Coming from the French word terre for “soil,” the word terroir originally described the special characteristics of a region, or piece of land, which gave different varieties of wine, coffee and tea their individuality. (Soil, climate, position, regional traditions….)
Many are the stories of ‘encantades’ or ‘bruixas’, (witches) in the history of the P-O, and believers in witchcraft protected themselves with a variety of different methods, including painting their windows blue, keeping bread in the drawer, washing undergarments in water from seven different sources, never leaving nail clippings or cut hair on the floor, putting their shirts on backwards…..
The 11th September, the Diada de Catalunya, is a national holiday throughout Catalonia and the Balearic Islands.
If you think that Perpignan Airport becomes crowded as soon as more than one aircraft is on the tarmac, then you should have been there at 3am on Sunday morning.
What a summer of sport! Firstly France lift the Football World Cup, then the Welsh “domestique” Geraint Thomas pulled off the incredible achievment of winning the Tour de France, now the massive underdogs the Catalan Dragons have won the 117th Rugby League Challenge Cup Final. The Catalans became the first non English club to triumph in the sports oldest competition.
The 15th August is the festival of l’Assomption – a jour férié (public holiday) celebrated by Catholics throughout France and commemorating the departure of Mary from this life and the assumption of her body into heaven.
Satisfy the jazz itch with year round events from the team that hosts the annual autumnal Jazz festival : Jazzèbre. Keep checking back for the latest event info.
The poor were starving to death on the streets of Paris. In the royal palace, the king’s breakfast consisted of 4 chops, a full chicken, six poached eggs and a slice of ham, washed down with a bottle and a half of champagne.
Musique et voix en pays catalans is a not-for-profit association that aims to support and promote all musical activities within the region. With regular concerts and an annual festival, there’s plenty for music lovers of all tastes and ages.
No event in the Catalan calendar is more important than Els Focs de la Sant Jean or The Fires of St John, our mid-summer rites held on the region’s sacred mountain, Canigou (2,784 metres), and in towns and villages right across Catalonia.