological animals, griffins, lions, snakes, eagles with spread wings and a whole flora, roses and acanthus leaves. Particularly remarkable, the tribune is considered to be the finest example of Romanesque sculpture in the Catalan region. The marble of the Conflent, contributes to magnify this unsigned masterpiece realized around 1150. It divides the nave in two parts, one reserved for the canons, the other accessible to the faithful. The platform with its incomplete balustrade housed the choir. A botanical garden has been laid out around the priory on about fifty hectares, inviting you to discover its scents. The surroundings of Serrabona are also a magical place for beautiful walks in the heart of the wild Aspres: forests, meadows, small streams... This enchanting setting will seduce nature lovers and above all you will find a calm and bucolic atmosphere opposite the bustle of the coast. A visit to Serrabona is the perfect excursion for a family afternoon. Serrabona leaves no one indifferent!

Lovers of beautiful walks, we take you to the top of a rocky plateau (300 m altitude), 4 km north of Céret, where the hermitage of Saint-Ferréol is located. Built at the end of the 13th century by the Benedictine monks of the abbey of Arles-sur-Tech, it is a small group of buildings surrounded by holm oaks and built in a rather bare Romanesque style. The other interest of this walk remains the magnificent panorama on the valley of Tech, the plain and its orchards. And then, the setting lends itself to beautiful picnics with family or friends.