Banyuls-sur-Mer
Banyuls-sur-Mer | ||
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A general view of Banyuls-sur-Mer | ||
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Banyuls-sur-Mer | ||
Location within Occitanie region Banyuls-sur-Mer | ||
Coordinates: 42°28′59″N 3°07′41″E / 42.4831°N 3.1281°ECoordinates: 42°28′59″N 3°07′41″E / 42.4831°N 3.1281°E | ||
Country | France | |
Region | Occitanie | |
Department | Pyrénées-Orientales | |
Arrondissement | Céret | |
Canton | Côte Vermeille | |
Intercommunality | Communauté de communes des Albères et de la Côte Vermeille | |
Government | ||
• Mayor (2014-2020) | Jean-Michel Solé | |
Area1 | 42.34 km2 (16.35 sq mi) | |
Population (2012)2 | 4,652 | |
• Density | 110/km2 (280/sq mi) | |
Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | |
• Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | |
INSEE/Postal code | 66016 / 66650 | |
Elevation |
0–965 m (0–3,166 ft) (avg. 6 m or 20 ft) | |
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. 2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once. |
Banyuls-sur-Mer (Catalan: Banyuls de la Marenda) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France.
Geography
Localisation
Banyuls-sur-Mer is located in the canton of Côte Vermeille and in the arrondissement of Céret.
Banyuls-sur-Mer is neighbored by Cerbère, Port-Vendres, Argelès-sur-Mer and Collioure on its French borders, and by Espolla, Rabós, Colera and Portbou on its Spanish borders. The foothills of Pyrenees, the Monts Albères, run into the Mediterranean Sea in Banyuls-sur-Mer, creating a steep cliff line.
Neighbouring communes
Collioure | Port-Vendres | ||
Argelès-sur-Mer | Mediterranean Sea | ||
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Espolla, Rabós (Spain) |
Colera, Portbou (Spain) |
Cerbère |
Toponymy
Banyuls-sur-Mer was first mentioned in 981 as Balneum or Balneola. In 1074, the town starts being called Bannils de Maritimo in order to distinguish it from Banyuls-dels-Aspres, which lies 20 km (12 mi) away. In 1197, the town is mentioned as Banullis de Maredine and in 1674. In Catalan, it has been called Banyuls de la Marenda, since the 19th century.
The name Banyuls indicates the presence of a pond. In fact, a pond did exist in Banyuls-sur-Mer until the creek Vallauria was drained in 1872. The term Marenda in Catalan or sur Mer in French merely indicates the proximity to the coast.
Government and politics
Mayors
Mayor | Term start | Term end |
---|---|---|
René Ribère | 1977 | 1983 |
Jean Rède | 1983 | 1995 |
Pierre Becque | 1995 | 2001 |
Roger Rulls | 2001 | 2008 |
Jean Rède | 2008 | 2014 |
Jean-Michel Solé | 2014 |
International relations
Banyuls-sur-Mer is twinned with a small town called Settle which is in North Yorkshire, United Kingdom and also with town of Kralupy nad Vltavou located in Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic.
Demography
Historical population | ||
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Year | Pop. | ±% |
1836 | 2,022 | — |
1901 | 3,111 | +53.9% |
1962 | 4,271 | +37.3% |
1968 | 4,436 | +3.9% |
1975 | 4,000 | −9.8% |
1982 | 4,093 | +2.3% |
1990 | 4,662 | +13.9% |
1999 | 4,532 | −2.8% |
2006 | 4,632 | +2.2% |
2009 | 4,686 | +1.2% |
Sports
- Banyuls-sur-Mer is the eastern end of the GR 10 long distance footpath.
- Banyuls is a centre for scuba diving. The main dive site of the area is the marine reserve at Cap Rederis. Local dive schools offer excellent facilities.
- Sea Kayaking is also available here.
Economy
For nearly two centuries, the smuggling of goods to and from Spain was a major activity in Banyuls-sur-Mer. Depending on the needs of the time, salt, tobacco, silver, sugar, rice, textiles, and leather were smuggled through this city, almost always with impunity. Otherwise the inhabitants lived mainly from fishing and viticulture. Nowadays, tourism stemming from the wine industry plays a significant economic role in the town notably for delicious and rare red dessert wines. Under the Collioure appellation, the town is also a center of quality dry reds, rosés and whites, with a number of producers of natural wines.
Notable people
- Aristide Maillol (1861-1944), French sculptor and painter, born and died in Banyuls-sur-Mer.
- Emil Racovita (1868-1947), Romanian polar explorer, former co-director of the Arago laboratory.
- Jean de La Hire (1878-1956), writer born in Banyuls-sur-Mer.
- Marc Eyraud (1924-2005), actor, died in Banyuls-sur-Mer.
See also
References
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Banyuls-sur-Mer. |