France
Pyrénées-Orientales

Pyrénées-Orientales offers an incredible natural richness and diversity of wildlife and plants thanks to the mix of mountains and valleys. The area extends over three river valleys with the rivers Tech, Têt and Agly and also includes the large, lush plain of the Roussillon on the Mediterranean Sea. Canigou is the sacred mountain of the Catalans. This impressive mountain range towers majestically over the vast Roussillon plain and can be seen from across the region. The entire area offers fantastic opportunities for exciting outdoor activities. In the mountains there are many possibilities in every season: climbing, hiking, canyoning, rafting, horseback riding, cycling and skiing are just some of the possibilities. The area along the coast offers several golf courses, tennis and squash, among other things, and the sea offers windsurfing, diving and sailing.

The Pyrénées-Orientales department corresponds more or less to the old southern French province of Roussillon. The Pyrénées-Orientales is special compared to the other French departments as the area was Spanish/Catalan until 1658 due to its geographical location close to Spain Although it's been a long time, people in the French part of Catalonia, Catalunia, are aware and very conscious of the culture and origin. The Catalan language and culture have survived and can still be found in many cities today alongside the French language and culture. Among other things, expressed by finding duplicate town signs and street names. Likewise, the old Catalan flag hangs side by side with the French one on all official buildings.

The capital of the Pyrénées-Orientales is Perpignan, which throughout history has been a struggle between rival France and Spain and the once powerful princes of Mallorca. Perpignan is an incredibly interesting city with a distinctly Catalan touch. In the 13th century, Perpignan was the capital of the Kingdom of Mallorca, which also included large parts of northern Spain. The Palace of the Kings of Mallorca is located in the southern part of the city. Other towns and sites worth seeing are the coastal towns of Collioure, Elne, Argelès-sur-Mer and Banyuls, and the hill towns of Amélie-les-Bains, Villefranche and the Abbey of St-Martin-du-Canigou. Collioure is without a doubt the department's biggest attraction and the town attracts countless tourists all year round. The small fishing village is beautifully situated at the foot of the Pyrenees in a small natural harbour, not far from the French-Spanish border. The city is worth a stay of several days. The medieval town of Elne, north of Collioure, boasts one of France's finest and best preserved 11C monasteries. Argelès-sur-Mer and Banyuls are two ancient coastal towns in the southernmost part of the department. Banyuls is best known for its highly classified and very famous dessert wine. Amélie-les-Bains is a charming little spa town at 230 meters altitude. On the main road between Perpignan and Andorra lies the impressive fortified town of Villfranche-de-Conflent. A trip to Andorra is highly recommended, if only because of the drive there, which is incredibly beautiful. St-Martin-du-Canigou is an old 11th-century Benedictine monastery south of Vernet-les-Bains.