Discovery
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
In Sorède
- L'ESAT LES MICOCOULIERS
Last establishment in the world that produces items of the wood of the "micocoulier", which is a tree commonly found in the south of France. This ancestral know-how is preserved by disabled workers, who create horsewhips and riding crops, hiking sticks, sport items, ...
*** closed during summer 2018 for construction work ***
Open all year round. Free guided visits of the workshop (in French or English). Group tours on demand. Site located "Rue du stade", close to the tourist information.
For more details click here.
Contact : 04.68.89.04.50 or esat.micocouliers@apajh.asso.fr
__________________________________ Header __________________________________
- TORTOISE VALLEY
"Vallée des Tortues" is a wildlife park divided into two sections: the zoo section, where you can admire more than 500 tortoises belonging to 30 different species and the outdoor relaxation area, which includes a plant maze, picnic areas, a large playground for children, relaxing areas, a route for the senses (for feet), humidifiers and relaxing hammocks.
Open all year round. Guided visits in French or English. Picnic area. Animation. Turtoise feeding and weighing. Workshop.
Contact: 04 68 95 50 50, Website: Tortoise Valley
__________________________________ Header __________________________________
- SOLAR FURNACE
Sorède is the village of the first solar furnace in France or even in the world !
Visits of the solar furnace are possible during the summer season. Follow the directions of "Mas del Ca" or "Vallée Heureuse" in Sorède to get to the site.
The beginning of the use of solar energy in Sorède:
Manuel Antonio Gomes, also known as 'Padre Himalaya', was a Portuguese scholar and a pioneer in renewable energies. He worked up mathematical and optical theories that allowed him to build machinery, capable of focusing solar radiation. In 1900 Padre Himalaya settled up his solar furnace here in Sorède. After his scientific experiments were finished, the solar furnace was disassambled.
Today:
A century later, in 2005, the association "Les Amis du Padre Himalaya" was founded. Its goal was to continue the works of Padre Himalaya in Sorède. The association has meanwhile rebuilt the solar furnace in accordance with photos of the original solar furnace by Padre Himalaya. There are guided visits of the site on demand. During these visits the functioning of the solar furnace is explained and many interesting experiments on the topic of the use of solar energy are carried out. The highlight of the tour is the melting of different metals and stones by use of the solar furnace.
Some numbers and facts on the solar furnace of Sorède:
Weight: 3,5 tonnes
Dimensions of the optical surface: 5 m of diameter
Number of conical mirrors: 260
Total surface of the mirrors: 70 m²
Maximum capacity: 10 kW
__________________________________ Header __________________________________
- THE SUNDIAL
Sorède is solar by nature!
The sundial at place Padre Himalaya in the centre of the village was created in 2013 by the artist Marc-André de Figuères, who is an expert in the construction of artistic sundials in public spaces. The idea behind this sculpture was to pay tribute to the scientific work of Padre Himalaya in Sorède and also to indicate the "good times" (the sunny times).
The visit of the sundial is free.
How does the sundial work?
The funnel-shaped structure in the upper part of the 12 meters high mast collects the sunlight, which then passes through a little hole in the centre of the funnel. Thus, in the shade of the mast there is a small point of light, which indicates the time.
The time, which is indicated by the sundial, doesn't match with the time your watch indicates? Don't panic!
This is the case, because the sundial indicates the solar time which doesn't always match with the civil time. "The length of a solar day varies through the year, and the accumulated effect produces seasonal deviations of up to 16 minutes from the mean. The effect has two main causes. First, Earth's orbit is an ellipse, not a circle, so the Earth moves faster when it is nearest the Sun (perihelion) and slower when it is farthest from the Sun (aphelion) (see Kepler's laws of planetary motion). Second, due to Earth's axial tilt (known as the obliquity of the ecliptic), the Sun's annual motion is along a great circle (the ecliptic) that is tilted to Earth's celestial equator. When the Sun crosses the equator at both equinoxes, the Sun's daily shift (relative to the background stars) is at an angle to the equator, so the projection of this shift onto the equator is less than its average for the year; when the Sun is farthest from the equator at both solstices, the Sun's shift in position from one day to the next is parallel to the equator, so the projection onto the equator of this shift is larger than the average for the year (see tropical year). In June and December when the sun is farthest from the celestial equator a given shift along the ecliptic corresponds to a large shift at the equator. So apparent solar days are shorter in March and September than in June or December." (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_time)
To visit the homepage of the artist Marc-André de Figuères,
click here.To download a brochure of the sundial in Sorède,
click here.__________________________________ Header __________________________________
- GUIDED TOURS
During the summer season there are guided tours, organised by volonteers. Every week, there is a guided tour of the village, guided tours in the mountains and to the pilgrimage church of Notre-Dame du Château.
Information and reservation : 04.68.89.31.17
__________________________________ Header __________________________________
- FITNESS CIRCUIT
The new fitness curcuit of 800m of lenght is located at the Mas del Ca in the Vallée Heureuse, an area of natural beauty. It provides 7 wooden features and 5 pieces of training equipment made of steel. To get to the fitness curcuit from the village of Sorède, follow the signs "Vallée Heureuse" and later "Mas del Ca".
To download the overview map of the fitness curcuit, click here.
You can also go to the fitness curcuit to relax and have a picnic. There is a picnic place equipped with tables and banks from which you'll have a great view over Sorède and its surrounding area. Furthermore the new solar furnace is situated right next to the fitness curcuit. For more information on the solar furnace, click here.
__________________________________ Header __________________________________
- SKATE PARK
If you like skateboarding, BMX biking or inline skating, you should not miss visiting Sorède's skate park!
__________________________________ Header __________________________________
Things to see in the surrounding area of Sorède
- LEISURE
The lakes of Saint Jean Pla de Corts are a little green oasis between the Canigou and the Albères. There you'll find everything you need for an extraordinary experience: you can take a stroll, go swimming, fishing, running, water skiing or visit the high ropes course, ...
__________________________________ Header __________________________________
At "Lac de Villeneuve de la Raho" you can swim, go for a walk or do numerous watersports like going out in a pedalo, windsurfing, ...
__________________________________ Header __________________________________
The "ferme de découverte" in Saint-André is an animal park, which assembles 300 animal species. Amongst them there are some endangered species as well. Some of the animals can be fed by the visitors. Furthermore at the "ferme de découverte" there is a picnic place, and there is the possibility to play certain games, ...
__________________________________ Header __________________________________
"Aigles de Valmy" is an ornithological parc, where you can watch eagles, buzzards, vultures, hawks, ...
__________________________________ Header __________________________________
On the Catalan coastal strip you can spend unforgettable moments at the seaside. Whether you prefer rocky or sandy beaches, you'll definitely find a beach that suits your taste!
__________________________________ Header __________________________________
- CURIOSITY
Palau del Vidre with its lake San Marti, its church Saint Marie, its glassworkers, its stained glass artists, its international festival of glass arts, its horse riding, ... is a village, where you'll feel the Catalan spirit!
__________________________________ Header __________________________________
Céret is the village, where the best cheries in France are grown. Some of the most famous artists of the 20th century like Picasso, Braque, Matisse and many others liked to spend their time here. That's why nowadays there is a museum of modern art. Also it's very nice to take a stroll through Céret's alleys...
__________________________________ Header __________________________________
Collioure is a village, you should not miss visiting! There, you can enjoy "Château Royal", which was the summer residence of the Kings of Majorca in the 13th and 14th century, but also some small beaches and the narrow alleeys with their colourful houses. You'll love Collioure's authentic and picturesque atmosphere...
__________________________________ Header __________________________________
Saint-Génis des Fontaines, Villelongue dels Monts, but also Saint-André, Sorède and Laroque des Albères are villages with a long history, that offer many nice pieces of Roman art...
__________________________________ Header __________________________________
- LOCAL PRODUCTS
The departement Pyrénées-orientales shows an incredible diversity of landscapes. Both the relief and the vegetation differ a lot. For that reason there are many different agricultural products in this region. In the following we will give you three examples of local products, amongst many others. The tourist information of Sorède offers numerous brochures about the local products of the Pyrénées-orientales.
 |
Organic olive oil from "Domaine du Llevant" in Laroque des Albères. They use traditional methods to keep the taste and the identity of the local soil. The working can be visited for free during the summer season.
|
 |
Wines from "Domaine Deprade-Jorda", a vineyard, which is situated in the municipalities of Laroque, Sorède, St-André and Argelès. It offers a dozen of different varietals. You can taste and buy the wines at 98, rte nationale à Argelès.
|
 |
"La maison de l'amande" in Laroque is a workshop and a boutique, that offers traditional products made of almonds: powder, flour, almond oil, ...
|
__________________________________ Header __________________________________
