The European Commission has confirmed that the Catalan independence referendum was “not legal” according to Spanish law, and described aggressive beating of peaceful protesters by the Spanish riot police as an “internal matter”.

Saint Laurent de Cerdans is well worth a visit any time for its church with tall steeple, its Retirada museum (not as harrowing as the main museum in La Jonquera, but informative and well presented) and its many local walks in the footsteps of escapees from the Spanish Civil War. However the village is best known for its production of the beautiful striped fabric, the “Toiles du Soleil” and its long tradition of hand crafted ‘espadrilles