Catalan Crafts
Despite the advance of modern life here also, there are still many wonderful crafts and trades practised here.
Lets start with the connaisseurs of good food who can sample the anchovies at Collioure and the wonderful Catalan sausages and cured meat, made in the mountains; there is something for every taste.
Don’t forget the cheese, mainly goat’s and sheep’s as there are few herds of dairy cattle here.
For desert there is Cémoi chocolate, rousquilles, croquants de St Paul, macaroons, fougasses ( a type of bread) and excellent mountain honey
Wrought iron door decor
Catalan Bigatanes
In another domaine there are the Catalan weaving looms which produce strong brightly coloured fabric at the ‘Toiles du Soleil‘ at St Laurent de Cerdans, and the ‘Toiles du Moulin‘ at Arles sur Tech. These are used for table cloths, table runner, serviettes, tea towels etc. and also for Catalan espadrilles, the famous ‘Bigatanes‘, ideal for dancing the Sardane. There is a manufacturer still at Saint Laurent.
There are glass blowers at Palau del Vidre, artist- blacksmiths, whose work on balcony rails and doors can be admired everywhere, and the catalane cutlery works at Galinet.
Fouet Catalans are made at the factory in Sorède from local wood and there are several cork facories still making real corks from local cork oaks.
On a more expensive level there are workers of Catalan Grenat, a beautiful dark red semi precious stone used to make intricate and original jewellery.
So many things to discover!
Workshop Créaverres in Arles sur Tech
Cork Extraction
Catalan Grenats