Puig Neulós () is the highest mountain of Albera Range, an eastern prolongation of 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. ...

Catalonia Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia of 2006, Statute of Autonomy. Most of its territory (except the Val d'Aran) is situate ...

, between

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 ...

and

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 ...

. It has an elevation of 1,256 metres above

sea level Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an mean, average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal Body of water, bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical ...

. There are some antennas on the summit and there is a paved road on the French side restricted to military use. The summit, as well as most of the southern side of the range is part of the Paratge Natural d'Interès Nacional de l'Albera natural reserve. A man-made rock formation known as La Reyne de las Founs surrounds a water source coming out of the mountain. Built by 19th century shepherd Emmanuel Coste, known as Manel, it is inscribed with the quotation "les douaniers ici trouvent souvent ce qu'ils cherchent". Later, smugglers used pebble formations to codify messages about customs officials in the vicinity.

Toponymy

Puig Neulós is a Catalan name which has been preserved as it is in French. Coming from the Latin podium,

Puig Puig () is a word and surname of Catalan origin, meaning "hill" or "peak". The word derives from Latin ''podium'' meaning "balcony". Geographical features * Puig-l'agulla, a mountain of Catalonia * Puig de l'Àliga (Sant Pere de Torelló), a mo ...

means “puy” and designates a rounded summit or mountain. Neulós is analogous to the French “nébuleux” in the sense “covered with clouds”. We find a mention of this summit in a text from

1322 Year 1322 ( MCCCXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. Events January – March * January 3 – Charles IV the Fair, the last member of the House of Capet and younger brother of King Philip V, becomes ...

in the

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

form Podio Nebuloso, which has the same meaning4.

IGN ''IGN'' is an American video gaming and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa district and is headed by its former e ...

maps give either puig Neulós1, or the slightly French form pic Neulos5. We also find in literature the French form corresponding to the Northern Catalan pronunciation: Néoulous.

Geography

Topography

The Puig Neulós, seen from the Coll de l'Aranyó (899 m). The steep rock on the ridge to the right of the peak is the Roc du Midi (Roc del Migdia, 872 m). Below, on a line of ridges, is the Roc du Midi, very visible, and to the west the Roc Fouirous, a southwest-facing outcrop.

References

External links

Requesens - Puig Neulós hiking routeManel Figuera i Abadal, ''50 ascensions fàcils pel Pirineu català'', Valls, Cossetània, 2008
Mountains of Catalonia Emblematic summits of Catalonia {{Catalonia-geo-stub

Toponymy

Geography

Topography

See also

References

External links