Leucate
Encyclopedia
Nestled between the Mediterranean sea and sea pond backing the Corbières mountains with an impressive view on the Canigou peak, Leucate is a community of typical villages lying among a unique natural landscape.
Leucate combines history, gastronomical treasures (oysters, wine, seafood) and cultural and sporting events as well as various types of famous festivals all year long.
Leucate, unique place, unique experiences.
Leucate is composed of five villages:
the first, Leucate Village, cradle of the rich local historical heritage lies between a valley overlooked by a fortress and a vast geological plateau.
Leucate Village is an invitation for peaceful strolls along its narrow streets, typical of the area.
Leucate Plage at the feet of an steep cliff hidden from the wind offers an ideal site for adults and children. The latter are safe to play on the fine and wide sandy beaches.
La Franqui has a retro charm appealing to any visitor. Famous for its beach of Coussoules, 8 km of golden sand, this site offers the possibility to practice windsurf, kitesurf and any other wind related activity. Another alternative is to lay down and relax as the famous Henry de Monfreid would have done when he lived in La Franqui.
The naturist villages are a distinct part of Port Leucate. These villages are the guardian of the intimacy of those who feel free naked.
Port Leucate although inhabited during prehistorical era, has a quite recent history which starts in the 60’s with the ‘Racine’ commission. The particular location of this long land of sand between the Mediterranean sea and sea ponds allowed the construction of a marina composed of 1,200 moorings welcoming holidaymakers and seafarers all year long. Port Leucate also boasts a vast and welcoming beach.
Mountains, which are called the Corbières maritimes. It is around 30 km (18.6 mi) south of Narbonne
, and around 30 km (18.6 mi) north of Perpignan
.
The Phare du Cap Leucate
offers a view (on a clear day) over the whole French Mediterranean Sea from the Spanish border to the Camargue
.
Leucate combines history, gastronomical treasures (oysters, wine, seafood) and cultural and sporting events as well as various types of famous festivals all year long.
Leucate, unique place, unique experiences.
Leucate is composed of five villages:
the first, Leucate Village, cradle of the rich local historical heritage lies between a valley overlooked by a fortress and a vast geological plateau.
Leucate Village is an invitation for peaceful strolls along its narrow streets, typical of the area.
Leucate Plage at the feet of an steep cliff hidden from the wind offers an ideal site for adults and children. The latter are safe to play on the fine and wide sandy beaches.
La Franqui has a retro charm appealing to any visitor. Famous for its beach of Coussoules, 8 km of golden sand, this site offers the possibility to practice windsurf, kitesurf and any other wind related activity. Another alternative is to lay down and relax as the famous Henry de Monfreid would have done when he lived in La Franqui.
The naturist villages are a distinct part of Port Leucate. These villages are the guardian of the intimacy of those who feel free naked.
Port Leucate although inhabited during prehistorical era, has a quite recent history which starts in the 60’s with the ‘Racine’ commission. The particular location of this long land of sand between the Mediterranean sea and sea ponds allowed the construction of a marina composed of 1,200 moorings welcoming holidaymakers and seafarers all year long. Port Leucate also boasts a vast and welcoming beach.
Geography
Leucate is on the Mediterranean coast of France. It is part of the eastern CorbièresCorbières (mountains)
The Corbières is a mountain range in the Pre-Pyrenees.-Geography:The Corbières are a mountain region in the Languedoc-Roussillon in southwestern France, located in the departements of Aude and Pyrénées-Orientales....
Mountains, which are called the Corbières maritimes. It is around 30 km (18.6 mi) south of Narbonne
Narbonne
Narbonne is a commune in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. It lies from Paris in the Aude department, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Once a prosperous port, it is now located about from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea...
, and around 30 km (18.6 mi) north of Perpignan
Perpignan
-Sport:Perpignan is a rugby stronghold: their rugby union side, USA Perpignan, is a regular competitor in the Heineken Cup and seven times champion of the Top 14 , while their rugby league side plays in the engage Super League under the name Catalans Dragons.-Culture:Since 2004, every year in the...
.
The Phare du Cap Leucate
Phare du Cap Leucate
The Phare du Cap Leucate is a lighthouse situated on the Cap Leucate, located in the south-eastern part of the Corbières maritimes in the French Department Aude on the territory of the commune of Leucate...
offers a view (on a clear day) over the whole French Mediterranean Sea from the Spanish border to the Camargue
Camargue
The Camargue is the region located south of Arles, France, between the Mediterranean Sea and the two arms of the Rhône River delta. The eastern arm is called the Grand Rhône; the western one is the Petit Rhône....
.
Population
Personalities
- Henry de MonfreidHenry de MonfreidHenry de Monfreid was a French adventurer and author. Born in Leucate, Aude, France, he was the son of artist painter Georges-Daniel de Monfreid and knew Paul Gauguin as a child....
, adventurer and author - Françoise de CezelliFrançoise de CezelliFrancoise spelt her name GAZELLI There is a statue of her in Leucate Village. There is a paragraph engraved next to it , in which she appeals to the commanders of the French garrison in 1589...
(1558–1615) knightKnightA knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
and French female war hero - André HélénaAndré HélénaAndré Héléna was a French writer who spent most of his life in Leucate on the mediterranean coast...-Bibliography:*Les flics ont toujours raison...
(1919–1972) author - Jacques HironJacques HironJacques Hiron is a former merchant turned journalist, and writer of popular science, fiction and graphic novels.He lives in Leucate in southern France.- Popular science :...
author (fiction, comics, regional & local history and geography) - Evelyne Marie France Neff (née Migliori) retired German-French politician
- Christophe NeffChristophe NeffChristophe Neff is a geographer.He currently leads a research group studying Mediterranean ecosystems and fire ecology at the University of Karlsruhe....
geographer
Sources
- Nöel Hautemanière and Jacques Hiron: Leucate : plein cadre; livre de photographies. Toreilles, 2004, ISBN 2-9516053-3-1.
- Christophe Neff: Kulturlandschaftswandel, Fremdenverkehr und Biodiversität auf der Halbinsel Leucate (Dept. Aude / Frankreich). In: Fremdenverkehrsgebiete des Mittelmeerraumes im Umbruch. Beiträge der Tagung des Arbeitskreises "Geographische Mittelmeerländer-Forschung“ vom 11.-13. Oktober 1996 in Regensburg. Regensburger Geographische Schriften, Heft 27, S. 99-135, Regensburg, 1998, ISBN 3-88246-193-4
- Christophe Neff : Observation géographiques et floristiques sur la presqu'île de Leucate. In: Bul. Soc. Et. Sc. Nat. Nîmes et Gard, T. 62, 1999, 23-34.
- Christophe Neff and Peter Frankenberg : Reflexions géobotaniques sur les plantes échappees de jardins: L´example de Euphorbia dendroides et d´autres espèces ornementales dans la région de Leucate et dans les Corbières maritimes (Aude, France). In : Bul. Soc. Et. Sc. Nat. Nîmes et Gard, T. 63, 2001, 7- 10.
- Christophe Neff : Les Corbières maritimes – forment-elles un étage de végétation méditerranéenne thermophile masqué par la pression humaine ? In: Eric Fouache (Edit.): The Mediterranean World Environment and History. IAG Working Group on Geo-archeology, Symposium Proceedings. Environmental Dynamics and History in Mediterranean Areas, Paris, Université de Paris – Sorbonne 24 – 26 avril 2002. Paris, 2003, 191 – 202, (Elsevier France, ISBN 2-84299-452-3).