Les Angles, commune in Pyrénées-Orientales, France
Les Angles is a village in the Pyrenees built around stone houses that climb gently up a hillside, with a medieval core centered on an old castle and church. A ski station extends through the settlement, with slopes that descend into the village itself.
The village originated in medieval times around a fortress built to defend against invasions and the nearby Aragonese border. The ski station opened in the 1960s and transformed the valley's economy and way of life.
Les Angles reflects its Catalan heritage through local traditions and festivals that residents actively celebrate throughout the year. The Catalan flag flies above the old castle, marking a connection that runs deep in the community's identity.
The village is reached via a winding mountain road from Prades that takes roughly 1.5 hours to drive. Winter conditions can make mountain roads challenging, so plan for careful driving and check weather before traveling.
The village was partly built on elevated terrain to escape regular flooding from the local river, which explains its unusual spread across multiple levels. This historical adaptation to the land later made it natural for the ski station to weave through the settlement.
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