Visitors will find variety in a segment of southeast France tucked up near the Pyrenees Mountains.
France has 18 administrative regions, of which 13 belong to a contiguous European continental block. One of the largest of these regions in size is the southeastern block called ‘Occitanie.’ It is slightly larger than the Republic of Ireland and is subdivided into 13 ‘Departments,’ of which the southernmost, touching Spain, is named Pyrénées-Orientales, or the Eastern Pyrenees. This refers to the stunning mountains that cross southern France and generally form the border with Spain. This department is 1,589 square miles [4115 square kilometers] in size, roughly the same as the area as the U.S. state of Rhode Island, or slightly smaller than County Tipperary in Ireland of the Valais region of Switzerland.
This department has about a half million inhabitants, includes the city of Perpignan near the Mediterranean, as well as peaks, hot springs, vineyards and Catalan traditions.
I recently stayed in Vernet-les-Bains, a mineral springs town in the foothills of the Pyrenees peaks. Author Rudyard Kipling and his wife sojourned here twice in the years before the First World War, where his wife tended to her health at the hot springs while Kipling spent his days hiking along Canigou peak.
Here are some suggestions of what to do and see in Pyrénées-Orientales.
Take a Hike
From the town of Vernet-les-Bains there are several local hikes, most of them signposted. The town tourist information office will provide a list of hikes and websites that include maps. I walked from the town to Cascade des Anglais (English Waterfall) which takes an hour to an hour and a half to reach one way, and includes two beautiful waterfalls. The trek includes uphill and rocky portions. Bring water, food, hiking shoes and adequate clothing in case the weather changes rapidly. During summer, depart before 8:30 am and you will likely encounter no one else on the trail until the return journey.
The hike up Pic de la Pena (Pena Peak) takes an hour to an hour and a half one way from Vernet-les-Bains (the trail begins at the thermal baths on the edge of town), but is steep and strenuous. The circular view from the summit is magnificent. Again, travel with adequate footwear and clothing and bring both water and food.
Hiking Canigou peak can take 12 to 13 hours for a round trip. To make the journey you should travel in a group, be in good physical condition and in addition to having adequate hiking footwear and clothing, you should pack first aid gear.
Ride the Yellow Train
The ‘yellow train’ travels uphill into the Pyrenees peaks. By the year 1910 the train was built to connect Villefranche-de-Conflent with Mont-Louis, and less than two
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