Situated in Cerdanya: On Top Of The World

The world waited, for what seemed like an eternity. And finally good Fortune delivered. The curse was lifted. The seraphim in heaven broke out their harps and burst into song. Strangers on the streets were exchanging hugs and kisses. Grown men were weeping. At long last, the Chicago Cubs have won another World Series championship.

Here on the border between France and Spain, straddling the stupendous Pyrenees, we too know how it feels to be sitting on top of the world. There comes a time, in every family vacation, when mom and dad and the kids just have to look out the window, and then at each other, and say to themselves, “Yes, I believe we have arrived.” It is certain that we have stumbled upon something of an undiscovered gem here in this secluded, mountainous, multinational micro-region known as La Cerdanya.

It’s hard to overlook the many parallels between the Cerdanya and the sheltered Central Coast from which we came. The region has a population of only 30 or 40,000, depending whether you count the vacation homes as residents. Barely a blip on most tourist maps, the area attracts mainly weekenders from Barcelona, an hour or two away. But if it’s R & R they seek, the tourists will find more than enough to do here. The scenery is breathtaking, and accessible by foot through dozens of hiking trails, or from above by hot air balloon rides and ski diving excursions. Then there are the hot springs and mineral waters, day trips to Andorra and historic fortified villages, and horse rides galore.

Some of the best weather in Europe, they enjoy 300 sunny days a year here. That’s 25 days a month, making it about as sunny as San Luis Obispo, CA. That’s thanks to the mountains that surround the Cerdanya and keep the clouds and storms out of the valley. Far more formidable than the humble rolling hills that maintain SLO’s coveted micro-climate, the Pyrenees get plenty of snow, attracting skiers and snowboarders throughout the winter. The best of both worlds, it’s a land of four seasons and endless sunshine. The valley itself is only about 3500 feet above sea level, so even when the surrounding mountains are blanketed with pearly white powder, there’s rarely any need for nuisances like snow plows and tire chains.

One thing they don’t suffer from here is the Central Coast’s notorious lack of cultural diversity. The other day I hopped over to Spain where I had to speak some Catalan in order to purchase some fresh fish, then I unleashed my Spanish on the gas station attendant in order to fill up the van, then I came back over the border and dismayed the woman in the bakery with my broken French. What a day. It was almost as complicated as signing up for Obamacare. Then a man in the parking lot, seeing my foreign license plates, starting speaking to me in German. At least in this case I was able follow what he was saying and respond appropriately and coherently.

The French-Spanish border zigzigs its way right across the valley, but historically, the Cerdanya has always belonged to the Catalonians. Fiercely provincial and patriotic, Catalonia lays claims to the northeast corner of Spain (including Barcelona) and a thin sliver of France, and has long sought sovereign, independent status. They speak their own language, closely related to Spanish, and have their own flag, which they wave proudly and vigorously. And if you’re watching videos on a digital device, YouTube can’t tell if you’re in Spain, France or Catalonia, so they run alternating ads in all three languages.

It’s mildly confusing, it’s culturally stimulating, and it’s provocatively international. Add a healthy does of sunshine and you have a very contented family of hippie gypsies, in no hurry to leave. Then there’s also the fact that we can’t find a single Work-Away host in Spain that needs a family of helpers in the winter. So it looks like we’re staying put, at least for a while.

In the meantime, everyone in Europe is looking forward to seeing who the American voters propel to the top of the world in next week’s election. We all agree that it will not be a wildly popular and long-loved underdog like the Cubbies. Indeed, regardless of which candidate prevails, I think we can expect little more than a long and sorry season of sinking curve balls and frequent forays into foul territory.

FURTHER READING: For more entertaining stories about the region, be sure to check these articles on 7 essential outings in Cerdanya, Plenty of room at the Hotel Catalunya, and Settling Down in a Spanish Village.