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CULTURAL PAGE |
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See also the beautiful PAINTINGS of southern France, and the "CULTU-CARDS". Listen to the Sardane 
| Database about Pyrénées-Orientales |
Area: 1,590 sq. ml.
Population: 392,000 inhabitants
Main city: Perpignan (106,000 inhabitants)
Summit mountain: 9,730 ft.
Lower level: sea level
Afforestation rate: 25 %
Main lakes: in the mountains (around 400 acres)
Two main sea lakes
10 nature reserves (including a maritime sanctuary)
Average temperature: 48 deg. F in December, 75 deg. F in July |
| Basic knowledge of the region |
Where are PYRENEES-ORIENTALES?
Condensed HISTORY of the region.
A specific language is spoken: CATALAN. (The program of the NORTH AMERICAN CATALAN SOCIETY)
Art in Pyrénées-Roussillon: nice PAINTINGS. Birthplace of MAILLOL.
ESSENTIAL SPOTS |
| Local products and tastes |
France's most southerly WINE REGION
COLLIOURE ANCHOVIES
THE SUQUET OF FISH
An introduction to FOOD HISTORY
The famous CREMA CATALANA
A great variety of local products:
* Tourons: sweet specialties prepared with almonds and honey and mixed with: hazelnuts, pine seeds, black caramel or crystallized fruits. Also Massapa: an almond paste flavoured or rolled with pine seeds); Xixona: a paste of ground almonds with honey.
* Coques Catalanes: salty or sweet Fougasses and Bunyettes, sort of custard doughnuts found in all good bakeries or confectioneries.
* OLIVE OIL : at the beginning of last century, about ten olive mills still functionned. Today, only the olive mill at Millas is working. It can be visited.
* Onion and snail: the onion has got its fait at Toulouges during Summer. The red onion, delicious in a salad and the onion tresses, nicely decorative. The snail is a Catalan feast and there are huge Cargolades (grilled snails).
* Apricot, peach: the Roussillon plain is an extraordinary orchard in which you can find the white peach, the yellow peach, Nectarine, Roussillon's red apricot. In Summer, they have their fairs. |
| A land of superlatives |
Place of France's most southern village
Place of France's most sunny town
France's highest RAILROAD
The first SOLAR OVEN in the world. PHOTOS of the solar oven.
The world's largest OAK VAT
Europe's oldest PREHISTORIC MAN (450,000 years old) (today deceased...)
One of the most important CAVE
And many other spectacular discoveries... |
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