Tourist Attractions & Monuments Pyrénées-Orientales

Municipal authorization of 14 June 1990 on an area of 500 metres between the south relief station and the mouth of the Bourdigou.

The narrowest gorges in the world, with passages less than 80 cm wide, frightened the population, who were convinced that they were inhabited by the bruixes (evil witches). The legends merge with the history, that of the Trabucayres, the highwaymen who raged in the region around 1840. This canyon of 1,700 m long and 200 m deep is so narrow in some places that the daylight does not reach the bottom, it is where the Simiots live, those hideous beings straight out of children's stories.

The citadel and ramparts have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 7 July 2008. A recognition that Mont-Louis shares with Villefranche de Conflent. Having never been a member of a GE, except in a Spanish incursion in 1794 which was quickly pushed back by the ge n\ ral Ral (1736-1794), the strong place has reached its original state. So it's a fairly unique place that we can be able to cover. The story goes back to the Traite ́ des Pyre ́ es, sign in 1659, when the high cantons of Cerdanya and Du become franc. After 20 years, unable to exchange this province of Roussillon against a larger territory of Flanders, Louis XIV de\ acdi to build a strong place at the crossroads of communication routes between Capcir, Cerdanya and Conflent, to mark the new frontie re with Spain. In 1679, he entrusted the construction project to Vauban, which chose this site stratum ́ lysergic. In less than 2 years, it became what it is today, the highest strengthens city of France, and took the name Mont-Louis in honour of the Sun King.

The François Desnoyer collection is a place open to the arts and creation. Its reserve fund was built up from François Desnoyer's bequest of more than 700 pieces in 1972. This journey into the world of art continues with paintings from the 19th (E. Boudin, Ecole de Barbizon) and 20th centuries (several Utrillo, Marquet and Modigliani). In addition to the richness of the exhibitions (especially temporary and beautifully made), the scenography is superb. To be discovered without fail!

A team full of ideas to make you move, dream and discover the region. 9 hiking trails around Amélie, 8 cycling trails, and new Nordic walking trails (www.stationsnordicwalk.com). In all, more than 180 km between sea and mountains. The Tourist Office also offers to discover the town of Amélie but also the medieval village of Palalda. The surroundings on the south or north side are simply magical. Without forgetting the delicious thermal baths.

The Tourist Office of the Castellane Valley is an educational and entertaining place. In addition to selling local products, it offers artistic and cultural exhibitions as well as guided tours of the village and the church, from June to September. It is pleasant to continue the discovery by taking the forest path of the five senses which is intended to make discover the communal forest of Mosset thanks to the hiring of bicycles. The plus, the large terrace where you can refresh yourself outside the opening hours of the bars and shops of the village.

Every Wednesday at 10:30 am, the Office offers you a free guided tour of the city. You will be surprised to discover all the riches that Prades has to offer and in particular its baroque altarpiece, the largest in France. The sub-prefecture of the department is not only famous for its Pablo Casals festival, its Catalan Summer University, but also for the 10 days of Ciné-Rencontres or the Romanesque Lands days. Finally, in Prades, you are at the foot of the Canigó, and many mountain activities open your arms!