Just up the D612 on the way to Millas from Estagel is the aincient hermitage and dramatic viewpoint of Forca Real. There is no better place to take in the scale and beauty of the Pyreenees Orientales and to orientate yourself beofre exploring the majestic Pyrenees mountains to the south, the fine sandy beaches and picturesque fishing villages to the east, the astonishing Cathar Castles to the north and west and the vinyards all around. There are three waymarked paths on Forca Real itself including a botanical tour through the wild, aromatic garrigue. It's the place to get truly aquainted with the region and to whet your appetite for joys to come. Take a map, a guide book, a picnic and a camera for a truly memorable planning meeting!
The house is stocked with guide books, road maps and 1:50,000 scale walking maps, which we ask you to return to the cupboad in the living room on departure. There are three folders for guests to recomend Attractions and Activities, Walks and Vinyards. Please pin cards from good restaurants onto the board in the kitchen.
Estagel is on the Agly River, the most northerly of three paralel vallies that form the departement. Chateau Queribus stands high on the sharp limestone ridge that runs along the northern side of the valley and forms the border with Aude. Just beyond is the village of Tautavel and the site of the oldest human remains in Europe. It's also a great place to while away an afternoon bathing in the crystal clear river and admiring the gorge as would our ancestors. www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/arcnat/tautavel/en/guide.htm
The departement has hosts of castles and monasteries, beaches and activites, restaurants and clubs. The following websites give a taste of what is on offer but nothing beats spending long lazy days wandering the mountain roads and sitting in simple cafes deciphering what is going on from friendly Catalans.
www.pyreneesguide.com/ and www.pyreneesorientalestourisme.com/index.php3?langue=en are good starting points on the web and we have copies of The Rough Guide and Lonely Planet publications in the house. (Please leave for the next guests!)
The upper parts of the valley are tipped to be home to up and coming wine producers and rightly so. The wines of the region are explained on www.vinsduroussillon.com and in Jonathan Healey's book, "The Wines of Roussillon." (ISBN 2-912966-68-X.) It is clear, accessable and full of hisory as well as a guide to selected vinyards. The book was published in 2002 and a new book covering the south of France in general are now also available at www.jonathan-healey.com.