Catalan Getaway in the Pyrenees Mediterranean

11 points of interest

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  Terrus Museum

  Etienne Terrus (1857-1922) is a painter born in Elne, friend of many artists including Maillol, Matisse and Derain. Undisputed master of watercolor, he is not attached to any school or trend, even if the influence of Fauves is very clear in his latest paintings. He artfully transcribed the landscapes and the luminosity of Roussillon

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  Cultural heritage

  Cloister of Saint-Genis-des-Fontaines

  The cloister of Saint Genis des Fontaines was built in the 13th century. Its specificity is characterized by the polychromy of its marbles: the white of Céret, the pink of Villefranche de Conflent and the black of Baixais. With the old theme of flora and fauna, the art of Saint Genis combines new ones drawn from the local environment (turtle, frog ...). See also the famous lintel in white marble in front of the church. It is the first Romanesque sculpture dated in stone (1019-1020). The date of realization is indicated in the two lines in Latin which appear there. The Saint Michel church is to be discovered during the visit with its interior treasures. Indeed, it houses altarpieces ranging from the XVIth to the XIXth century, a pre-Romanesque font and the Carolingian altar table of the primitive church. 
  Monthly exhibitions are organized at the "Galerie des deux clochers" (upper ambulatory above the Cloister).
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  Cultural heritage

  The Lintel of Saint-Genis-des-Fontaines

  Known worldwide, the lintel of Saint-Genis is the first dated Romanesque sculpture in stone (1019-1020). Its date of creation is known thanks to the Latin inscription engraved on it. In the center, we see Christ within a mandorla, supported by two archangels and framed by two groups of three figures, standing under arcades. This work was created specifically for the Abbey of Saint-Genis. It is made of white Carrara marble.

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  Cultural heritage

  Chapelle de Tanya

  This hermitage was the first initial church in the village. It appeared in history in 1371 under the name ecclesia Sancte Marie de Tanyano. At that time, hermits were sedentary and isolated monks. From the 17th century, the function of the hermit changed. Being a member of the Church, the hermit will become a counselor and a confidant for the local population. He no longer has the vocation of being isolated, but lives in the Catalan society of his time; he has an important role just like the parish priest. The chapel was inhabited until the French Revolution. Today it still retains various altarpieces, including that of the virgin, gilded from 1774 to 1778.

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  Domaine "Le temps retrouvé"

  Michaël Georget is passionate of vigneyard. The vine, the earth and nature are part of his life. Very early on, he became interested in biodynamics. He arrived in the department in 2009 and took over the Domain of Mas Rancoure in 2012. He works the soil manually with the help of animal traction.

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  Cultural heritage

  Priory Santa Maria del Vilar

  Nestled in the heart of Albères, priory Santa Maria del Vilar crosses the ages. Founded in 1083, monks transformed the building from the Carolingian era into a hospitable pilgrim for Compostela and added a church. In 1802, the place changes completely function since it is sold to a farmer who transforms the church into a stable. Abandoned in 1942, it disappears gradually under the vegetation but has now been restored and hosts opera concerts.

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  Cultural heritage

  Church of Saint André

  Romanesque church classified as a historic monument, it was the church abbey of a Benedictine monastery in medieval times. Built between 10th and 12th centuries, it houses magnificent marble sculptures from the 11th and 12th centuries, notably a lintel in sculpted marble from the 11th century - akin to that of St Genis des Fontaines - which marks the 1st Romanesque sculpture in Roussillon! Guided tours offered in season by La Maison d'art roman”,

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  History

  Maison de l’art roman de Saint André

  This interpretation center is dedicated to the old Romanesque abbey of Saint-André (current parish church). It allows the discovery of Romanesque art in a fun and interactive way. You can admire copies of medieval sculptures preserved on the site or scattered in other places in the department. The permanent exhibition presents the history and pre-Romanesque and Romanesque architecture of the former Benedictine abbey of Saint-André. It places them in their context in Catalonia

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  Flora

  Pine Wood

  If you're looking for a place to relax in the shade of maritime pines, this is the perfect spot. You'll also find picnic facilities just a few meters from the beach shopping alleys.

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  History

  The Camp Monolith

  The monolith at the camp marks the southern entrance to the Argelès-sur-Mer camp, which was opened in early February 1939 to intern some of the refugees who had fled Spain during "La Retirada." Over 100,000 refugees, including women and children, passed through the camp until summer 1939, all sleeping directly on the sand in makeshift shelters. The camp was reorganized and reopened following the declaration of war in September 1939. After France's defeat in June 1940, the camp became more international, with refugees from Northern and Eastern Europe, including foreign Jews, and the return of Spanish workers. The Vichy government used it as one of the main camps in southern France, interning French nomads there in the autumn of 1940.
  
  People from over fifty nationalities lived together behind the barbed wire at Argelès. These "undesirables" were confined on a beach where living conditions were extremely harsh, with high mortality rates, particularly among infants. In 1941, the Ministry of the Interior transferred most of the internees to the Rivesaltes camp and deported some Spaniards and international brigadiers to camps in Algeria. By June 1942, with only a hospital remaining, the Argelès-sur-Mer camp was converted into a French Youth Work Camp before closing permanently in November. Erected in 1999, this monolith pays tribute to all the refugees who passed through the camp.
   

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  Cultural heritage

  Chapel of Sainte-Eugénie-de-Tresmals

  A small building in the middle of the fields, mentions of Sainte-Eugénie date back to 951, 1067, and 1145. It served as a parish church until 1347 and remained a place of worship until the French Revolution. Afterward, it was decommissioned and repurposed as an agricultural building, particularly as a "casot" (a small storage hut). The architecture of the vault in the current structure dates back to the 12th century. The building consists of a single nave covered with a broken barrel vault with a doubleaux (a supporting arch) and a semi-circular apse.