Prats-de-Mollo-la-Preste

French commune
nomcommune=Prats-de-Mollo-la-Preste
Church in Prats-de-Mollo-la-Preste
région=Languedoc-Roussillon
département=Pyrénées-Orientales
arrondissement=Céret
canton=Prats-de-Mollo-la-Preste
insee=66150
cp=66230
maire=Bernard Remedi
mandat=2001-2008
intercomm=
longitude=2.47972222222
latitude=42.4047222222
alt moy=735 m
alt mini=575 m
alt maxi=2,693 m
hectares=14,509
km²=145.09
sans=1,080
date-sans=1999
dens=7.4
date-dens=1999

Prats-de-Mollo-la-Preste ( _ca. Prats de Molló i la Presta) is a commune of the Pyrénées-Orientales "département", in southwestern France.

Geography

Prats-de-Mollo-la-Preste is located 13 km away from the Spanish border, on the banks of the Tech River, and on the south face of the Canigou.

Features

This walled town is a maze of narrow cobbled streets and ancient mediaeval architecture. With only 1,100 inhabitants, it nevertheless boasts numerous hotels, restaurants and cafés, the narrow streets forming terraces linked together by stairways and passages. A covered walkway leads directly from the town to Fort Lagarde, an impressive fort built by Marshall Vauban in 1683 to strengthen the town's defences. Its position also makes it ideal as a starting point for endless walking and climbing itineraries.Only a few kilometres away lies La Preste a spa town famous for its waters and treatment of urinary infections and related diseases. In the 14th century, people with leprosy used to bathe in the ’Leper’s pool’ to help to relieve their symtoms.

History

During the Spanish Civil War it was the location of a refuge financed by the pacifist organisation War Resisters' International and run by Professor José Brocca.