Amélie-les-Bains-Palalda (; ca, Els Banys i Palaldà) is a

commune A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to: Administrative-territorial entities * Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township ** Communes of ...

in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

. Prior to

1942 Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 1 – WWII: The Declaration by United Nations is signed by China, the United Kingdom, the United States, the Soviet Union, and 22 other nations, in w ...

, it was known as Amélie-les-Bains. It is situated in the Tech valley, and combines the old and the new with a mix of narrow cobbled streets and modern accommodation. It has become a 'station verte' meaning that it must strive at all times to ensure that tourists benefit from a calm and natural environment.

Geography

Location

Amélie-les-Bains-Palalda is located in the

canton of Le Canigou The canton of Le Canigou is an administrative division of the Pyrénées-Orientales department, in southern France. It was created at the French canton reorganisation which came into effect in March 2015. Its seat is in Amélie-les-Bains-Palalda. ...

and in the

arrondissement of Céret The arrondissement of Céret is an arrondissement of France in the Pyrénées-Orientales department ( Northern Catalonia) in the Occitanie region. It has 64 communes. Its population is 129,464 (2016), and its area is . Composition The communes ...

. It sits at the confluence of the Mondony with the

Tech Tech or The Tech may refer to: * An abbreviation of technology or technician * Tech Dinghy, an American sailing dinghy developed at MIT * Tech (mascot), the mascot of Louisiana Tech University, U.S. * Tech (river), in southern France * "Tech" ...

, SSW of Perpignan by road. The town is situated at a height of and has both a winter and summer season. Map commune FR insee code 66003

Climate

In the winter season the average temperature is about 10 degrees Celsius, and in the summer it is roughly 29 degrees Celsius. Thunderstorms are not infrequent in the area, and the telltale signs are small showers throughout the day.

Springs

The town has numerous sulphur springs (20-60C.). They have been used as baths by sufferers from rheumatism and illnesses of the lungs. By the end of the 19th century there were two bathing establishments, one of which preserved remains of Roman baths, and a large military thermal hospital.

Toponymy

The town, formerly called ''Les-Bains-d'Arles'', became ''Fort-les-Bains'' in 1670 after the construction of the new castle. It was renamed ''Amélie-les-Bains'' in 1840 after Queen Amelia wife of

Louis Philippe Louis Philippe (6 October 1773 – 26 August 1850) was King of the French from 1830 to 1848, and the penultimate monarch of France. As Louis Philippe, Duke of Chartres, he distinguished himself commanding troops during the Revolutionary War ...

. She finally visited the town in 1848, and subsequently promoted it. In Catalan it is still called ''Els banys d'Arles''.

History

Government and politics

Mayors

François Mefler, mayor of Amélie-les-Bains since October 1941, becomes the new mayor of Amélie-les-Bains-Palalda in October 1942, after Amélie-les-Bains and

Palalda Palalda is a former commune in Pyrénées-Orientales, now part of Amélie-les-Bains-Palalda. Geography Palalda is located above the river Tech (river), Tech, to the northeast of Amélie-les-Bains and to the east of Montbolo. History The first ...

were united together.MairesGenWeb
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Population

Sites of interest

* Fort-les-Bains, fortress built in 1670 above Amélie-les-Bains.

Notable people

Maximilien Chaudoir Maximilien Chaudoir, or Maximilien, baron de Chaudoir, (12 September 1816, Ivnitsa, near Zhitomir – 6 May 1881, Amélie-les-Bains) was a Russian entomologist. He was a specialist in Coleoptera and in particular the Carabidae. His Cicindelida ...

(1816–1881) : Russian entomologist, died in Amélie-les-Bains ; * Pierre Restany (1930–2003) : art critic and philosopher, born in Amélie-les-Bains.

References

External links

Tourist office website
* Communes of Pyrénées-Orientales Spa towns in France {{PyrénéesOrientales-geo-stub