De Salses a Guardamar i de Fraga a l’Alguer: les comarques de parla catalana una a una. 1/88: el Rosselló (Northern Catalonia).
Rosselló is the shire situated at the North-East extreme of Northern Catalonia. The Northernmost town in the Catalan Countries, Salses, is here.
Its capital city is Perpinyà. Another important city is the coastal Cotlliure, which served as an inspiration to many artists including Matisse, Derain, Chagall, Picasso, Dalí, or Dufy, among others, and was often painted by them. It’s also the birthplace of the sculptor Aristides Maillol.
To all of these artists who looked for the light of Rosselló and found inspiration there, we should also add the many artists and intellectuals from Southern Catalonia who went on exile to Rosselló escaping persecution after the fascists’ victory in the Spanish Civil War.
Another well-known town is Elna, known for its Maternity which helped pregnant refugees who were escaping the fascist dictatorship of Spain and who the French government had locked in the Argelers refugee camp.
Photos from: saintcyprien, baladeenpayscatalan, laurencemlesbijoux, wikiwand, turismecanigo.cat, DanC, produitenpayscatalan and perpignan.mediterranee.
