With Canigou at its back and the River Tech in front, the views all around the fortified medieval town of Prats de Mollo are stunning. But it was not merely built for the view!
Ille sur Têt was an important religious centre in Medieval times.
One of the many irrigation canals that criss-cross the Pyrenees-Orientales runs through the pretty village of Rodès. Enjoy a relatively light walk of 1 – 1.5 hours. A small section of climbing but nothing too challenging.
The beautiful castle in the heart of the Albères is said to be haunted by the ghost of a British spy – and is now free and open to visit.
Les Plus Beaux Villages des P-O. There are so many beautiful villages to visit in the P-O that it would be difficult to shortlist….but ‘Les Plus Beaux Villages’ de France has done just that.
Originally set up by the Rois de Majorque as a defence system to protect the Roussillon from invaders, the tours de signaux (signal towers) allowed information to be passed quickly around the region, using fire and smoke signals.
With quaint, cobbled streets, pretty squares, lively shops, restaurants, and bars, and art and music museums, there is certainly enough temptation to hang around the town, but there is plenty going on around and about too.
Between France and Spain on the N9 is a strange no man’s land dedicated to consumerism. Stroll down the ‘route principale’ from the French side, and you are still in France……
This Estagel walk offers great views of the Corbières ridges and valleys and beyond. Straightforward, on easy pistes and tracks with some portions of road, and up a lovely rocky valley so walking boots are essential.
We pass evocatively named places busy with history; Besalú, St Jaume de Llierca, Castellfollit de la Roca before entering Olot and the Parc Natural de la Zona Volcanica de la Garrotxa abundant with fascinating conical and sometimes symmetrical hills.