The Countryside - Pyrénées Orientales
The countryside
'Local' in this case probably means all of the Roussillon region - that is département 66. There is a varied range of scenery in this region. The plain of Roussillon, largely a wine-growing area, is bounded by the coast in the East and the Pyrénées to the South and West. The plain extends east-west for about 20 miles and north-south for about 40 miles.
The département is divided into eight main areas, each with its own distinct geography:
- Roussillon - the large plain already described
- Albères - the chain of pine and cork-oak covered mountains that tumble down to the coast, in the south of the region
- Vallespir - the continuation inland of the Albères mountains, and the Tech valley
- Aspres - the foothills around Mount Canigou
- Fenouillèdes - the scrubby uplands before the mountains in the North
- Conflent - the steep-sided valleys of the Tet river, with winding, Alpine roads
- Cerdagne - the lush pastureland and meadows of the high plateau between Andorra and France
- Capcir - the mountainous skiing area at the eastern edge of the département
It is this variety that explains a lot of the appeal of the area for holidaymakers. There are pursuits and environments to suit all types of person. When you add to this the further variety of the Spanish side of the Pyrénées, it becomes an almost unbeatable combination.
Part I - the coastline
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