Villefranche
THE VILLAGE
Although classed as a city, Villefranche is a walled village, comprising only 2 main streets and less than 300 inhabitants. It is one of only a select number of villages which has received the prestigious “Most Beautiful Villages of France” award, and is currently nominated to become a UNESCO world heritage site.
The village occupies a prized location at the confluence of the Cady and Tet Rivers and lies at the base of three mountains, one of these being the sacred mountain of the Catalans, Mount Canigou.
As you approach the village, you see only its ramparts and fortifications, which, founded in 1092, have remained untouched by subsequent development. Its civic architecture, (22 thirteenth- and fourteenth century facades are registered as historical monuments), is as well preserved as its military ramparts.
Within its walls, the village comprises a series of medieval lanes with beautiful wrought iron signs identifying the numerous shops and restaurants. The entrance to the gites is situated directly opposite the traditional Catalan boulangerie with its wood-fired oven.
To find out more about the village, look at www.Villefranchedeconflent.fr
OUT AND ABOUT
FORT LIBERIA
Built into the mountainside high above the village, Fort Liberia was designed by Louis XIVs military engineer Vauban in the seventeenth century to protect the valuable position of Villefranche after the 1659 Treaty of the Pyrenees established the new Franco-Spanish border close by.
Fort Liberia can be accessed by the four-wheel drive Landrover which runs throughout the day, by walking around the mountain, or via a subterranean stairway comprising 742 steps.
www.fort-liberia.com
THE LITTLE YELLOW TRAIN
From Villefranche you can catch the charming Petit Train Jaune, through the Pyrenees. The train passes through the highest station in France (5,000ft above sea level). The round trip is 40 miles and the average speed is about 19 miles per hour. 
Consequently the journey takes 5 hours in each direction. However, with spectacular views of plunging mountainsides and steep gorges, and open-air carriages in the summer, there are worse ways to spend a sunny day!
CAVES
www.grotte-grande-canalettes.com
THE CITY WALLS
