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Ceret is famed as the cherry capital of France providing approximately 4,000 tons of fruit each year. A friendly and bustling town with a network of narrow and winding streets, Ceret is dominated by medieval fortifications. |
At the entrance to the town, the ‘Pont du Diable’ (bridge of the Devil) is one of the three bridges of Ceret spanning the river Tech. It was said to have been built by the Devil in 1321 in return for the soul of the first Ceretan to cross. The engineer sent a cat over first but the trick backfired as none of the locals dared to cross and risk the wrath of the Devil.
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Ceret is traditionally Catalan and all the street names are written in French and Catalan. During the summer months there are many festivals celebrating Catalan culture and the international folkloric festival of the Sardane performed in the “Arena” is an amazing sight. During festival days the streets inside the old city are filled with stands selling food and drink. When evening falls, the traditional musicians make way for dance and disco bands lasting into the early hours. In July there is a festival dedicated to the Corrida (bull fighting) and the ‘Palermo’ styled bull running through the streets.
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Ceret has a reputation as a town of art and not to missed is the Musee d’art Moderne containing a varied collection of works by the Fauvists, Cubists and Surrealists as well as exhibitions of other modern art. The series of painted bowls with bull motifs by Picasso is one of the most popular exhibits.
Throughout the year the lively Saturday market is full of local produce, arts and crafts and voices of visitors from around the world. Do take a moment to enjoy a drink from one of the pavement cafes and watch the colourful scene as it unfolds before you.
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