The view of the Pyrenees from Maison La Fontaine

The principal reason for buying La Fontaine was the view of the Pyrenees from our south-facing terrace and after some 15 years of ownership we never tire of it. A bonus is that on the other side of the village there is another splendid view - of the Black Mountains.

We have a magnificent mountain panorama including some 90 visible named summits

However it is to the south where we have a magnificent mountain panorama including some 90 visible named summits and some of the highest peaks of the Pyrenees at over 3,000 m. The range straddles the French / Spanish border and its entire length from the Bay of Biscay to the Mediterranean Sea is around 490 km.

Pic du Canigou, Pic de Barlonguère and Pic Carlit

We can see from Pic du Canigou 2,786 m, near Perpignan, in the east, to the Pic de Barlonguère 2,802 m in the west, which is a distance of 125 km or roughly a quarter of the length of the whole mountain chain. From La Fontaine to the south, the furthest visible peak – Puigmal 2,913 m - is 90 km away. The main peaks opposite the house, in the Carlit Massif (highest Pic Carlit 2,921 m) are about 60 km away.

The highest visible mountain is Pica d’Estats 3,143 m

The highest mountain in the Pyrenees is the peak of Aneto 3,404 m in Aragon, Spain, which is not visible. This is behind Mont Valier at 2,838 m which you can see in the far west – a classic pyramidal shape. The highest visible mountain is Pica d’Estats 3,143 m, the highest summit in Catalonia and 35th highest in the Pyrenees, which is just to the west of the Massif de Tabe (includes the twin peaks of Pic de Soularac 2,368 m and Pic de Saint-Barthélemy 2,348 m).

There are early morning mists in the valleys and stunning sunsets

What adds to the interest are the weather conditions. The snow lasts until May but often melts if it arrives before Christmas. There are early morning mists in the valleys and stunning sunsets - as well as spectacular thunderstorms!

It is also possible to see the highest peak in the Corbières which is Pic de Bugarach (shaped like a tooth) on the far left from the terrace at a mere 1,230 m.

For trips to the mountains, visit the ski resorts of Les Angles and Font Romeu in the Carlit (2,921 m) Massif, via Quillan and Les Mont d’Olmes (ski station), the town of Ax-les-Thermes in the Massif de Tabe and the Principality of Andorra.

Cailhavel, by the way, is 240 m and is on the edge of the Massif de la Malepère which is part of the Pyrenees and rises to 442 m.

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