The Canigó is located less than 50 kilometres (31 mi) from the sea and has an elevation of 2,784.66 metres (9,136.0 ft). Due to its sharp flanks and its dramatic location near the coast, until the 18th century the Canigou was believed to be the highest mountain in the Pyrenees.[1]
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 Marseille, 250 km (160 mi) away, by refraction of light.[5] This phenomenon was observed in 1808 by baron Franz Xaver von Zach from the Notre-Dame de la Garde basilica in Marseille.[6] All year long, it can also be seen, with good weather, from Agde, Port-Camargue and the Montagne Noire.
Trekking and sightseeingedit
View from the summit
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.
The mountain has symbolical significance for Catalan people. On its summit stands a cross that is often decorated with the Catalan flag.[7] 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 to the cross and the Catalonian flag on top of the mountain, and people light bonfires throughout the area.[8]
Literatureedit
The Canigó inspired the epic poem "Canigó"[9] by Catalan poet Jacint Verdaguer i Santaló. In these verses Verdaguer compares the snowy mountain to a Magnolia flower (pages 27–28):
This Spanish banknote of 1971 had a portrait of Verdaguer on one side, and a picture of Canigou, from Vernet-les-Bains (in France), on the other.
Lo Canigó és una magnòlia immensa que en un rebrot del Pirineu se bada; per abelles té fades que la volten, per papallons los cisnes i les àligues. Formen son càlzer escarides serres que plateja l'hivern i l'estiu daura, grandiós beire on beu olors l'estrella, los aires rellentor, los núvols aigua. Les boscúries de pins són sos bardissos, los Estanyols ses gotes de rosada, i és son pistil aqueix palau aurífic, somni d'aloja que del cel davalla.
The Canigó is an immense magnolia that blooms in an offshoot of the Pyrenees; its bees are the fairies that surround it, and its butterflies the swans and the eagles. Its cup are jagged mountain chains, colored in silver by the winter and in gold by the summer, huge cup where the star drinks fragrances, the airs freshness and the clouds water. The pine forests are its hedges and the ponds its dew drops, and its pistil is that golden palace, seen by the nymph in her dreams descending from heaven.
While he was staying in Vernet-les-Bains 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.[10]
^Cárdenas, Fabricio (2014). 66 petites histoires du Pays Catalan [66 Little Stories of Catalan Country] (in French). Perpignan: Ultima Necat. ISBN978-2-36771-006-8. OCLC 893847466.
^Raguenaud, Virginie (2012). The Colors of Catalonia: In the Footsteps of Twentieth-Century Artists. Gemma. pp. 58–59. ISBN9781934848425.
^Ribas, Joseph (1993). Canigou, montagne sacrée des Pyrénées (1 ed.). Portet-sur-Garonne: Loubatières. pp. 128–129. ISBN978-2-86266606-8.
^"Why Snow Falls at Vernet ( Kipling, 1911)". 20 February 2003.
Referencesedit
Canigó by Verdaguer; Full text - Wikitext
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Canigou.
Canigo.cat 2013-05-26 at the Wayback Machine All information about the Canigou massif: nature, culture and itineraries (in Catalan)
January 01, 1970
canigou, canigó, catalan, canigó, kəniˈɣo, locally, kəniˈɣu, french, kaniɡu, latin, mons, canigosus, canigonis, mountain, located, pyrenees, southern, france, canigócanigó, december, 2004highest, pointelevation2, prominence550, coordinates42, 51889, 45667, 518. The Canigo Catalan Canigo keniˈɣo locally keniˈɣu French Canigou kaniɡu Latin mons Canigosus or Canigonis is a mountain located in the Pyrenees of southern France CanigoCanigo December 2004Highest pointElevation2 784 m 9 134 ft Prominence550 m 1 800 ft Coordinates42 31 08 N 02 27 24 E 42 51889 N 2 45667 E 42 51889 2 45667GeographyCanigoPyrenees Orientales FranceParent rangePyreneesClimbingFirst ascentAccording to tradition in 1285 by Peter III of AragonEasiest routehike The Canigo is located less than 50 kilometres 31 mi from the sea and has an elevation of 2 784 66 metres 9 136 0 ft Due to its sharp flanks and its dramatic location near the coast until the 18th century the Canigou was believed to be the highest mountain in the Pyrenees 1 Being between south and Northern Catalonia the mountain has a historical symbolical significance for Catalan people 2 It is visible from Marseille on the 8th February and 31st October Contents 1 Geography 2 Trekking and sightseeing 3 Canigo Flame 4 Literature 5 See also 6 Notes 7 References 8 External linksGeography editThe Canigo is located in Pyrenees Orientales south of Prades and north of Prats de Mollo la Preste Its summit lies on the border between two communes Vernet les Bains and Taurinya although the territories of two other communes Casteil and Valmanya approach quite closely to the summit 3 Its location makes it visible from the plains of Roussillon and from Conflent in France and as well from Emporda in Spain 4 Twice a year in early February and at the end of October with good weather the Canigo can be seen at sunset from as far as Marseille 250 km 160 mi away by refraction of light 5 This phenomenon was observed in 1808 by baron Franz Xaver von Zach from the Notre Dame de la Garde basilica in Marseille 6 All year long it can also be seen with good weather from Agde Port Camargue and the Montagne Noire Trekking and sightseeing edit nbsp View from the summit 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 and Saint Michel de Cuxa Canigo Flame editThe mountain has symbolical significance for Catalan people On its summit stands a cross that is often decorated with the Catalan flag 7 Every year on 23 June the night before St John s day nit de Sant Joan there is a ceremony called Flama del Canigo French Catalans carry a flaming torch from Perpignan to the cross and the Catalonian flag on top of the mountain and people light bonfires throughout the area 8 Literature editThe Canigo inspired the epic poem Canigo 9 by Catalan poet Jacint Verdaguer i Santalo In these verses Verdaguer compares the snowy mountain to a Magnolia flower pages 27 28 nbsp This Spanish banknote of 1971 had a portrait of Verdaguer on one side and a picture of Canigou from Vernet les Bains in France on the other Lo Canigo es una magnolia immensa que en un rebrot del Pirineu se bada per abelles te fades que la volten per papallons los cisnes i les aligues Formen son calzer escarides serres que plateja l hivern i l estiu daura grandios beire on beu olors l estrella los aires rellentor los nuvols aigua Les boscuries de pins son sos bardissos los Estanyols ses gotes de rosada i es son pistil aqueix palau aurific somni d aloja que del cel davalla The Canigo is an immense magnolia that blooms in an offshoot of the Pyrenees its bees are the fairies that surround it and its butterflies the swans and the eagles Its cup are jagged mountain chains colored in silver by the winter and in gold by the summer huge cup where the star drinks fragrances the airs freshness and the clouds water The pine forests are its hedges and the ponds its dew drops and its pistil is that golden palace seen by the nymph in her dreams descending from heaven While he was staying in Vernet les Bains 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 10 See also editPrieure de Serrabone St Martin du Canigou monastery Vernet les BainsNotes edit Histoire du Roussillon Le relief des Pyrenees Orientales Ribas Joseph 1996 El Canigo historia i mite Vic Eumo Editorial pp 11 12 ISBN 9788476027578 Pierre Bousigue Canigou de l ombre a la lumiere 2019 p118 Guide du Roussillon et de l Andorre touristique historique social economique Perpignan Sud Roussillon 1968 286 p Le Canigou vu depuis Allauch et Marseille Cardenas Fabricio 2014 66 petites histoires du Pays Catalan 66 Little Stories of Catalan Country in French Perpignan Ultima Necat ISBN 978 2 36771 006 8 OCLC 893847466 Pyrenees Team Croix du Canigo Raguenaud Virginie 2012 The Colors of Catalonia In the Footsteps of Twentieth Century Artists Gemma pp 58 59 ISBN 9781934848425 Ribas Joseph 1993 Canigou montagne sacree des Pyrenees 1 ed Portet sur Garonne Loubatieres pp 128 129 ISBN 978 2 86266606 8 Why Snow Falls at Vernet Kipling 1911 20 February 2003 References editCanigo by Verdaguer Full text WikitextExternal links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Canigou Canigo cat Archived 2013 05 26 at the Wayback Machine All information about the Canigou massif nature culture and itineraries in Catalan Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Canigou amp oldid 1213427587, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
