Argelès is, in fact, two townships about a mile apart, located at the southernmost end of the Mediterranean beaches. South of Argelès-Port, the coast becomes rocky where the Albère Mountains cascade into the sea. The old town, Argelès-sur-Mer (by the sea), has narrow, cobbled streets and a lively street market selling local produce twice a week. The name simply means "clay by the sea" because this entire coastal strip was under water until 14th century.
Argelès-Plage has seven kilometres of wide sandy beach, safe and supervised bathing, and numerous little rocky creeks for scuba diving. Next to the beach, there is a more recent development geared to the tourist trade, with a wide selection of restaurants, shops, hotels and self-catering apartments. Nearby Argelès-Port offers a safe harbour for yachts. The Tramontane and Marin winds makes windsurfing and surfing more challenging than in some resorts and all manner of water sports are available here.
Argelès Plage began more recently when an enterprising local noticed that, in summer, hundreds of people would walk up and down the coast here to take the air. Pine trees planted along the coast date from about 1860. In 1896, a local farmer bought up much of the Pine forest area and created the first hotel - La Réserve. This was blown up during World War II but replaced by the present building which is a pleasant restaurant right on the beach front. From 1953, drinks were served to walkers from small huts along the coast.
From January to August of 1939, during the Spanish Civil War, over 100,000 Republcans fled along the coast to escape butchering repercussions from the victorious General Franco. The area became known as "Retirada" (The Retreat).
During the summer, the town's 10,000 resident population increases tenfold, mainly due to the large number of surrounding campsites. Despite this influx, the area manages to retain its charm as one of France's unspoilt rural areas.
Argelès has recently earned the title of 'Handiplage' due to its many facilities for the disabled. The town is undertaking a special programme to make the resort more accessible to disabled visitors, including training the staff in the tourist office and the police to better understand the needs of the visually impaired.
Argelès was also the location of a french concentration camp, the so called Camp de concentration d'Argelès-sur-Mer .
For the holidaymaker prepared to travel form Argelès as a base, there are many fascinating visits that are close enough for a day trip. These include the mediaeval walled city of Carcassonne, the Salvador Dali museum in Figueres, northern Spain, the massive peak of Canigou (2784m), and many other attractions. A longer journey, but still possible as a day trip, will take the determined traveller to the principality of Andorra, a skiing centre in winter and a popular destination for duty-free shopping.
