Here in Catalonia, All Saints’ Day and the evening before are known as the Castanyada, (’Fête de la châtaigne’ in French) meaning Day of the Chestnut.
Traditionally, ‘castanyes’ (roast chestnuts) are eaten along with ‘moniatos’ (roast sweet potatoes) and ‘panellets’ (small almond balls covered in pine nuts).
Cemeteries are busy on this day of remembrance and chrysanthemums are on sale on every street. Don’t offer them to your hostess when invited out for dinner! They are for the dead
Some French Halloween vocabulary…and some really bad French Halloween jokes.
The pebbled beach is transformed into a colourful, animated mass of eating and drinking, brass bands, joyous musicians, jugglers>..
Many are the stories of ‘encantades’ or ‘bruixas’, (witches) in the history of the P-O..
In the 12th century, Catalans already had a well developed sense of identity and pride
De Mailly was the driving force behind the creation of Port Vendres as a port, and followed plans originally conceived by Vauban to open up and enlarge the existing facilities.
The 11th September, the Diada de Catalunya, is a national holiday throughout Catalonia and the Balearic Islands.
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.
Les Inédits d’Amélie is becoming the must-see multi-arts festival in the Vallespir, and is back for a second edition on 25 and 26 August this year.
