La Trobada del Canigó

A gathering at the summit of the sacred mountain of Catalans

Each year, on the weekend before Saint-Jean's Day (June 23rd), hundreds of Catalans from both sides of the Pyrenees converge on the summit of Canigó (2,784 m), the sacred mountain of Catalonia. The Trobada ("meeting" in Catalan) is a secular pilgrimage that perpetuates a tradition born in 1955, when Francesc Pujades, a resident of Arles-sur-Tech, had the idea of lighting the Saint-Jean bonfires on the summit of Canigó and distributing the flame throughout the Catalan Countries.

The ascent and the vigil

Participants set off on foot from different villages — Fillols, Valmanya, Casteil, Vernet-les-Bains — carrying bundles of wood (feixines) that mules help to transport. After several hours of walking, they meet at the Cortalets refuge (2,150 m), the last stop before the summit. The evening is an occasion for a communal Catalan meal, traditional songs, and the preparation of "crema," a rum-based drink inherited from 19th-century trade with Cuba. Approximately 800 people sleep on-site under the stars or in the refuge.

The Flama del Canigó

At dawn, participants climb to the summit to place the bundles at the foot of the iron cross. This wood will be used to fuel the Flama del Canigó, the sacred flame lit a week later during the Regeneration. Since 1960, a perpetual flame has been kept at the Castillet in Perpignan and carried to the summit each year to be regenerated. From there, it is redistributed in over 500 towns and villages in the Catalan Countries, from North Catalonia to the Valencian Country.

A Catalan identity symbol

The Trobada is organized by the Casal del Conflent, the IGD Flama del Canigó, and Omnium Cultural, with the support of over 3,300 active members. In 1966, the flame crossed the border for the first time. Today, this event is one of the most powerful symbols of Catalan identity and fraternity between the two sides of the Pyrenees.