France - Le Canigou mountain Written and Photographed by Simon Newman
People take their mountains very seriously, a point illustrated
well in an otherwise unmemorable Hugh Grant film "The Man
who went up a Hill and came down a Mountain". It’s
the story of outrage in a small Welsh village when Grant, playing
a government bureaucrat, attempts to reclassify the revered local
mountain as a mere hill. But the locals win him over, the mountain
holds on to its dignity and, oh yes, Hugh gets the girl, obviously.
Happily the celebrated Pyrenean peak, Le Canigou, is unlikely
ever to be challenged in such a way. Like all French mountains,
Canigou carries its own definite article, no doubt in order to
see off any would-be plagiarists. Yes, this is The Canigou. Beware
of imitations. And while being no Everest, it’s a decent-sized
mountain by anybody’s standards. It’s twice the height
of Britain’s best effort, Ben Nevis and although only half
the height of the Alp’s Mont Blanc, it’s at least
100 million years older so can surely claim superiority on age
if nothing else.
Myths abound, and Le Canigou was for many years claimed by locals
as the Pyrenees’ highest peak. This was just a tad wishful
thinking, for when the reckoning was done properly it actually
came in at number 38. The distinction for the highest goes to
Pico Aneto, on the Spanish side of the border, at 3,480 metres.
But Le Canigou, with its steep north face contrasted by a plateau
setting remains La Muntanya Sagrada, the sacred mountain, in Catalan
folklore.
Legend has it that the peak of Le Canigou was first conquered
in 1285 by Peter, King of Aragon, who recounted tales of dragons
slain and serpents rising from volcanic lakes, among sundry other
yarns featuring his personal derring-do along the way. However,
monarchs of the era were notorious for sending ahead their top
knight to actually do the business and then bagging the credit
themselves. Thankfully today, such duplicity in high office would
never be tolerated ...............
The ascent of Canigou is these days a decidedly more commonplace
event with an average time from Vernet les Bains being about five
hours, though there is an annual race where the front-runners
do it in just over three. This event, Les Champions du Canigou,
honours the hardy young lads employed in Victorian times by the
top hotels of Vernet to run up to the summit daily, returning
with 10 kilos of ice in their backpacks just so the pre-dinner
Martinis could be suitably chilled. Harsh maybe, but then, as
now, one had to maintain standards. In fact, there is still an
alternative category within Les Champions race where
runners can choose, or not, to carry a backpack loaded with 10
kilos of sand to replicate those earlier times. Mmmmm, let’s
see now. Which category to go for?
Le Canigou is a Pyrenean nature reserve and, mercifully, tourism
remains largely undeveloped. Apart from trekking on recognised
trails, most other activities, including skiing, are prohibited.
There are several routes by which the summit can be reached and
for those so inclined, June and September are the favoured months.
The going is mostly moderate but the final approach, if the more
direct but steeper route from the South is chosen, includes the
infamous La Cheminée. This section of the mountain, according
to a recently-spotted blog on the topic, "is not too
difficult, so long as you don’t mind a bit of scrabbling."
Which is all very well, but it must be really hard to keep the
board stable and keep focused on getting that “Q”
on a triple whilst clambering over rocky terrain.
Le Canigou’s place in Catalan literature, art and poetry,
is deeply rooted, with many examples dating back to the 14th century.
The most famous poem by far is the imaginatively-entitled Le
Canigou by the prodigious 19th century Catalan poet Jacint
Verdaguer. It starts with Oh Mountain of Canigou, so beautiful
and virtuous, and then goes on, well, for quite a long time.
About twenty pages actually. Aficionados say it’s a masterpiece
that accurately captures the unique aura of the mountain. Epic
it may be, but it’s also pretty dreary. Maybe the time is
right for a more contemporary take to emerge; a rap or a limerick
perhaps. Anyone out there inspired to give it a go?
The celebrated Glaswegian designer and Art Nouveau artist Charles
Rennie Mackintosh spent much of his last years in the region,
both at Port Vendres on the coast and in the Pyrenean resort of
Mont St Louis, close to Le Canigou. He was a water-colourist whose
ability to stylize the drama and light in the Pyrenees was unrivaled.
Mackintosh demonstrated a playful sense of fun too, often distorting
perspective, adding in non-existent landscape features and exaggerating
proportion, though never losing the integrity of the scene. His
striking impression of the village of Bouleternère, with
a brooding Le Canigou in the background, is an absolute classic.
Nature is quite rightly unconcerned with the artificial boundaries
created by man and Le Canigou has showed complete indifference
to being variously claimed by the kingdoms of Cerdagne, Aragon,
Occitan and countless other tribal groups stretching back into
antiquity. La Belle France is the current holder of the title-deeds,
but she shouldn’t hold her breath for Le Canigou will see
off the 5th Republic all in good time, that’s for sure.
Le Canigou Facts:
Location – French Pyrenees (Catalunya)
Height - 2,785 metres
Born - 250 million years ago
More Info:
Go to www.cg66.fr
for anything to do with Le Canigou. Its Roman era, the monasteries,
wildlife, butterflies, fauna and flora are all there, together
with the options for making an ascent to the summit.
Tip:
The quickest route is to take one of the 4x4 safari rides from
Prades which stops just short of an hour’s climb to the
peak. But be quick - the green lobby could well curtail their
forays in the near future. Alternatively there’s the quaint
Le Petit Train Jaune (The Little Yellow Train) that trundles its
way through the valley and up the mountain each day. It doesn’t
actually go as far as Le Canigou’s summit but it does afford
a panoramic view of the whole range.
Simon Newman is
a freelance travel and features writer living in Catalunya,
close to the French/Spanish border. "I love straddling
two cultures. My passion is in people and the way they relate
to the world as they see it. Human fragility and eccentricity
provide eternal colour to my canvas. For me, it's what makes
life interesting."
