Randonnée d'Eus au prieuré de Marcevol

A hike in the region Languedoc-Roussillon

Starting from Eus, one of the Most beautiful Villages of France, go to discover Catalan landscapes on the right bank of the river Têt. Noteworthy tourist sites: Eus and its two churches, steep streets with stair, Arboussols and Prieuré de Marcevol, jewel of Catalan patrimony.

Information

General points

• Geographic situation. District : Eus (department Pyrénées-Orientales, canton Prades)
                                     Road map with
• Starting point : Car park, at the top of the village of Eus, just before the city hall.
• The length of the stroll is estimated at 7,9 Km and the walk duration is about 3 h .
• The stroll is marked out all along
• Stroll form : linear
  Remark about linear strolls : the duration of walk and the road-book are presented for one-way direction. Distance and time should be doubled when one goes and back.
• Stroll relief : mountainous (alt. mini = 387 m ; alt. maxi = 560 m)
• Maintenance : regular (right brushwood clearing)
• Exposure : varied (both covered and uncovered areas)

Noteworthy places

Chapelle romane d'Eus. Situated in the cemetery, at the bottom of the village, the chapel of Eus is the most ancient church in the village (XIth century). Is is consecrated to Saint Gaudérique, patron of wine growers. Its XIIIth century gate was built with pink marble from Villefranche-de-Conflent.

Eglise Saint-Vincent à Eus. The church Saint-Vincent dates from the XVIIIth century. It is in the heights of the village, built over the ruins of the chapel of the Comtal castle.

Arboussols. The first mention of Arboussols goes back to 1011. At that time, the church was joined to the abbey of Saint-Michel-de-Cuxa. The development of the village mainly dates from the XIIth century, in fact, from the foundation of the priory of Marcevol, which could provide protection to the population. At the end of the XVIIth century, people left the village after the monks were going away.

Prieuré de Marcevol. The priory of Marcevol was built during the XIIth century by the monks of the Holy Sepulchre. It was abandoned in the Revolution, when the Republic decided that religious properties had to become State ownerships. After having been used as a farm, it was restored in 1972 and kept up since this time.