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Memorial Trail of the Argelès-sur-Mer Camp
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Description
Walk in the footsteps of the memories of the Argelès-sur-Mer camp, where more than 170,000 refugees were interned between February 1939 and the beginning of 1942.
From the Monolith (marking the former entrance of the camp), follow the coastal path towards the Mas Larrieu nature reserve. Pass by the Roussillonnais campsite, then turn left at the Marende parking lot.
From the North plaque (symbolizing the northern boundary of the camp), take the bike path along the D81 until you reach the junction with Avenue de la Retirada, which you should then follow.
Continue along Avenue de la Retirada on the bike path until you reach the Spanish Cemetery (the former camp cemetery), located across from the Les Marsouins campsite. From here, you can either return to the beach retracing your steps or continue straight ahead towards the village to discover the Camp Memorial (26 Avenue de la Libération).
More information
Technical Information
Altimetric profile
Starting point
Additional information
Advised parking
Parking Le Roussillonnais and Costa Blanca are located near the Monolith
Public transport
Transportation: Bus for €1 to Argelès-sur-Mer, get off at the arrival roundabout (beach center). Lines 540, 543, 550, 552, 553, and 555. Shuttle services between the beach and the village are also available from early November to the end of March.
Access
D81
Ambiance
A memorial trail connects the Monolith of the camp to the North plaque, passing by the Spanish Cemetery. At these sites, multilingual explanatory panels recount the history of the Retirada (the exodus of Spanish Republicans) and the Argelès-sur-Mer camp. An audio guide is available in four languages (French, Catalan, Spanish, and English).
Arrival
Spanish Cemetery (Avenue de la Retirada)
Departure
Monolith of the Camp (60 Boulevard de la Mer)
