This tour is part of a long route along the French side of the Pyrenees. It runs from east to west in four stages, of which this is the first trip. The tour starts in the port town of Collioure on the Cote Vermeille and ends in Font-Romeu, near Andorra, where a gigantic solar oven is located.

The southernmost area on the Mediterranean Sea is called the “Côte Vermeille” with the towns of Collioure, Port Vendres, Banyuls and Cerbère. One of the most visited tourist spots in the Pyrénées-Orientales is Collioure. The village has an impressive history and is beautifully situated. It is built around a bay with beautiful blue water. Further inland, the mountain slopes are covered with vineyards. In Collioure there are many sights to see: old forts, picturesque streets, boutiques, restaurants and terraces on the beach of the bay.

You start your tour in the port of Collioure in the Pyrénées-Orientales region, the easternmost part of the French Pyrenees. This area is so unique because, within a few hours' drive from the Mediterranean beach, you can conquer the highest mountain peaks. No wonder that France and Spain have disputed each other for so long about the claim to this region. The origins of the fortified towns and the signal towers adorning the mountainside date back to the 13th century. But since the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659, the Pyrénées-Orientales have officially been part of France. Although the deep-rooted Spanish influences are still clearly noticeable in the food, souvenirs and the still scarcely spoken Catalan.
From almost every corner of this region you can see the Canigó Massif. The highest peak is at 2,784 meters but the foot is right on the sea. The Canigó (Pic du Canigou in French) forms a natural barrier between the French and Spanish Pyrenees.

On leaving Collioure there is a petrol station at the local garage. Via the outskirts of Argeles sur Mer you drive to the castle of Valmy. This is a building from the end of the 19th century in eclectic style, a mixture of a Flemish manor farm and a spa villa, built by a wealthy family of contractors, promoters of the local wine and by a then fashionable Danish architect. In short, a “folly” from the industrial age, an architectural sugar cake drenched in cream sauce. The current owners have restored it beautifully, without erasing or adding to its ostentatious character and have furnished it with sure-fire taste. Today this family home is home to a very luxurious hotel. You arrive via a beech avenue and the terraces offer an incomparable view of the sea and the Pyrenees. The stay alone is worth a trip to the Roussillon.

The only still active wooden whip factory is located in Sorède. These are made from the tree species that grows locally: the Micocoulier. This tree is also featured in the coat of arms of Sorède. The ESAT “les Micocouliers” company can be visited. Since the 18th century, the artisanal production of the famous "Perpignan whip" made from hackberry wood, a tree from the elm family that has been cultivated since the 13th century, has taken place here.
But Sorède has more to offer.
On the site of Mas del Ca, a replica of a solar oven has been reconstructed and opened to the public. During the visit, the following will be presented: a 12-minute film about the life and work of Padre Himalaya, the stages of the reconstruction of the solar oven, demonstrations of educational models of solar energy, solar cookers and demonstrations of making alloys by melting metals, which are also carried out in blast furnaces. There is also a turtle farm to visit.

On your route you will pass a number of typical Pyrenean villages: Laroque-des-Albères can be seen from afar, photogenic on a hill. The castle offers a magnificent view all around. There are orientation signs. Villelongue-dels-Monts has a number of historic buildings that are worth seeing. Montesquieu-des-Albères has the 12th century church of Saint-Saturnin, an almost identical appearance to its original architecture. It consists of a single nave closed by a dead-end apse with Lombard arches on the outside. The 11th century feudal castle of the lords of Montesquieu, consists of a central keep of 16 m wide and 22 m long. The whole is protected by a 12 m high enclosure wall. Maureillas is best known for its cork museum, which pays tribute to the craft of cork making, an age-old skill in the Vallespir region. The secrets of cork production are explained, as well as the different uses of cork and the more general history of the trade in the Catalan region.

The next section climbs higher and winds, as a mountain road should, through the forests and past the waterfalls of the Vallespir. A former county annexed to the Kingdom of France by the Treaty of the Pyrenees in the 17th century, it is now a nature reserve that follows the Tech valley from its source to the commune of Céret. South of the Canigou, Vallespir connects the high mountains of the Pyrenees with the plains of Roussillon. Vallespir borders Spain and is home to the southernmost commune of mainland France, Lamanère. Until the beginning of the 20th century, the region was prosperous thanks to its iron mines and forges: an activity that had existed since ancient times. The green Vallespir valley is dominated by cork oaks, cherry trees, chestnut trees and mimosas, depending on the relief. The landscape is made up of steep gorges and valleys.

Céret, where the coffee is served, has its typical Catalan identity, its pretty squares and cobbled streets, its museum of modern art, its férias and its emblematic cherry festival! Céret is a charming town that has much to offer its visitors: a picturesque atmosphere, but also heritage, such as the hermitage of Saint-Ferréol, the fountain of the nine jets, the mysterious Pont du Diable (Devil's Bridge) steeped in legend, and the Fontfrède site, a real balcony overlooking the Roussillon.

From here, follow the Tech (or Têt) river to Amelie-les-Bains. A renowned spa resort with a specialisation in rheumatological and respiratory diseases, and wellness facilities. A complete leisure destination, Amélie-les-Bains also has a casino, a Nordic walking station, a 7-hole golf course and a riding school. The cultural heritage includes several remarkable religious buildings, the Palada castle and towers, the remains of Mondony castle and the charming Palada post office museum.
You cross the Tech and follow the road to the Col de Palomera, again a wonderful mountain road to drive.

Worth seeing in Prades is the church of Saint-Pierre, built in the 12th century in a partly Romanesque, partly Gothic style and renovated in the 17th century in a Baroque style, with an important Baroque interior, including some altarpieces from the 18th century and statues of saints from the 14th-16th century. The church also houses relics of the Holy Cross and Saint Valentine of Terni. Also a historical monument is the 15th century Maison Jacomet. After seeing all that beauty, you should find a nice spot for lunch.

A little further on, near the village of Codalet, in a picturesque setting of orchards, rises a monastery with a magnificent Romanesque bell tower. The Abbey of Saint-Michel de Cuxa, founded in the 9th century, is now inhabited by a Benedictine community from Montserrat. The large pre-Romanesque church, consecrated in 974, has a magnificent cloister, partly rebuilt, whose capitals in pink marble are a remarkable example of Romanesque sculpture; the burial chamber from the early period of Romanesque art.

In Corneilla-de-Conflent, you must visit the Ëglise St. Marie, considered a masterpiece of Catalan Romanesque art. Former collegiate church, it houses a magnificent alabaster altarpiece by the sculptor Jaume Cascalls, dated 1346. Opposite, you can see the remains of the old castle of the counts of Cerdagne-Conflent, built in the 11th century with a round tower from the 12th century. A small courtyard and a door leading to the walkway, nearby, seem to date from the 14th century. Nearby, towards Villefranche-de-Conflent, you will find the famous Canalettes caves.

Where the Carança mountain stream joins the Tech is the entrance to a famous gorge to visit.
This gorge walk through the Gorges de la Carança is spectacular. But if you have a fear of heights, you probably won't enjoy the narrow, carved paths high above the river. The path starts out wide, but you gradually move closer to the rock face where steel cables have been installed to hold on to. In addition to steel bridges, cables and steps, you also pass a wobbly suspension bridge, which you use to cross to the other side of the gorge. Don't forget your sunscreen and plenty of water.

A few kilometres before Mont-Louis, there is a magnificent viewpoint on a steel railway bridge. The Pont Gisclard spans 253 metres over the Tech River, supported by masonry piers supporting 30-metre-high metal pylons. Engineer Albert Gisclard designed this bridge in 1896, and Ferdinand Arnodin's company built it between 1905 and 1908 for the Cerdagne line. The bridge has received several heritage designations, including classification as a historical monument in 1997 and recognition as a 20th-century heritage site.

Mont-Louis, one of nine cities built entirely by Vauban, is ideally situated to defend the new French borders and is a gem of military architecture.
In 1679, Louis XIV approved the construction of Mont-Louis to defend the access to Roussillon. Inaugurated in 1681, Mont-Louis is the last of the defensive line that runs from the Mediterranean. These 17th century military fortifications, designed from scratch by Vauban, are an expression of his creativity. And Mont-Louis has retained its military function. The history of the citadel can be discovered during guided tours, but you can also explore on your own. The church houses Baroque art treasures and the Sentier des Oiseaux, at the foot of the ramparts, gives you a good impression of Vauban's ingenious work and the splendour of this place.

Font-Romeu has the uninspiring appearance of a modern winter sports resort, but if you look carefully you will find some interesting buildings from the past. The most striking is the Grand Hôtel, which was built between 1911 and 1913 and welcomed winter sports enthusiasts until the 1970s, when it was converted into an apartment complex. Now it mainly exudes the faded glory that can be found in some other places in the town. Nevertheless, there is something spectacular to see here.
Le four solaire or the solar oven is located in Font-Romeu. In a few seconds, a temperature of 3000°C is reached here. The large mirror has its back to the sun. Smaller mirrors, placed on the slope opposite, reflect the sunlight to the large mirror. From here, the sun's rays go to the actual oven, which is located in the focal point of the large mirror. The sun shines here 300 days a year.
This is where this first trip along the French side of the Pyrenees ends. Enjoy this ride in one of the restaurants in this place.