In Prats-de-Mollo, a Catalan town of 1,200 inhabitants in Haut Vallespir, at least 500 people were in one of the village squares to celebrate New Year’s Eve… until the end of the year. Festive atmosphere in this medieval city in the Pyrenees, bordering Catalonia.
Bandas and bodegas brought life to the heart of Prats-de-Mollo, in the Pyrénées-Orientales, all night long. To keep you warm, in this mid-mountain village on the edge of Spain, a dish that sticks to your body.
“The menu is lentils. It’s a tradition to have money all year round, you have to eat lentils on January 1st”explains Jeanne from the “Prats Always” Festival Committee, ladle in hand, to Philippe Georget and Alain Sabatier, journalist from France 3 Pays Catalan present on site.
Located on the border with Catalonia and more than an hour’s drive from Perpignan, Prats-de-Mollo has around 1,200 inhabitants. And there were several hundred of them last night in the village square, people of all ages.
Current inhabitants but not only, old ones too and future ones perhaps…
Laura bursts into flames: “Prats, it’s my favorite village, so it was obvious to come here for New Year’s Eve. It’s festive!” Joseph confirms: “we see people, friends, there is music… and we have food from the country”.
duration of video: 00h01mn59s
In Prats-de-Mollo, a Catalan town of 1,200 inhabitants in Haut Vallespir, at least 500 people were in one of the village squares to celebrate New Year’s Eve… until the end of the year. Festive atmosphere in this medieval town in the Pyrenees bordering Catalonia. • ©FTV
It is to restore a little atmosphere, conviviality and retain young people that the town decided in 2014 to hold a village New Year’s Eve, outdoors.
For ten years, we have had very significant success. We have a lot of people who come from one side of the border or the other. We appreciate that. The temperature is known to be cold here but the atmosphere is warm.
Claude Ferrer, maire of Prats-de-Mollo-la-Preste
Prats-de-Mollo-la-Preste (Pyrénées-Orientales) – the New Year’s Eve party on the village square with the first sardana of the year – January 1, 2024. • © FTV
At midnight, it was 4°C in Prats. Not cold enough to temper the heat. With a glass of champagne in hand, the party-goers celebrated the new year… 2024.
After the vows, we danced in Prats-de-Mollo, Catalan tradition requires, the first sardana of the year 2024.
Written with P. Georget.
2024-01-01 18:08:14
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