Our
region of the Pyrenees Orientales covers 4183 square kilometres
with a large variety of landscapes. It is divided into several
areas which are considered as "small districts".
Simplified, there are 3 regions : the mountains (the foothills
of the Pyrenees), the plain (the Roussillon Plain) and the coast
(the sandy coast from Le Barcarès to Argelès and the Vermilion
coast, from Collioure to Cerbère).
The Mountain zone is composed of the Cerdagne (to the west)
situated at an altitude between 1000
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and
1800 metres, and the Capcir (to the north-west) which is colder
and windier. Our highest summits: the Carlit
2921 metres, the Puigmal 2900 metres, the Peric peak 2812
metres, the Canigou 2786 metres and the Costabonne 2465 metres.
To go from the coast to the mountains you are almost always
obliged to cross the plain.
The coast is our Mediterranean coast. From Le Barcarès to
Argelès it is the Sandy Coast and from Collioure |
to
Cerbère it is the Rocky Coast also known as the
Vermilion coast. The
3 valleys
• The Vallespir through which flows the River Tech.
• The Conflent through which flows the River Têt
• The Valley of the Agly River.
Our main lakes
• The Bouillouses 160 ha
• Matemale 160 ha
• Puyvalador 120 ha
On the plain, there is also the lake at Vinça (160
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hectares)
and, not far from the sea, the lake at Villeneuve de la Raho
(170 hectares). Our
shallow lakes
The Canet lake (676 ha) and the Salses lake (320 ha) which
stretches into the Aude department.
The Pyrenees Orientales has also 106 000 hectares of forest
and several nature reserves.
Our climate
With nearly 3000 hours of sunshine per year, it is one of
the warmest |
departements
in France. The winds
The Tramontane often chases the clouds away. Sometimes the
sea wind brings dampness from the sea and rain. from time
to time the hot wind from Spain blows.
Frost
Almost non-existant in the plain and on the
coast. However, often found in Cerdagne-Capcir (about 180
days per year).
Snow
Rarely in the plain and on the coast but omni-present in Cerdagne
and Capcir in winter (about 150 days per year).
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