French Catalonia: The Final Frontier

It’s the South of France – but not as you know it…Less chichi than the Côte d’Azur and more wild-at-heart than Provence, French Catalonia is a corner of the country with spectacular scenery and heritage – yet it flies under the radar. If you want drama, you have come to the right place.  

People here form human castles, run with bulls and dance slowly to melancholic tunes in sun-baked squares. It’s red-blooded, fiery, theatrical and full of excitement. OK, so one of the most famous Catalan traditions – whisper it – may seem reminiscent of those infamous hooded and cloaked figures in the Southern USA to the untrained eye. But no. You would be wrong. So, where is this little pocket of Spanish-flavoured France? And why is it there?  

The History of French Catalonia

Catalogne du Nord (Catalunya del Nord in Catalan) was part of Spain until it was handed over to France at the end of the Franco-Spanish war in 1659. Eighty per cent of Catalonia now lies in north eastern Spain (think Barcelona, Girona, the Costa Brava), with 10% in France and the final 10% sprinkled around Mallorca, Minorca, Italy and southern Spain.  

The French bit is bordered by the mighty Pyrenees and Spain in the south, the rocky Mediterranean headlands and sandy beaches of Côte Vermeille in the east and the tax haven of Andorra in the west.  

Tangles of medieval hilltop villages tower above winding valleys featuring rivers and vineyards in the middle. All this is in the department of Pyrénées-Orientales (department 66), with Perpignan its lively capital.  

The Catalan language – spoken by around a third of the French Catalans – was only recognised as a regional language in 2007. All this went some way toward French state recognition of the area’s cultural identity. It wasn’t always so. In the 1880s, playground notices read: “Be clean, wash your hands, speak French”. But never mind all that, because the locals clearly don’t need any endorsements from Paris. As for roadside signs, there is a democratic solution: towns and villages are announced in both French and Catalan.  

Now for the traditions. First up is La Sanch, pronounced Sank. This medieval custom features people in floor-length robes and pointy hoods marching through the historic heart of Perpignan on Good Fridays. It’s said that the brotherhood of La Sanch (“the blood” in Catalan) was founded in 1416 by a Dominican monk in Perpignan.

His followers (‘penitents’) accompanied the condemned to their executions, while commemorating the passion and death of Christ. They wore hooded robes to confuse bystanders and so prevent lynchings in the streets. To this day, crosses, crucifixes and statues are carried on the shoulders of ‘penitents’ in the procession, who march to the sound of solemn tambourines, a small bell and traditional Catalan songs (Goigs). It’s a baroque spectacle watched by crowds of silent bystanders to this day.   

Similarly spectacular is the Correfoc (‘fire run’), held on hot summer nights after darkness finally touches down. This tradition sees streets come alive with ‘colles de diables’, groups of devils in red and black. These Satans dance, skip and jump around the crowds to the sound of heavy drums and piercing whistles, wielding pitchforks with fireworks spinning on the end of their prongs.

The streets are also criss-crossed with fireworks raining down on the devils, filling the air with clouds of smoke and much excitement. All this harks back to medieval street theatre known as Ball de Diables, where Good and Evil go head-to-head in a spellbinding way. Correfoc is an unforgettable spectacle – and no doubt a health-and-safety living hell for local Mairies… 

If dancing devils amaze you, then the Fête de l’Ours (Bears Festival) will astonish you even more. The beautiful Vallespir region (the most lush and forested area of French Catalonia) is no longer home to real bears, but each February, the version celebrated at this folkloric festival comes out of hibernation. UNESCO-listed, this pagan, winter-ending ritual sees local men dressed up as bears, covered in dirt, chasing villagers. 

Once upon a time, young men would try to capture a bear to prove their bravery at the start of Spring. Now, they take part in this raucous event. It’s all about a myth in which a bear leaves his cave to abduct a girl. At the festival, villagers hunt the ‘bear’ down and drag him to the town square, where he is shaved. At this point, his human face is revealed, and all’s well that ends well.  

At the heart of everything Catalan is the snow-capped Mount Canigou. From its 2784m-high summit, you gaze over the valleys of the rivers Tech and Têt and the fertile Roussillon plain. In turn, its peak is visible from all over the region. But it’s more than a landmark – this is a symbol of Catalan unity.

On the eve of St Jean (St John) on 23 June, Catalans climb its slopes to light a bonfire with the Flamme du Canigou, a flame kept burning all year round in Perpignan castle. The next morning, the flame is carried to towns across Catalonia to start bonfires. You’ll also see bunches of healing herbs and flowers sold in the streets. These are picked on the eve of St Jean when they are said to be 100 times stronger. The previous year’s bouquets are traditionally burnt on the bonfire, and new ones are hung above doors to ward off evil spirits.  

The beauty is that none of these traditions are staged for tourists – they are part of real life. Take the Catalan circle dances, Sardanes. No Catalan is too old, too left-footed or cool to join in with the Sardanes, performed to the melancholic tunes of the Coblas bands, featuring flabiols (a sort of recorder), a contrabaix (a sort of double bass) and tibles (a sort of clarinet).  

Summer festas, held underneath red-and-yellow Catalan bunting, also often feature impressive Castells (‘castles’ or human pyramids). Local teams of strong adults form the base (anybody can join once the local team has formed its circle) and lithe youngsters snake up their arms and legs to clamber six, seven, even ten ‘storeys’ up.

The Enxaneta (crowner) is the smallest and bravest child at the top; the Castell is considered finished when he or she raises their hand at the summit. It’s a mesmerising mix of togetherness, trust, determination and concentration, much more so than the also present show of strength, which makes watching this feat an emotional affair.  

Animal lovers, look away now. Yes, bullfights to the death still take place here. The annual Feria de Céret (summer fair) is wildly popular with youngsters from around France and sees bulls run the streets before being killed in the ring. Some say this is a protected and ancient French art form, others see it as ritualised animal torture.

And because of this controversy, now just turn your gaze to the nearby spa town of Amélie-les-Bains, where pampered donkeys enjoy an annual benediction by the bishop outside the local church, having been paraded around the town by angelic children in traditional dress. This cute custom brings prosperity to all and celebrates the patron saint of donkeys. How sweet. Bless the French Catalans…