Elisabeth Eidenbenz was the remarkable Swiss woman who created La Maternité Suisse in Elne as a refuge for expectant mothers exiled from Spain during La Retirada and World War II.
If you head west on the D117 from the Catalan border town of Estagel, with the unforgettable 10th century fortress of Quéribus towering above you on your right, you soon come to Maury, the first…
The white-hot, eleven-year love affair between Louis XIV and his second Maîtresse en Titre, Athénaïs, Marquise de Montespan. Among her many nicknames were La Reine Sultane, The Diamond Marquise, The Beautiful Enchantress, The Torrent, and Quanto.
If you travel about 15 kilometres north from Perpignan, by train or on the N9, you come to another frontier town, Salses-le-Château, beyond which you are again in the land of the “gabatx”: this time in the Aude département of the Languedoc. The two adjoining communes to the north and west of Salses are Fitou and Opoul-Périllos.
The mediaeval fortified citadel of Carcassonne – known as “La Cité” – is unique in the world. With its complex system of fortifications, it is the largest intact walled town in Europe.
Little yellow train top tips.....from P-O Life forum The scenery is spectacular, but It is not so easy to view the scenery and watch the road so I think I'll try the train next time…
Storms, Waltzes and Punchups by Basil Howitt The Saint Cyprien Soap Opera continues with the Waltz of the Deputy Mayors, Rowdy Council Meetings, and the Mayor facing an accusation of assault. The spirit…
The Caliph of St Cyprien – Part two A Sicily without the Mafia Basil Howitt reports (2009) The long suffering citizens of Saint-Cyprien (les Cyprienencs) must right now be crossing their fingers that…
Feeling the pinch this Christmas? Or are you just plain skint? Basil Howitt was dismayed by the ever-increasing need for charitable handouts in Perpignan and at Christmas. Nevertheless, the spirit of Christmas survives gloriously…
