Molló Parc is described by its creators as ‘ideal for families and school groups to escape the routine and enjoy a day in the mountains’. It is neither a zoo nor a theme park, but a natural stretch of forest and grasslands alive with flora and fauna.

On either side of the winding road, signposts suggest Corsavy, Montferrer, Saint Laurent de Cerdans and Coustouges, pretty villages well worth a visit another time. Today however, we are heading towards the end of the line, the unspoilt fortified medieval town of Prats de Mollo, dominated by Fort Lagarde, designed by Vauban in 1680.