Canigou

Canigou rises to two thousand seven hundred and eighty-four metres and stands well forward of the main Pyrenean chain, which makes it look far higher than it is; on clear winter days it is visible from the Marseille area, more than two hundred and fifty kilometres away, a fact long disbelieved until photographed. Catalans on both sides of the border regard it as a national symbol. Each 23 June a fire is lit on the summit and torches carried down to light Sant Joan bonfires across Catalonia and Roussillon. Iron was mined on its flanks for centuries. The summit is reached on foot from refuges, with a rough track part of the way.

What you actually see

• The forward summit - a peak that looks higher than it is, seen from far off.
• The Sant Joan flame - the midsummer fire carried down to Catalan villages.
• The mine traces - old iron workings on the flanks.
• The summit cross - the Catalan gathering point at 2,784 metres.

When to go

June to October; snow lies late and the summit needs winter equipment outside that. The 23 June flame ceremony draws crowds to the mountain and the villages below.

Honest expectations

The approach tracks are rough and require a suitable vehicle or a long walk. The final section is steep and exposed. Weather changes quickly and the summit is often in cloud.

Nearby

Saint-Martin-du-Canigou is on its flank; Villefranche-de-Conflent lies north.