Local Area Information
Beaches and mountains, sunbathing and skiing, art and history, activities and attractions, sightseeing and shopping, festivals and carnivals, stunning scenery and fantastic weather, eating out - Laroque des Alberes & the Pyrenees Orientales has it all.
Whatever you want to do there's so much variety here you'll find something to enjoy
This area of the South of France is in the Roussillon part of Languedoc-Roussillon and enjoys a Mediterranean climate, with on average 300 days of sunshine each year, enjoying hot summers and mild winters - ideal for a holiday at any time of year!
Grapes thrive in this climate too and the famous Banyuls, Minervois and Cotes du Roussillon wines are produced locally and are widely available from the local vineyards covering the countryside. Apricots, peaches and other fruits are also widely grown and their orchards add to the landscape as you drive around - the blossom is particularly attractive in the springtime. The other mainstay of mediterranean cuisine, the olive tree is also to be found here in abundance - either individually in a garden or in larger olive groves. Many of the villages will have more than one olive mill, producing local oil available to buy at their shop.
The mediterranean area of France near to the Spanish border is part of Catalonia and historically and culturally has many links with Southern Catalonia across the border in Spain. There is a fierce pride in the Catalan heritage, and both French and Catalan are spoken locally. Local road signs show both French and Catalan versions of the village names.
The area is rich in history with many medieval Cathar and crusader castles to visit. Particularly spectacular is the restored citadel of Carcassonne, a UNESCO world heritage site.
The coastal region has a variety of clean sandy beaches, fishing villages and modern resorts. The coastal lagoons provide birdwatching opportunities. In the winter skiing is possible from the resorts in the Pyrenees - the nearest large resorts are Font Romeu and Les Angles.
There are many local carnivals and festivals throughout the year in the area.
There is a folder with local info and a basket with tourist attraction leaflets in the house. There are too many interesting places to list here, so just some of our favourites are on the drop down submenus for this section.
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