The Canigó ( , ; ; ) is a

mountain A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher t ...

located in the

Pyrenees The Pyrenees are a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. They extend nearly from their union with the Cantabrian Mountains to Cap de Creus on the Mediterranean coast, reaching a maximum elevation of at the peak of Aneto. ...

of southern

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

. The Canigó is located less than from the sea and has an elevation of . Due to its sharp flanks and its dramatic location near the coast, until the 18th century the Canigó was believed to be the highest mountain in the

. Being between south and

Northern Catalonia Northern Catalonia, North Catalonia or French Catalonia is the Catalan language, Catalan-speaking and cultural territory ceded to France by Spain through the signing of the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659 in exchange for France's effective renu ...

, the mountain has a historical symbolical significance for

Catalan people Catalans (Catalan language, Catalan, French language, French and Occitan language, Occitan: ''catalans''; ; ; or ) are a Romance languages, Romance ethnic group native to Catalonia, who speak Catalan language, Catalan. The current official c ...

. In good weather, it is visible from

Marseille Marseille (; ; see #Name, below) is a city in southern France, the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Bouches-du-Rhône and of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Regions of France, region. Situated in the ...

on 8 February and 31 October, due to atmospheric optical effects.

Geography

The Canigó is located in

Pyrénées-Orientales Pyrénées-Orientales (; ; ; ), also known as Northern Catalonia, is a departments of France, department of the Regions of France, region of Occitania (administrative region), Occitania, Southern France, adjacent to the northern Spain, Spanish ...

, south of Prades and north of

Prats-de-Mollo-la-Preste Prats-de-Mollo-la-Preste (; ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales Departments of France, department in southern France, near the border with Spain and the Autonomous Community of Catalonia. The name ''Prats-de-Mollo'' com ...

. Its summit lies on the border between two communes:

Vernet-les-Bains Vernet-les-Bains (; ) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France. The Catalan word for an alder tree is "vern". "Vernet" is derived from "verneda", a Catalan word meaning a group of alder trees. "Vernet" officially ...

and

Taurinya Taurinya (; ) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France. Geography Taurinya is located in the canton of Le Canigou and in the arrondissement of Prades. Population See also *Communes of the Pyrénées-Ori ...

(although the territories of two other communes -

Casteil Casteil (; ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales Departments of France, department in southern France, part of the historical Conflent comarca. The abbey Martin-du-Canigou is located above Casteil. Geography Localisat ...

and

Valmanya Valmanya (; ) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France. Geography Valmanya is located in the canton of Le Canigou and in the arrondissement of Prades. Population See also *Communes of the Pyrénées-Ori ...

- approach quite closely to the summit). Its location makes it visible from the plains of

Roussillon Roussillon ( , , ; , ; ) was a historical province of France that largely corresponded to the County of Roussillon and French Cerdagne, part of the County of Cerdagne of the former Principality of Catalonia. It is part of the region of ' ...

and from

Conflent Conflent (; ) is a historical Catalan comarca of Northern Catalonia, now part of the French department of Pyrénées-Orientales. In the Middle Ages it comprised the County of Conflent. The capital of this ''pays'' is Prades (), and it bor ...

, and as well from

Empordà Empordà (; ) is a natural and historical region of Catalonia, Spain, divided since 1936 into two '' comarques'', Alt Empordà and Baix Empordà. The city of Figueres, an important urban and economic center of the Empordà, was designated th ...

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

. Twice a year, in early February and at the end of October, with good weather, the Canigó can be seen at sunset from as far as

, away, by

refraction In physics, refraction is the redirection of a wave as it passes from one transmission medium, medium to another. The redirection can be caused by the wave's change in speed or by a change in the medium. Refraction of light is the most commo ...

of light. This phenomenon was observed in 1808 by baron

Franz Xaver von Zach Baron Franz Xaver von Zach (''Franz Xaver Freiherr von Zach''; 4 June 1754 – 2 September 1832) was an Austrian astronomer born at Pest, Hungary (now Budapest in Hungary). Biography Zach studied physics at the Royal University of Pest, and ...

from the

Notre-Dame de la Garde Notre-Dame de la Garde (; : Titles of Mary, Our Lady of the Guard), known to local citizens as ''la Bonne Mère'' (French for 'the Good Mother'), is a Catholic Church, Catholic Basilicas in the Catholic Church, basilica in Marseille and the city ...

basilica in Marseille. All year long, it can also be seen, with good weather, from

Agde Agde (; ) is a commune in the southern French department of Hérault. It is the Mediterranean port of the Canal du Midi. It is situated on an ancient basalt volcano, hence the name "Black Pearl of the Mediterranée". Location Agde is locate ...

, Port-Camargue and the

Montagne Noire The Montagne Noire (; , known as the 'Black Mountain' in English) is a mountain range in central southern France. It is located at the southwestern end of the Massif Central at the juncture of the Tarn, Hérault and Aude departments. Its highe ...

. Canigó.jpeg, Canigó, 2004 Canigou April 1st 2024.jpg, Canigó from Bompas, Perpignan, 1 April 2024 Canigou2.jpg, Canigó from Bompas, Perpignan 31 March 2024 Canigó.jpg, View from the Pic dels Set Homes Canigou face Est

Trekking and sightseeing

Jeep tracks on the north side of the massif lead to the Chalet des Cortalets (at 2150 m) which is a popular outpost with walkers. There are two ancient monasteries at the foot of the mountain,

Martin-du-Canigou The abbey of Saint-Martin-du-Canigou ( Catalan: ''Abadia de Sant Martí del Canigó'') is a monastery built in 1009 in the Pyrenees of Northern Catalonia on Canigó mountain in present-day southern near the Spanish border. Pau Casals wrote a c ...

and

Saint-Michel-de-Cuxa The abbey of Saint-Michel-de-Cuxa () is a Benedictine abbey located in the territory of the commune in France, commune of Codalet, in the Pyrénées-Orientales ''département in France, département'', in southwestern France. It was founded initia ...

Canigó Flame

The mountain has symbolical significance for

. On its summit stands a cross that is often decorated with the Catalan flag. Every year on 23 June, the night before St. John's day (''nit de Sant Joan''), there is a ceremony called ''Flama del Canigó''. French Catalans carry a flaming torch from

Perpignan Perpignan (, , ; ; ) is the prefectures in France, prefecture of the Pyrénées-Orientales departments of France, department in Southern France, in the heart of the plain of Roussillon, at the foot of the Pyrenees a few kilometres from the Me ...

to the cross and the Catalonian flag on top of the mountain, and people light bonfires throughout the area.

Literature

The Canigó inspired the epic poem "Canigó" by Catalan poet

Jacint Verdaguer i Santaló Jacint Verdaguer i Santaló (; 17 May 1845 – 10 June 1902) was a Catalan writer, regarded as one of the greatest poets of Catalan literature and a prominent literary figure of the Renaixença, a cultural revival movement of the late Roma ...

. In these verses Verdaguer compares the snowy mountain to a

Magnolia ''Magnolia'' is a large genus of about 210 to 340The number of species in the genus ''Magnolia'' depends on the taxonomic view that one takes up. Recent molecular and morphological research shows that former genera ''Talauma'', ''Dugandiodendr ...

flower (pages 27–28): 500ptes

While he was staying in

in 1911, Kipling wrote about Canigou. In a letter to the Club Alpin, he praised it as a " magician among mountains". Kipling also wrote a light-hearted short story entitled ''Why Snow Falls at Vernet''. It makes fun of the English habit of always talking about the weather.

Notes

References

Canigó by Verdaguer; Full text - Wikitext

External links

Canigo.cat
All information about the Canigou massif: nature, culture and itineraries (in Catalan) {{Authority control Mountains of the Pyrenees Catalan symbols Mountains of Pyrénées-Orientales