Villa Rose France
Southern France Holiday Villa
Villa Rose France
Southern France Holiday Villa |
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Cindy and Vic Young
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A Rich Cultural Heritage for Excursions and Discovery
A region of many
personalities, set between the mountains and the sea and studded with vineyards,
orchards, and a wealth of Romanesque buildings, all imbued with the spirit of
the south - a rich Catalan heritage. The Reseau Cultural Terre Catalane is a
cultural network grouping 23 sites, museums and monuments in the department of
Pyrenees-Orientales.
Hill Villages and Mediterranean Ports Between the Sea and the Sky
All the ages of history converged here to create a fabulous treasure with remnants of the Greek and Roman empires. Literary, artistic and musical giants such as Robert Louis Stevenson, Moliere, Matisse, Picasso, Maillol, Dali and Pablo Casals all imparted their talents to many of the villages and towns in the region. Take one of the winding roads that leads up to a remote village in the shadow of Canigou or discover one of the many towns along the Cote Vermeille, where the Pyrenees dip right down into the Mediterranean. There are so many great places to explore, each with its own distinctive flavor. For tourist
and regional information, visit
Festivals and History With a Catalan Accent
Languedoc-Roussillon,
an ancient land, shaped over the centuries by its inhabitants of various
origins, is rich in tradition. Religious festivals of thanksgiving enrich daily
life with colorful celebrations. In some cases the origin of these
seasonal rites, celebrated to mark the end of plagues and other threats, has
long been forgotten, but they are still celebrated with great gusto. One of the more famous is the Procession of the Sanch in Perpignan on Good Friday. It is a living reminder of popular Catalan faith. It takes place every year during Holy Week in an impressive ritual five centuries old in the streets of the ancient capital of the Kingdom of Majorca.
In
1939, the famous Spanish cellist Pablo Casals
went into voluntary exile from Franco's regime and settled in Prades, giving
concerts that drew a Europe-wide audience. The Pablo Casals Festival is now
dedicated to chamber music and takes place between July 26 and August 13,
attracting the most renowned performers as well as major ensembles. Most
concerts are performed in the medieval monastery of St. Michel-de-Cuxa,
providing a fabulous setting adding atmosphere to the music.
Mediterranean Sun and Fun In June of 2000, the ten sea resorts of the Roussillon received the "European Blue Flag" Award, a distinction meant for the harbors and beaches which try to respect and protect their natural environment. There are miles of fine sand beaches inviting idleness and sporting activities. The Beaches of Roussillon Port Barcares, 8 km. beach and yachting harbor Torreilles,
4 km. beach Sainte-Marie-la-Mer, 3 km. beach and yachting harbor www.sainte-marie-la-mer.com Canet-en-Roussillon,
9 km. beach and yachting harbor Saint
Cyprien, 6 km. beach and large yachting harbor Argeles-sur-Mer,
7 km. beach and yachting harbor Collioure,
Beach at core of village between the 17th century church and the 13th
century Royal Castle Port-Vendres,
Beach surrounding the harbor, natural deep water harbor offering fishing
& yachting. Banyuls-sur-Mer,
Fishing and yachting harbor Cerbere,
yachting harbor, last call before Spain
Parla Catala? Catalan
is a Latin language like
Occitan, the language of southwest France. In the 10th century, the counts
of Barcelona threw off the yoke of vassaldom and in 1137 became the kings of
Aragon. The Catalan state of Aragon was one of the great powers in
medieval Europe attaining its hey-dey in the 13th and 14th centuries. The Treaty
of the Pyrenees in 1659 turned Roussillon into the French heel of France and
Catalan culture and language was not reborn until the 19th century. Today,
there are some 7 million Catalan speakers from Salses in France to Valencia in
Spain.
To contact us, please
email us at:
If you'd like to make a reservation, click
on reservation form or email us.
We will confirm your reservation request within 24 hours. Please be sure to give
us your email address for confirmation.
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Web Information: cindyvic@earthlink.net |
