According to Abbot NOGUES « We don’t know if a sanctuary existed before Mara De Déu Vella  within the château of Ultréra. However, it is certain that it was constructed in the year 1000 and was the château’s private chapel before becoming a place for pilgrimages with it’s Roman style remains. This was the beginning of WALKING AND PICTURESQUE VISITS OF THE VILLAGE.  Revealing the generous character of the primitive religious architecture in Roussillon at the beginning of the 11^th century ».
Source of many disagreements between two lords :  the Lord of Sorède, owner and master of the Château and the Lord of de la Pave, Archdeacon of  Vallespir, Chaplain and owner.  The chapel as well as the château were destroyed on 17^th September 1675.

In 1681 the chapel was reconstructed on the land of Lord Sorède and became a hermitage.  Officially inaugurated on 8^th September 1681, the day of the Nativity,  it received the statue of the Virgin « La Madone d’Ultrera » as well as the bells and furniture recuperated from the ancient chapel before it’s destruction.  In 1682, the first brotherhood was created.  It’s foundation was authorised by the Pope Innocent XI.  The work of the chaplain was guaranteed by the priests of Sorède. 
In January 1907, the town of Sorède became owner of the hermitage leaving use to the priest.  In 1970, the association NDC was created.  It is grace of the numerous voluntary workers that maintain the walls of the hermitage whilst respecting tradition. 
Completely destroyed during a fire in 2001, it was completely restored thanks to the town, the project manager and the population. 
In the reconstructed hermitage, the population of Sorède can once again sing the « Goigs », old hymns full of joy and elation, traces of a naive and gracious poesy proclaiming praise to the Virgin Mary and asking for her blessing.

Bibliography. Extracts from « Histoire de Notre-Dame du Château »  Book 1 and 2 - Abbey NOGUES
For sale at the Tourist Office and at the Hermitage. 

The Roman church is decorated with gothic elements and a dressing of pebbles and bricks.  The bell is integrated in the wall façade above the door.  There is a tower on the south face which was contested at the time because of it’s unattractiveness.  Admire the baroque interior with an altarpiece of the rosary from the 17th century and a gothic vaulted archway.  The transept nave is barely visible as it is incorporated in the château and is composed of three rows covered with false split archways. 
Three small chapels can be distinguished inserted in the lateral walls.  Each chapel opens out  to a nave with an archway. They are dedicated to saints such as St Antoine de Padoue, Notre-Dame de Lourdes, St Gaudérique, Ste Philomène, St Sébastien. The seating is separated by  double split archways.  The nave terminates with a five faced chevet and a gothic vault.  The ancient altarpiece disappeared in the 19^th century.  All that remains are the statues of the patron saints of the village.  The lateral altarpiece, dating from the 18^th century, recounts the life of Mary of Nazareth.

The church bell tower has two bells that have been ringing for centuries for the people of the town.  

The Eastern Bell , installed in 1818, it was called « Campana Grossa » because of it’s deep ring.  An engraving reads : My name is Marie « Sancta Maria ora oronobis »
In the centre on the front is a cross with the symbols of the Passion and framed on the top with the sun and the moon and at the bottom the date 1818.
Images of St Michel, the Virgin and St Pierre can be found around the bell.
The circumference at the bottom is engraved with the vespers psalm 112 « Sit nomen domini benedictum, Sancta Maria ora pronobis ». Made by the Joseph Cribaillet brothers.

The Western Bell, that has a lighter sound, is the most ancient and was installed in 1709.  It has the engraving « Laetamini, in domino et exalta de justi », 1709.
It is decorated with the cross of the Annunciation and bears the Catalonian inscription : « Just rejoice in the  lord and exalt in jubilation ». Paul Roques made this for the village of Sureda.

The town of Sorède was the first town in the world to have an experimental platform for solar energy with the first solar oven invented by Manuel Antonio Gomes nicknamed  « Padre Himalaya ».  He was a Portuguese scientist, learned scholar and inventor (he designed canons, explosives and invented a system to create rain).
Born 9^th December 1868 in Santiago de Cendufe in the north of Portugal, he dedicated his life studying natural energy, magnetism, telluric forces, everything foreshadowing new energies and what we call today « renewable energy sources ».
It was in the area known as «El coll del Buc », in the ruins of the old château of Ultréra, during the summer of  1900, that the solar oven was mounted on the backs of men and mules and constructed by the Sorédian craftsmen. It was comprised of one 7 m diameter dish covered in small glass mirrors in staggered rows and fixed onto a metal structure which could be turned towards the sun.  The heat of the sun concentrated by the mirrors was directed towards an oven situated in the centre of the installation and achieved a temperature of 2500° in August 1900.
After several months spent on the site of Sorède, the scientist removed his equipment and left to work in Paris and the United States of America where, in 1904, he won the  grand prix prize at the World Fair in Saint Louis, Louisiana.
The Padre Himalaya died anonymously 21st December 1933 at the age of 65.  It as only years later the memory of this great scientist, the forerunner of renewable energy sources, was reinstated by Jacinto Rodrigues, professor and urbain ecological specialist at the University of Porto.

Bibliography : La revue « Albera MASSANA » N°19 June 2006
Link : www.padrehimalaya.podemus.com

There is no trace of a forge at Sorède before the 14th century.  However, the first traces were in 1342 with the Latin words ‘ferreria’ or ‘furnum’ indicating the presence of this industry in the territory of Sorède.  There are three main reasons why the « Albères » region was chosen for the forge: 
- the huge forest nearby.

- the river « tassio », fed by the mountain streams.

- the presence of iron ore nearby.

Also, mule-drivers or « traginers » provided transport (carts at the end of the 18th century).

The  Forge

The Lord of Sorède was one of the first owners.  Firstly, it was run by a master blacksmith and in 1735 by a land and forest farm manager.  Reconstructed in 1749, it then became the property of the Marquis of Oms, Lord of Sureda and owner of the château. In 1751, the site had a forge and a house constructed to accommodate the blacksmiths.
In 1793, it was bought by a Catalonian industrialist.
The forge specialised in a reputed technique « à la catalane ». Air was sucked in with an air trumpet to increase the temperature.  
The  Martinet
In 1784, a tilt hammer was added to the forge because of the increased production demands.  It was used to produce iron objects from bars produced by the forge (nails, hoops for barrels, garden tools, fittings, horse shoes, etc…).  The building consisted of several constructions grouped together adapted to the declivity of the site.  The major characteristic of the tilt hammer was the air trumpet.  It was used to suck in humid air to encourage combustion creating an air depression because of the difference in height.   It consisted of an air chamber with a wooden water tank with a 6m long tube.  The tube had two oblique sides with a narrowing at the orifice to increase the air supply.

The tilt hammer was out of service 17th July 1790 as well as the forge.
The repeated absence of water because the river lacked water meant the workshops only function a few months of the year.  Numerous legal difficulties and the deforestation are probably the reason for the disappearance of the forge’s activities.

The hamlet has been inhabited since Neolithic times and was incorporated with the town of Sorède since 18th December 1822 by the orders of the King of France.  The spelling of the name was changed in the 19th century from La Vall to Lavail and the rural activities at the time replaced mostly by tourist activities.  
The chapel from the 12th century, built before that of St André, was dedicated to St Martin, Bishop of Tours in  371.
Between 800 and 823 the first Benedictine monks and Spanish settlers brought by Abbot Miron installed, fleeing the yoke of the Muslims and probably coming from the Iberian Peninsular.
In a precept dating 823, the chapel was given up to the St André church and became a cellae (annexe) of it. Traces of the cellae can be found in 1109 when it was annexed to the Abbey of Grasse, situated in Aude.
This Roman edifice with it’s unique nave of small openings, is characterised by a large sobriety and rusticity with an absence of fresco paintings.  A Trinitarian bell-tower and a stone engraved gateway as well as the presence of religious objects filled with history leave many unanswered questions. 

Bibliography. « Sureda…Fa temps » de Geroni i Francesc MARGAIL
For sale at the Tourist Office.

The town of Sorède is crossed by two rivers, the « Massana » and the  « Tassio ». There is also a vast network of underground rivers supplying wells, fountains and a large number of canals in the village and in each neighbourhood.

Wells

« At the bottom of the well, a nave of freshness, I took the access corridor of sticky clay with it’s haphazard vegetation and population of mysterious animals that love water and silence.  I came across a salamander….. » extract from « Sureda…Fa temps »

With an absence of a water source or river nearby, the wells were for a long time the only way to supply water before the 1950-60s with the arrival of  tap water « Aigue A l’Axeita » (called at the time the « fontinal project ») that ended the water service that had existed for centuries:  the wells. 
Certain waters were recommended for their savoury virtues (water for pastis), others more bland for the animals or for cooking vegetables.  During the dry periods when the town wells ran dry the population used the private wells.
The construction was very difficult.  They were built from the bottom up to the coping in dry stone or mortar.  A few private and public wells exist today, remnants of bygone days.

Fountains

« God, this is good ! Chocolate, mineral water…You can’t get enough of this water… » Extract from « Sureda…Fa temps ».

Natural or constructed, the fountains, are incontestable elements of heritage.  Ideal meeting places, « we find joyous boys and girls in their Sunday best having a snack… », they bring with them stories and legends.  
The « Font del Bisbe » (the Bishop’s fountain) is a typical example with a legend that can be discovered during the « picturesque walk of Sorède ».

The irrigation canal  « Rec Mayral »

From the Place de la République up the rue Saint-Jacques, take a right into the rue du canal principal « rue du Rec Mayral » and discover a maze of streams that look natural but are really a system of canals.  Water runs almost permanently bordering small gardens.  Before the creation of this ingenious system, that functions by capillarity, there was a stream that took water from the dam to the « Cassanyès » mill.  The Lord of Sorède, owner of the mill, agreed to supply water to the farmers but the majority was used for the mill.  At the time a « Réguer » was named to police the canal and distribute the water.  The dissatisfied farmers decided to free themselves from this situation and connected to the network by digging secondary canals. From 1622, construction date of the mill, to  1789, after several centuries of legal proceedings the « Rec mayral » was born. In 1789 it became part of the town and in 1865 an association was created, functioning like a union.  It is the only association of Sorède from this date that endures today.
A large water basin, a « Bassa » was constructed.  It distributed and controlled the water supply according to a classification depending on the number of gardens and their surface area. 
The « Réguer » was responsible for the distribution and it is he that opened the sluices according to the time of day supplying the different neighbourhoods.  Today, there are 13 sluices or « Trenc » on the canal locked with padlocks.
The people supplied by the irrigation participate in the functioning of the association and have to assist in maintenance of the canal situated on their property.  They have to leave a right of way for the « Réguer ».  Along the whole length of the canal is a path , a «  franc bord » reserved for the passage of the « Réguer ».
Evidence of a long history where the gardens were an indispensable source of food and where the smallest parcel of land irrigable produced essential market garden produce.  The « Rec Mayral » has kept it’s social importance whether as an irrigation canal or washing-place.

Bibliography. Extracts from « Sureda…Fa temps » by Geroni i Francesc Margail.
For sale at the Tourist Office.

 Huts or « Orrys »

Whilst walking you will come across small stone constructions which were used for shelter by the shepherds.  Those that can be found lower down in the mountains the Feixes (terraced gardens) and the Taillats ( land cleared for vines) were used by the farmers.

Snow wells

Snow wells « Pou de Neu », also called ice wells. There were six in the town of Sorède with two at Coll Pregon and another one, which is particularly well preserved, that can be found at  Puig dels Quatre Termes.
They were constructed in dry stone in a round shape and were very deep (some were more than 10 m deep).  They were used to stock snow which transformed into ice at the deepest part.  This ice was distributed to all the nearby villages and was used, as well as salt, to preserve the food and certain medical treatments.

The Pastoral Tradition

Francis MANENT quite rightly said « In the 20th century the Catalonian mountains are an area for hiking and leisure activities, with beautiful countryside, a nature to be protected but we must not forget that these mountains provided a refuge and food, essential for survival».  Since the  Middle Ages, documents indicate a pastoral activity well established in the Albères mountains concerning all types of farming (goats, sheep, etc…).  In fact, the pastoral activity was so intensive that it eroded the mountains.  Today, only herds of cows known as the « Vacades »  remain.
According to Bernard RIEU, the herds didn’t belong to just one farmer.  They grazed on communal land and each family in the village had it’s cow and the whole herd was looked after by a cowherd paid by the villagers.  The people that had these animals were called « Pagollers ».   Today, the herd is controlled by an association composed of several owners who also employ  a cowherd. 
This breed of cow is able to calve and rear the calf alone and is know as Fagines du catalan « Faitx » which signifies beech.  Coming from the fact that from the spring to autumn they live in the « Fagosa » (beech grove) which covers the upper areas of the Albères. They are also known as Negra as they have very dark coats when young or Massanenques coming from the word Massane with reference to the river of the same name as well as the upper area of the valley.
This small, rustic, aggressive and very wild cow is essentially bred for it’s meat.  The few specimens that survive today are a living heritage that must be preserved. 
This is what Francis MANENT has to say « These cows are not like others, being particularly rustic and robust. Their character is formed from the fact that they live in a tough climate and are at liberty all year round…  With their independent and fighting spirit they were ideal for bullfighting games in the foothills of the Albères.. ».
The breed was genetically modified to improve the character and quality of the meat and was crossbred (Normandy, Charolais…).
The herds graze on summer pastures from the month of March.  There are many areas for grazing and others for rumination.  In the winter they are kept in enclosures. 

Once a year, the « Esquellada » or western is practiced in the Albères. This tradition is as ancient as the herds and consists of rounding up the cattle, branding them and attaching the « esquella », the bell. 
The cattle are driven down a long corridor in the shape of a funnel leading to a « Jaça », an enclosure made of tree trunks and branches.  After the « Esmorzar », picnic, the esquellada starts. The cows are driven in groups of 8 or 10 a holding pen.  Each animal is then attached with a rope tied around the horns.  The veterinary  surgeon takes a blood test, attaches a numbered ear tag and the young animals have an ear marked with a cut made with a knife enabling each owner to identify his cows.  They are also wormed, horns that are too sharp are trimmed, the feather at the end of the tail is also trimmed and then the bell is attached.
To conclude this long day, Francis MANENT said « Once, the work finished, the men meet under the centuries old maple and beech trees to eat the traditional blanquette of veal cooked in the open air on a fire… The fight ends when the invincible Catalonians have a good meal around the same table.. »

Extracts from Francis MANENT and Bernard RIEU