Classified as one of the most beautiful villages of France, Villefranche-de-Conflent is also a town that was fortified by Vauban and home to three UNESCO World Heritage Sites. For these reasons, Villefranche-de-Conflent is a must-see for admirers of Vauban’s work. A stroll through the town’s cobbled streets is a complete change of scenery.
This ancient merchant town, capital of the Conflent has conserved its wonderful history and status as a defensive site. Villefranche-de-Conflent is one of the 50 most visited places in France, due to its rich heritage.
You can visit the ramparts and Viguerie tower built by the Count of Cerdagne in the 11th century, then reinforced by Vauban’s fortifications in the 17th century ; the Fort Libéria that was recently inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site; the shops and houses of aristocrats or rich merchants, and St. Jacques’ Romanesque Church with its rich furnishings. Close by, do not miss the Petites and Grandes Canalettes caves formed by concretion, and the cave named Cova Bastera, also inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of Vauban’s network.
The authenticity of this medieval site makes it a favorite for the development of traditional and commercial activities.
Villefranche-de-Conflent is also the Yellow Train’s starting point, a symbol of Catalonia and its colours that it proudly bears, a technical prowess that historically linked Cerdanya’s high plains to the rest of the region. Today the Yellow Train is a tourist attraction which is as surprising as unmissable.
