Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, and designated a “historical nationality” by its Statute of Autonomy. The capital and largest city is Barcelona, the second largest city in Spain, and the centre of one of the largest metropolitan areas in Europe. The official languages are Catalan, Spanish and Aranese (an Occitan dialect). Castells are one of the main manifestations of Catalan popular culture. The activity consists in constructing human towers by competing colles castelleres (teams). This practice originated in the southern part of Catalonia during the 18th century. The tradition of els Castells i els Castellers was declared Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2010. There are several UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Catalonia. read more…
Bagnères-de-Luchon, also referred to as Luchon, is a French commune and spa town in the Haute-Garonne department in the Midi-Pyrénées region of south-western France. The inhabitants of the commune are known as Luchonnais or Luchonnaises. The commune has been awarded three flowers by the National Council of Towns and Villages in Bloom in the Competition of cities and villages in Bloom. read more…
Rennes-le-Château is a commune in the Aude department in Languedoc in southern France. It is known internationally, and receives tens of thousands of visitors per year, for being at the center of various conspiracy theories. read more…
