How about Halloween in Villefranche de Conflent. Several shops sell ‘poupées sorcières’, as befits the legends of magic and witchcraft surrounding this region.
If you’re looking for an exciting winter or spring drive, why not take the stunning coast road across the border to El Port de la Selva, and return to France via Figueres?
One of the many irrigation canals that criss-cross the Pyrenees-Orientales runs through the pretty village of Rodès. Enjoy a relatively light walk of 1 – 1.5 hours. A small section of climbing but nothing too challenging.
The beautiful castle in the heart of the Albères is said to be haunted by the ghost of a British spy – and is now free and open to visit.
Les Plus Beaux Villages des P-O. There are so many beautiful villages to visit in the P-O that it would be difficult to shortlist….but ‘Les Plus Beaux Villages’ de France has done just that.
Perched high on their unbelievable mountainous rocky outcrops, the castles of Queribus and Peyrepertuse dominate the beautiful rolling vineyards of Maury and Cucugnan.
Around the end of September Barcelona holds an enormous street party, La Mercè Festival.
With quaint, cobbled streets, pretty squares, lively shops, restaurants, and bars, and art and music museums, there is certainly enough temptation to hang around the town, but there is plenty going on around and about too.
An anonymous 12th century sculptor, the Master of Cabestany was not recognised until the 1930s when a Romanesque-style tympanum was unearthed during renovation work at the parish church of Cabestany.
Each year, the Ermitage de la Saint Ferréol bursts with life with the annual Festa Major. Tradition, religion, food and drink… it’s a firm favourite with the locals.