 |
|
|
|
|
onjour!
Bonjour, this month let's visit Perpignan, a city in the south of France that is too often
bypassed by those travelers chasing the sun and in too much of a hurry to arrive
at their final destination. So may we suggest a stopover in this warm town with
its interesting and unusual architecture, located at the foot of the Pyrénées
Mountains in the Roussillon region. Let's get off Highway A9, and welcome to
Perpignan!
But before continuing, please remember that you can access and read all the newsletters already
published at http://www.francemonthly.com/
|
 |
 |
|
Our Iberian Ancestors
|
While French schoolchildren traditionally learn that their ancestors were the Gauls,
it is a slightly different story for the youngsters of Perpignan. Indeed, the Sordes,
descendants of the Roussillon people of the plains, were not Celts but Iberians and
long before the year 1000, the heart of the Roussillon territory was already beating
for Catalonia and its capital, Barcelona.
|
 |
| |
Saint Jacques Church
(Click photo to enlarge)
|
This feeling of belonging to the "Spanish" was strengthened after the city was
attacked in 985 by the Arab caliph Al Mansour. The Count of Barcelona called the
king of France Hugues Capet to the rescue, but in exchange for his intervention,
the latter demanded total submission from this vassal state. The count found that
unacceptable. From that day on, relations between Catalonia and the Frank kingdom
were disrupted and remained very tense for many centuries, punctuated with some
very real wars. It wasn't until 1659 and the signing of the Treaty of the Pyrénées
that peace returned between the two countries and Roussillon was brought back to
the fold of the kingdom of France.
|
|
|
|
The "Truce of God"
|
|
By freeing themselves from the yoke of the Frank kingdom, the Catalan counts,
thirsty for power, were forever fighting each other to the detriment of their
own territories. The end of the 10th century and the beginning of the 11th
century were marked by a series of horrible crimes inflicted on a terrorized
population. The clergy that was also robbed and wronged in these endless battles
appeared to be the only real protector of an oppressed people and eventually took
a stand. During the emergency meeting of the synod on May 16, 1027, it was established
that from then on, it would be forbidden to commit any barbaric acts in houses
built within 30 feet of churches or in cemeteries which had become a place of
refuge for the living and the safekeeping of the harvest. It was also decreed
that any sort of attack would no longer be tolerated "from the 9th hour of
Saturday until the first hour of Monday"... It is hard to say whether or not
this finally led to a few more peaceful week-ends for the people, but nonetheless
the end result was that, in the centuries that followed, the church became the de
facto center of community life in the villages. This truce, known as the "Truce
of God" spread throughout the entire Christian west.
|
|
|
Recipe for Summer 2009
|
|
|
|
Moules (Mussels) Marinières
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Three Branches or "Hands"
|
|
| |
Despite this climate of extreme violence, not everything was so bad. It was
around the year 1000 that the counts of Roussillon chose Perpignan as their
place of residence, and granted numerous privileges to the city as a mark of
gratitude for the respect the inhabitants of Perpignan showed them.
On February 23, 1197, Pierre I, Count of Barcelona and King of Aragon, granted
a charter of civil liberties to the city. Perpignan was then run by five consuls
 |
|
Largest Hand on the Town Hall Wall
(Click photo to enlarge)
|
|
who could be re-elected each year by voters divided into three "hands": two consuls
came from the largest "hand" made up of bourgeois and merchants, two others were
chosen by the middle "hand" made up of shopkeepers and professionals, and finally
the last one represented the small "hand" made up of craftsmen. These three branches,
represented by hands, can be seen today springing out from the Town Hall wall on the
"Place des Loges" (Lodges), formerly called the "Place des Hommes Riches" after the
rich men who held all the power back then. These hands symbolized the right to vote
of the people of Perpignan. To protect the independence of the city administration
from the political and religious powers that be, the noblemen and clergymen were excluded.
|
|
|
|
| |
Enemy Brothers
|
|
| |
Jacques the Conquerer was a great king. He took the Balearic Islands and the
kingdom of Valencia back from the Arabs. He also upheld Perpignan's civil
liberties and made Catalan the official language of his kingdom.
|
 |
The Castillet, Porte Notre Dame
(Click photo to enlarge)
|
It was then the most frequently spoken language in the entire Mediterranean basin,
all the way to Greece. He died in Valencia in 1276, bequeathing his eldest son Pierre
the kingdoms of Aragon and Valencia, as well as the earldom of Barcelona located south
of the Pyrénées. However, contrary to the custom that would have the eldest son inherit
the throne while the youngest would pursue a military career, Jacques the Conquerer
also decided to leave his second son the counties of Roussillon and Cerdagne, the
Conflent and Vallespir regions, the city of Montpellier located north of the mountain
chain, and the Balearic Islands. This brand new kingdom of Majorca that the king had
created for his youngest son was nothing more than a mosaic of small territories. As
one can imagine, this did not please the big brother who never stopped trying to
repossess what he had always assumed was his by right. By attempting to make two kings
out of these two sons, Jacques I only managed to create two enemies.
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
Perpignan, the Capital of a Short-Lived Kingdom
|
|
| |
Jacques II could have made Montpellier the capital of his kingdom, but by love
for his wife, Esclarmonde de Foix, he chose Perpignan instead, as it was closer
to his beloved's native land. This set off a period of great prosperity for the
Roussillon region.
 |
|
The Palace of the Kings of Majorca
(Click photo to enlarge)
|
The trade of sheets made with wool from the Pyrénées was flourishing. It was delivered
to the four corners of the Mediterranean and made the city very wealthy. All that
Perpignan was lacking was a palace symbolic of its importance as the capital of the
kingdom and a very prosperous city. Jacques II selected the city heights to build
his fortress, because his enemies –who counted among them his older brother – were
many, and as much as he wanted a prestigious residence, he did not for that matter
overlook the necessity of defensive features. It took 20 years to complete this huge
and magnificent structure that is the Palace of the Kings of Majorca, a fine example
of medieval architecture that blends southern, Moorish and Byzantine style with great
subtlety. In the end, it was the son of Pierre I who managed to take hold of the castle
on July 15, 1344, putting an end to a kingdom that had lasted only 68 years.
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
The "Castillet" |
|
| |
This "small castle", the most symbolic structure in the city, was the gateway
to the economic and political heart of medieval Perpignan. It was built in 1368,
after the capital city of Roussillon was returned to the crown of Aragon, with a
red brick main gate that was made an integral part of the ramparts. A century later,
the king of Aragon found himself indebted to Louis XI, the king of France and his
enemy. The latter didn't hesitate to annex Roussillon and allow himself to occupy
the city while waiting to be reimbursed. This somewhat arbitrary occupation lasted
20 years during which time the monarch equipped the "Castillet" with a turret, built
a new fortified gate on its eastern side, the "Porte Notre-Dame", and created terraces
to set up cannons facing the unruly inhabitants of Perpignan. All this gave the
structure the shape of a citadel with its crenellations, parapet openings and arrow
slits, rather than the appearance of a city gate. It was used for torturing,
committing and executing any opponents to the annexation of France in the 1670s.
This impressive building is the only remains of the city's ramparts and today houses
the museum of Catalan Folk Art Traditions.
|
|
|
| |
The Legend of the Pyrénées
|
|
| |
War with Spain was really dragging on. It was time to put an end to it,
even if it took marrying a woman he didn't love!
 |
|
The Pyrenees Mountains
(Click photo to enlarge)
|
This is the clause that Louis XIV accepted when he signed the Treaty of the Pyrénées on
November 7, 1659. This union would definitely bring Roussillon back to France and finally
establish a border at the summit of a chain of mountains whose name came from a tragic
but beautiful love story for a change. As a matter of fact, legend has it that Pyrène
and Hercules met and fell madly in love with each other. One day, Hercules had to leave to
pursue his works, and at the time had no idea that the young girl was carrying in her womb
the fruit of their forbidden love. As Pyrène ran into the mountains to escape her
father's wrath, she was mortally wounded by a bear. As soon as he heard her cries for help,
Hercules ran to her rescue but it was already too late. As he gathered the dying young woman
in his arms, he said to her tenderly: "So that your name, my beloved Pyrène, be forever
remembered by the men who will populate this land, these mountains where you rest for eternity
will from now on be known as: the Pyrénées!"
|
|
|
|
| |
An Invitation to Travel... |
|
| |
Perpignan is really a charming city well worth a stopover. It will surprise you with its
architecture, delight you with its energy and warm your heart with its plentiful sunshine.
It's a southern town! If you do take the time to go discover the city, please don't stop
while things are going so well. The whole region, wonderfully located between the sea and
the mountains, contains real hidden treasures, whether natural or architectural. You will
find absolutely magnificent sites, picturesque villages, beautiful religious edifices, and
vineyards that produce the mellowest wines. You will probably come across locals dancing
the Sardana and you will perhaps get to taste one of the region's specialties, the "cargolade",
those delicious snails barbecued on the grill. Welcome to Catalan country!
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
