Mediterranean Pyrenees

• A strategic location, places steeped in history

The Côte Vermeille stretches from Argelès-sur-Mer (Le Racou) to Cerbère, offering a superb diversity of landscapes. Collioure (labelled a Grand Site Occitanie), Port-Vendres, Banyuls-sur-Mer and the port towns that have become Mecca's of modern art, dot the coastline.are scattered along the coast in the heart of an unspoilt natural environment, bathed in a unique light.

Always coveted for its dominant position facing the sea, the region tells its own story through its two-thousand-year-old vineyards, its churches and medieval strongholds, and its rich military heritage. Discover also the places of memory that dot this land of passage, where thousands of republican refugees passed through at the end of the Spanish Civil War.

• The Cerbère-Banyuls marine reserve

Between Banyuls-sur-Mer and Cerbère, the remarkable character of the environment can be discovered right down to the seabed. Created in 1974, France's first Marine Nature Reserve reveals an environment remarkable for the diversity of its animal and plant species, some of them endangered. In summer, you can explore the reserve from the Peyrefitte cove along the underwater trail.

• Cap Béar... a must-see!

Right in the heart of the Côte Vermeille, its tip juts out into the Mediterranean: the cape reveals its secrets and tells its story, as you follow the coastal path between Port-Vendres and Paulilles. This is where the lighthouse stands, defying wind and tide, proudly overlooking the schistose coastline of the Pyrenees, sculpted by the Grande Bleue. It offers some of the most breathtaking scenery in the region, and an atmosphere that plunges you not only into the world of lighthouse keepers, but also into the heart of military stratwith its last vestiges of the Second World War, Cap Béar and its terraced vineyards, changing colors and preserved flora and fauna are just waiting for you!

This is the place to discover the region's heritage treasures. But don't forget to take in the magnificent panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and the Canigou, the Catalans' sacred mountain!

• Elne

Elne's ancient origins make it a town full of history and legends... The 11th-century cathedral, a majestic vestige of the ancient episcopal city, is visible from the sea and dominates the plain. Its cloister features a succession of medieval and Gothic sculptures in a luxuriant display of original themes. Fortified enclosure, towers, town gates and its fascinating historic quarter... Here, everything harkens back to the rich and unique past of the ancient capital of Roussillon!

Illibéris, Elne's original name, has been a land of unparalleled historical wealth since antiquity. Ideally situated between the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean, just a few kilometers from the beaches and not far from Perpignan and the Côte Vermeille, the town of Elne and its nearby villages have preserved an impressive heritage. Numerous archaeological digs have revealed the secrets of people who have lived here for nearly three millennia.

• Bages

The Casa Carrère in Bages was the brainchild of winegrower François Carrère in 1954. Baroque in style, it was for 11 years the Museum of Naive Art.

• Ortaffa

Ortaffa is mentioned in 9th-century documents. The Romanesque church of Sainte-Eugénie appears in 1145. Its civil bell tower, built between 1898 and 1900, was inspired by the Eiffel Tower.

• Mas Larrieu Nature Reserve

Escape to the ecologically rich and diverse Réserve Naturelle du Mas Larrieu, with the dual influence of the Tech river and the sea. Different species of trees, plants and insects will dazzle you all the way to the wild, mixed beach. Put your car down, the reserve is easily accessible by bike from the historic center of Elne!

The Albères offer fabulous landscapes for lovers of wide open spaces. From the Pic Néoulous, its highest point (1256 m), or as you approach the coast, the spectacular panoramas of the Côte Vermeille, the plain and the massif will leave you speechless...

The Albères, the last foothills of the Pyrenees, also boasts an extremely rich history between France and Spain. Numerous military remains impress with their architecture and resistance to the elements. The villages at the foot of this mountain seem to have always existed. Yet life was once intense in the heart of the massif, the Albères being a veritable breeding ground for materials useful to mankind. Dolmens, rock shelters, charcoal-burning sites, huts, ice pits, glass and lime kilns, iron mines - all bear witness to this particularly dense activity in our massif.

• A bird's eye view of the past

It's all a question of perspective! To contemplate the foothills of the Albères and the Illibérienne plain all the way to the Mediterranean, you can climb up to the belvedere of the château de Laroque-des-Albères, the ruins of the château de Montesquieu-des-Albè res or, for the more adventurous, the ruins of the château de Montesquieu-des-Albè res.or, for the more motivated, the hermitage of Notre-Dame du Château and the ruins of Château d'Ultrera in the heights of Sorède... A breath of fresh air in a green oasis!

In the Albères, signal towers, fortifications and other military remains bear witness to a tumultuous past: Tour de Madeloc, Tour de la Massane, Tour de Querroig, the batteries and forts above Port-Vendres, the strategic line above Montesquieu-des-Albères... So many mythical places steeped in history to visit, and so many hiking trails to discover!

• The Albères Forest Nature Reserve

Since 2021, the Massane beech forest in the heart of the massif, a Forest Nature Reserve that has been free of exploitation for 150 years, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Access is reserved for experienced hikers in excellent physical condition.

• On the paths of Romanesque art

Let yourself be seduced by the beauty of our thousand-year-old heritage and the tranquility of the area. The Romanesque church of Saint-André, the cloister and former abbey church of Saint-Genis-des-Fontaines, the Prieuré Santa Maria del Vilar in Villelongue-dels-Monts, the église Sainte-Marie de Palau del Vidre as well as the chapel of Tanya, the chapel of Sainte-Colombe-de-Cabanes, the hermitage of Notre-Dame du Château... So many treasures to discover!