Pyrénées-Orientales

Pyrénées-Orientales (Eastern Pyrenees) is a département of southern France adjacent to the northern Spanish frontier and the Mediterranean Sea.

History

Pyrénées-Orientales corresponds largely to the former province of Roussillon (French Catalonia), which it replaced in 1790. See also: Cerdagne.

For history to 1790, see Roussillon.

Invaded by Spain in April 1793, the area was recaptured thirteen months later.

Administration

Pyrénées-Orientales is grouped with neighbouring Aude and three other départements to the north-east in the region of Languedoc-Roussillon.

Geography

Pyrénées-Orientales has an area of 4115 sq. km. and a population of 400,000, of whom just over a quarter live in the capital, Perpignan (Catalan Perpinyà). Other towns include Argelès-sur-Mer, Thuir, Elne (the ancient Illiberis) and Prades (Catalan Prada de Conflent), each of 6–10,000 inhabitants.

Pyrénées-Orientales consists of three river valleys in the Pyrenees mountain range – from north to south, those of the Agly, Têt and Tech – and the eastern Plain of Roussillon into which they converge. Most of the population and agricultural production are concentrated in the plain, with only 30% of the area.

The upper Tech valley comprises the département's westernmost third, with just over a tenth of the total population. To the south-east, the Têt valley and the Côte Vermeille contain nearly 100,000 inhabitants. The Agly basin in the north-east has much in common with neighboring areas of Aude.

Economy

Pyrénées-Orientales is a wine-growing area and a tourist destination.

Demographics

The Catalan language is estimated to be spoken by rather more than a quarter of the population and understood by more than 40%.

Culture

Places of interest include:

• Prades (Catalan Prada de Conflent) – site of the Catalan Summer University (Universitat Catalana d'Estiu).
• Banyuls-sur-Mer (Catalan Banyuls de la Marenda) famous for its Muscat wine, birth place of Aristide Maillol.
• Prats de Molló – important defensive castle of the 17th century facing south to the Pyrenees.
• Salses – important defensive castle of the 16th century, on the ancient frontier with Spain.