Olette-Evol, terre de traditions
Oleta - Evol, terra de tradicions
​
Entre la Tet i el massís de Madres
Olette es troba a l'entrada de l'Alt Conflent i les Garrotxes, a la riba esquerra del Tet. El territori s'estén cap al nord pujant per la vall d'Evol, al vessant sud del Massís de Madres (2469 metres). Aquí és on es troba el Gorg Negre (Llac Negre, 2082 metres), un d'aquests estanys es el nomenat Nohèdes. A l'est, les montantes són també importants, amb la muntanya Coronat, que culmina a 2172 metres.
La comuna té al seu territori el poble d'Evol (780 metres) i el llogaret Thuir d’Evol (830 metres) i la pedania de la Bastide d'Oleta a la riba dreta del Tet. És el lloc fortificat construït al segle XIV per Jean de So, vescomte d'Evol, que ha estat implantat com la seu del parc natural regional dels Pirineus Catalans. En el mateix lloc, als anys 80, funcionava la planta de processament de fluorita, mineral extret a cel obert al poble d’Escaro. Avui demolit, que va ser substituït per una planta de cria de xampinyons.
La comuna està situada en una regió predominantment d'esquist. La producció de lloses (pissarra) utilitzats per a sostres, era l'especialitat de la vall d'Evol. Un pedrera artesanal a tornat a obrir el 2009, produeix materials d'alta qualitat per a la restauració de monuments històrics.
Una mica d'història
El primer esment data de l’any a 875, que ja compleix amb l'ortografia Oleta.
La seva ubicació al llarg del camí de la Cerdanya va permetre un desenvolupament considerable, desprès del cessament dels conflictes. La data de 1603 és per això una data de gran simbolisme. Aquest any, l'església es va convertir en una parròquia de Oleta, en substitució de la de Evol i dedicada Sant Andreu.
Moltes de les activitats industrials, especialment relacionats amb la metal·lúrgia, van conduïr a un ràpid creixement de la població fins a mitjans del segle XIX, amb un màxim d'1286 habitants en 1851. No obstant això, la disminució es produeix a partir de 1901, la població es troba per sota de la barrera de 1000 habitants. El fenomen s'accelera entre les dues guerres, però amb una estabilització per sobre dels 600 habitants. La corba demogràfica tendeix a revertir-se i ara té 398 habitants.
Between the river Têt and the Madres massif
Olette is located at the entrance of the Haut-Conflent and les Garrotxes, on the left bank of the Têt. The territory extends northwards up the valley of Evol, to the southern slopes of the Madres massif (2469 metres), where the Gorg Negre (Black Lake, 2882 metres) one of the so-called marshes of Nohède lies. To the east, the heights are also important, with Mount Coronat culminating at 2172 metres.
The commune has on its territory the village of Evol (780 meters) and its hamlet Thuir d’Evol (830 metres), as well as the hamlet of the Bastide d’Olette, on the right bank of the Têt. This was the location of the castle which Jean de So, Viscount Evol had built for himself in the fourteenth century, and it is now the seat of the Regional Natural Park Catalan Pyrenees. In the 1980’s, on the same site, the fluorspar from an open-pit mine in Escaro was processed. This plant is now demolished, and has been replaced by a mushroom farm today.
The municipality is located in an essentially schistous region. Production of lloses (slates) used for roofs was the speciality of the Evol valley. A craft quarry, reopened in 2009, produces fine materials for the restoration of historic monuments.
A little history
The first mention goes back to the year 875, when the name is written as Oleta.
Its situation along the road to Cerdagne permitted considerable development once the conflicts ceased. The date of 1603 is symbolic on this subject. That year, the church of Olette became a parish church, replacing that of Evol, and dedicated, like the latter, to Saint Andrew.
Many industrial activities, especially those related to metallurgy, led to a rapid growth in the population until the mid-nineteenth century, with a maximum of 1286 inhabitants in 1851. But a decline started in 1901, and the population fell to below 1000 inhabitants. This phenomenon accelerated between the two wars, but stabilized at above 600 people. The demographic curve started to reverse, and now Olette has 398 inhabitants.
From the Roman road to the Cannon road
​
Via Confluentana
This bridge is probably located on the route of the Via Confluentana, a Roman road which ran from Illiberris (Elne), up the valley of the Têt which it then left to join the Col de la Perche. In September 1777 (the date is inscribed on the pillar of the bridge), the renovation and extension of this structure was carried out under the responsibility of Pierre Poeydavant, general subdelegate of the province of Roussillon and the land of Foix.
​
The Battle of Olette (28th August to 3rd September 1793) and the strategic Cannon Path
Between Mont-Louis and Olette, on the soulane of the Haut-Conflent, there is a path which was born out of a historical event: the Battle of Olette. It is called the Path of the Cannons. It served to win a decisive battle for the French army, waged by General Luc Siméon Auguste Dagoberte de Fontenille, against the Spanish army of General Ricardos to win back Olette and Villefranche-de-Conflentand prevent him from reaching Mont-Louis.
This fine strategist, in order to surprise the Spaniards who were based in the Têt valley, had a discreet road constructed at night through the forest of the Llançades leaving from Mont-Louis, which enabled him to place cannons carried by oxen up above Olette and bombard the Spanish square. The surprise was total. The French troops then descended to the assault of the town, driving the Spaniards out. The road was opened. The fortified town of Villefranche-de-Conflent fell just after (4th September 1793).
De la via romana als camins del canons
Via Confluentana
Aquest pont està probablement situat a la ruta de la Via Confluentana, una calçada romana que anava des d’Illiberris (Elne), pujant per la vall de la Tet fins unir-se al Coll de la Perche. Al setembre de 1777 (la data està inscrita en el pilar del pont), la renovació i ampliació d'aquest treball es va dur a terme sota la responsabilitat de Pierre (Pere) Poeydavant, sub-delegat general de la província de Rosselló i del país de Foix.
La batalla de Oleta (28 d'agost al 3 de setembre de 1793) i el camí estratègic dels Canons
Entre Mont-Louis i Oleta al costat assolellat de l'Alt Conflent existeix un camí que neix d'un esdeveniment històric: la batalla d'Oleta. Es diu el camí dels Canons. Es va utilitzar per guanyar una batalla decisiva per l'exèrcit francès, lliurat pel general Luc Siméon Auguste Dagobert de Fontenille, contra l'exèrcit espanyol del general Ricardos, per pendre Oleta i Villefranche-de-Conflent i per evitar que arribi a Mont -Louis.
Aquest fi estratègic, per sorpresa dels espanyols, amb base a la vall del Tet, fou construït de nit un camí a través del bosc de les Llançades sortint de Mont-Louis, que va permetre col.locar els canons transportats per bous per sobre d’Oleta i bombardejar la plaça espanyola. La sorpresa va ser total. Després les tropes franceses van atacar la ciutat posant en fugida als espanyols. Es va obrir el camí. La ciutat fortificada de Villefranche-de-Conflent va caure poc després (4 de setembre de 1793).
Olette fa temps !
"Twice a day, the whole school took over the square for playtime: hide-and-seek behind the plane trees and the carts, under the watchful eyes of three masters and two donkeys. The little schoolchildren spent their holed centime coins on tins of coconut sweets and barley sugars at the two bakeries.
Twice a week, Xiquette (in black headscarf and long dress) came down from Evol on her little Judea donkey to shop at Olette. At that time, women had the choice of three butchers from whom to buy their beefsteak, and of five grocers for their cheese! She tied her donkey to the iron rings set into the walls, and when the saddlebags were full, she set off, riding sidesaddle on its back.” Jacqueline Trouquet, née Rigole 2016.
"Once the horrors of the hostilities had ended, Olette regained the serene life of the pleasant chief town of the canton, which the wrath of the administration had not yet amputated:
A railway station with its regular traffic of passengers and goods and its stationmaster,
A tax office open every day to taxpayers,
A brand new school,
A "Ponts et Chaussées office, headed by an engineer in charge of a team of road builders,
A post office with its postmistress, an employee and a postman who rode his ancient bike to do his rounds,
Two brigades, one of gendarmerie and the other of customs officers controlling the few cars which went by on the National 116, and on which you could also see cows and mules going past,
A notary’s office
Two garage owners ready to do a repair or fill up a vehicle,
Workers or pensioners, miners or farmers, all could find the solution to any problem on the spot back then…
Who doesn’t remember the two cafés animated with their games of "truc” and "belote”, or the Hotel de la Fontaine, the very height of Roussillon gastronomy, its hare or wild boar stews, its succulent trout fished from the Têt that very morning, its miraculous cellar which contained the finest wines, such as the delicious rosé of Saint Antoine pressed in the autumn on the square to regale the gourmet palates of the élite of the region?”.
Hubert Trouquet, 2016
Oleta fa temps !
« Dos cops al dia, tota l’escola primària envaïa la plaça per la recreació: amagar-se darrere les platanes i els carros sota la vigilància de tres mestres i dos burros. Els petits alumnes, amb els seus sous foradats, compraven capses de coco o caramels a cals dos forners.
Dos cops la setmana, Xiqueta (mocador negre i roba llarga) baixava d’Èvol, amb el seu petit burro de Judea, per fer les compres a Oleta. En aquests temps les dones, per llur dinar, podien triar entre tres carnissers i cinc botigues de queviures per llurs formatges ! Lligava el seu burro als anells de ferro fixats dins les parets i, quan el bast era ple, se’n tornava, asseguda en amazona sobre la seva esquena. » Jacqueline Trouquet, nascuda Rigole, 2016
« Les angoixes de les hostilitats acabades, Oleta retrobava la vida serena d’un agradable cap de cantó que les destrals de les administracions no havien pas encara retallat : una gara SNCF amb el seu tràfec regular de viatgers i de mercaderies i el seu cap d’estació , una percepció oberta cada dia als contribuents, una escola tota nova, un bureu dels « Ponts et Chaussées » dirigit per un enginyer responsable d’un equip de cantoniers, uns correus amb el seu « receveur », una empleada i un carter que pujava a la seva vella bicicleta per fer la distribució, dues brigades, una de gendarmeria i una de duaners controlant les poques votures que circulaven per la nacional 116, per la qual se podia veure passar també vaques i mules, un estudi notarial, dos garatgistes disposats a fer una reparació o el ple d’un vehicle, treballadors o jubilats, obrers de la mina i agricultors hi trobaven aquí mateix com resoldre els seus problemes…
Qui no se'n recorda dels dos cafès animats per les partides de truc i de belota, de l’hostal de la Fontaine, lloc destacat de la gastronomia rossellonesa, amb els seus civets de llebre o de singlà, les seves suculents truites pescades el matí mateix a la Tet, de la seva miraculosa cava que guardava els millors vins, com aquest deliciós rosat de Sant Antoni, premsat a la tardor a la plaça per a regalar els paladars gurmets de les elits de la regió. »
Hubert Trouquet, 2016
Medieval Evol
As it leaves Olette, the road climbs in a series of hairpins up to Evol. The surprise then lies in the unity of the buildings of this ancient medieval village, first mentioned in 957, and today ranked among the Most beautiful villages of France. The walls of the houses are of shale, the stones stacked upon each other, and the roofs are of local schist known as lloses. The houses are in a strip along the road, below the church of Saint Andrew, classified a Historic monument since 1943. The streets are narrow, sometimes in steps. At the entrance to the village, a wash house has been preserved. Evol has three altogether. There is no lack of water. A small water channel crosses the village and lulls the hamlet with its sound.
Victim of the exodus, like so many other villages, Evol, which had nearly 420 inhabitants in 1851, has seen its population decrease. Today, its 40 residents give life to the hamlet.
The old village school has been turned into an exhibition room dedicated to the writer Ludovic Massé, born in the village in 1900. Agrarian tools from the beginning of the 20th century are also exhibited here.
The houses have been renovated, respecting the constructions of the past, with shale walls and Evol lloses on the roofs. The authenticity of the village has been preserved. The bread ovens protruding from the walls still testify to the rural life of the beginning of the 20th century.
"At Evol there are two kinds of lloses on the cami Ramader. At the Pont de la LLosa, it is very hard. You make a roof out of that, you’ll have it for life. The one above, at the Roc des Moros is softer. I have worked with lloses everywhere , but none had the quality of that of Evol, it was the best.
When you’re taking out lloses, you have to be careful, don’t do it any old how, because every bit can be used. The small pieces can be used to fill in holes in the walls.”
Jacky Léal, 2017.
Evol la medieval
A la sallida d’Oleta, la ruta puja amb revolts fins a Èvol. La sorpresa rau allevontes dins la unitat de les construccions d’aquest antic poble medieval (primera menció el 957) avui classificat entre els « Plus beaux villages de France », o sigui els més bonics pobles de França. Les parets de les cases són d’esquistos, les pedres endreçades les unes sobre les altres, els terrats amb lloses d’un esquist local. Les cases s’allarguen en una faixa al llarg de la ruta, sota l’església de Sant Andreu, classificada en els Monuments Històrics des del 1943. Els carrers són estrets, de vegades amb graons. A l’entrada del poble s’ha conservat un rentador. Èvol en compta tres en total. L’aigua no falta. Un petit rec travessa el poble i el bressola amb el seu cant.
Víctima com tants altres pobles de l’èxode Èvol, que comptava amb prop de 420 habitants en 1851, ha vist la seva població disminuir. Avui els seus quaranta residents fan viure el veïnat.
L’antiga escola del poble va ser transformada en sala d’exposició consagrada a l’escriptor Ludovic Massé, nascut a Èvol el 1900. Aquest lloc presenta també eines agrícoles de l’inici del segle XX.
Les cases han estat renovades, respectant les construccions d’abans, parets d’esquistos i terrats de lloses d’Èvol. El caràcter del poble ha estat conservat. Els seus forns de pa desbordant de les parets porten encara el testimoniatge de la vida rural dels inicis del segle XX.
« A Èvol, hi ha dues menes de lloses sobre el camí ramader. Al Pont de la Llosa, és molt dura. Si feu un terrat amb ella, en teniu per la vida. Més amunt, la del Roc dels Moros és més tendra. He treballat amb lloses d’altres llocs, mes cap no tenia la qualitat de la d’Èvol. Era la millor.
Quan se treuen lloses, cal anar en compte de no fer-ho de qualsevol manera, car tot se recupera. Par exemple, dels petits trossos nos en servim per tapar el forats dins les parets. »
Jacky Léal, 2017
Feudal castle
The land of Evol was ceded in 957 by the Count of Cerdagna, Sunifred II to the abbey of Santa Maria of Ripoll. Before 1230 it belonged to Bernard I of Alion, and then to his son Bernard II who was burned at the stake by the Inquisition in 1258. King James II of Aragon named his son Guillem of So, Lord of Evol, and it was he who in 1260 built the feudal castle near the new frontier line with the kingdom of France (treaty of Corbeil in 1258).
​
The castle, built on a buttress of Mount Coronat, has a quadrilateral shape, the walls being about 40 metres long with a round tower at each corner, and a round keep in the middle of the north wall. The residential building occupied the western wall and consisted of three connecting rooms. The east and west walls had a postern, the main entrance being through the southern wall. To the west lies an outdoor terrace (the miranda) overlooking the valley. There was an upper floor on the level of the walkway.
As early as 1343, Viscount Jean de So had a new castle built near Olette (The Bastide) which was to become his residence. The old castle would now only house a small garrison, and served as a storehouse for the farmers-general. It was sold off as a national property in 1812 and remained in private hands until 1990 when it was bought by the municipality of Olette-Evol.
El Castell
Les terres d’Èvol, confiscades al vescomte de Conflent, són cedides el 957 pel comte de Cerdanya Sunifred II a l’abadia de Santa Maria de Ripoll, abans de ser restituïdes. Abans del 1230, pertanyen a Bernat I de Llo (d’Alion), i desprès al seu fill Bernat II, mort a la foguera de la Inquisició el 1258. El rei Jaume II de Catalunya-Aragó nomena el seu descendent Guillem I de So senyor d’Èvol, que fa construir el 1260 el castell feudal, prop de nova línia de frontera amb el regne de França (tractat de Corbeil el 1258).
​
El castell, edificat sobre un contrafort del Mont Coronat, té forma de quadrilàter d’uns 40 m de costat, amb una torre rodona a cada angle i una torre mestra rodona al mig de la muralla nord. L’edifici d’habitació ocupava la muralla oest i disposava de tres sales comunicants. Les muralles est i oest comportaven una poterna, amb una entrada principal a la muralla meridional. A l’oest hi ha una terrassa exterior, la Miranda, dominant la vall. Existia un pis superior al nivell del camí de ronda.
La senyoria d’Èvol fou erigida en vescomtat el 1335. Poc després, el 1343, el vescomte Joan de So fa edificar un nou castell prop d’Oleta (la Bastida), que serà la seva residència. L’antic castell només té una petita guarnició i servirà de magatzem als recaptadors generals de l’Antic Règim. És venut el 1812 com a « béns nacionals » i quedarà propietat privada fins el 1990, on és comprat pel municipi d’Oleta-Èvol.
The Llosers (slate quarries)
"Slate could be a big source of income for the region. All that is missing is a road that would allow trucks to pick it up right where it is produced.
Slate production is very old in Evol. Pierre Favre and his sons from Evol obtained the right to extract slate from the quarries at Celrà and Guixà in June, 1223.
In 1540 Louis Oliba "loserius loci de Evol” [slatemaker from Evol] sold slate on the site at 5 sols per cana. We sold it in 1738: 13 sols and 4 deniers the equivalent to 2 francs of our money today”
(Olette-Evol , the Garrotxes, Abbé LLOPET, 1961)
La llose from Evol
At the end of the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth century, the farmers from Evol used to supplement their income by extracting slate. There were small quarries with superficial veins which could be exploited by them in their free time during the winter and spring.
On the eve of the First World war, ten to twelve llosers were exploited, particularly in the Garriga del Castell and towards the Roc dels Moros. The lloses used for construction in the Upper Conflent came for the most part from the quarries of Evol.
"Under the best conditions, a team of two men could make about one cana of slate per day: it was extracted using wedges and sledgehammers, then cut up and shaped using special hammers. The cana is a square measuring two metres by two metres, with the slates being placed edge to edge.” J.Bècat, La vallée d’Evol, revue Conflent n°67, 1974.
The exploitation of the slate quarries declined sharply after the two World Wars. A crafsman slatemaker reopened one of the quarries in 2009.
​
The Roc dels Moros
On the other side of the river, the Roc dels Moros is curiously surroundes bymany tiny dry stone walls. According to popular tradition, the "Moors” had built a castle there, although there are no traces of any fortifications.
"It seems that the Muslim presence in the northern Pyrenees in the eighth century and the numerous bloody raids perpetrated later by the Arab invaders have left an indelible mark in the collective memory. The hated Moor, the sworn enemy, has ended up being converted into a popular image as a fearful force, with herculean strength , a giant capable of great feats of strength and an extraordinary builder.” Histoires de pierres, légends d’ici, Agence méditerranéenne de l’environnement, Association de développement économique du canton d’Olette, 1998.
El Llosers (pissarra)
"La pissarra podría ser una gran font d'ingressos per al país. Només falta el camí que permeti als camions arribar al lloc de l’explotació.
L’explotació de la pissarra és molt antic a Evol. Pierre Favre Evol i el seu fill van obtenir al juny de 1223, el dret d'extreure pissarra dels llosers de Celrà i Guixà.
En 1540 Louis Oliba "loserius loci Evol" (lloc de pissarra d’Evol) va vendre la llosa localment a un preu de 5 sols. El 1738 es venía a 13 sols 4 deniers, equivalent a 2 francs de l’antiga monbeda. (Olette Evol-la Garrotxes, Abbot LLOPET, 1961)
​
El lloser d’ Evol
A la fi del segle XIX i principis del segle XX, els ramaders d’ Evol complementaven els seus ingressos amb l'explotació de pissarra. Es tractava de petites pedreres, per explotar les vetes superficials, durant el temps lliure de l'hivern i la primavera.
En vigílies de la Gran Guerra, de deu a dotze llosers van ser explotades, sobretot a la Garriga del Castell i del Roc dels Moros. Les lloses utilitzades per a la construcció a l'Alt Conflent surtien molt sovint de les pedreres d’Evol.
"En les millors condicions, un equip de dos homes fabricaven durant un día una "cana” de pissarra: cincelades amb cantons i masses, talladles amb martells especials. La "cana” és un quadrat de dos metres per dos, les pissarres eren col·locades una al costat de l'altre.
"J. Becat La vallée d’Evol, revue Conflent nº 67, 1974
L'explotació de la pissarra es va reduir dràsticament després de les guerres mundials. L’any de 2009 es tornar a obrir una pedrera que s’explota de manera artesanal.
El Roc dels Moros
A l'altre costat del riu, el Roc dels Moros, està curiosament envoltat de molts murs de pedra seca. Segons la tradició popular, els "moros" havien construït un castell, encara que no hi ha cap vestigi de la fortificació.
"Sembla que la presència musulmana al nord dels Pirineus al segle VIII, aixi com les moltes incursions sagnants perpetrades més tard pels invasors àrabs, han deixat una marca indeleble en la memòria col·lectiva. El Moro odiat, l’enemic jurat, ha acabat per convertirse en un ser de formidable poder, de força hercúlea, un gegant capaç de les mes grans gestes i en un constructor fora del normal”. Histoires de pierres, légendes d’ici, Agence méditerranéenne de l’environnemnet, Association de développement économique du Canton d’Olette, 1998.
Camel’s cortal
Evol’s herds
Sheep farming was significantly more important than cattle farming at Evol : before the First world War, as many as 2000 sheep grazed in the valley, and only about 150 head of cattle. Each family owned a herd of fifty or so sheep, and two to six cows.
The village specialized in selling young sheep: the lambs which were eight months to a year old were sold at the autumn fairs, when they came down from the mountain pastures.
​
Pastoral life
Breeding relied on a collective organization. The herds were grouped and grazed on the different pastures of the valley depending on the season. The cami Ramader is the path of transhumance, which allowed herds to go up from Thuir d’Evol to Molina.
In the spring, the sheep grazed around cortals (small stone barns). From June 1st until September 30th a cowherd kept all the cows from the village at the devesa, the common village grazing land of Valleta, between the refuge of Molina and the Gorg Negre. By the middle of June, all the herds would be high up. The cows grazed the grass of the Pla de la Valleta, and the sheep roamed in the woods and on the steep slopes.
On Saint John’s day, there was a procession to the Gorg Negre. " The priest exorcised the waters and the mountain….and chased away the demon which was at the Bac Dels Pudents, at the Gorg where it was said to assume the appearance of a black ram. Then the priest would bless the shepherds and the herds.”
In September the cows gradually descended to the village, followed by the sheep.
​
"In the spring, the watching of the herds was entrusted to three owners who arranged everything with the local shepherds, who were mostly from Evol. Each family had two or three cortals at different altitudes: in winter they would be near the village, close to the forest up to 2000 metres above sea level. In the summer, the animals were grouped together from La Molina to Gorg Negre and in the forest; in October, we went down half-way, and at All Saints’ to the "Llosers”, and back around the village for Saint Andrew’s.” Jean Mauri, January 28, 1972, in an interview by Jean Bècat. Source: Revue Conflent n°67, 1974. La Vallée d’Evol, vire en haut Conflent, Jean Bècat.
Cortal d’en Camel
Els ramats d’Èvol
La cria d’ovins era, a Èvol, clarament superior a la cria de bovins : abans de la Primera guerra mundial, la vall sustentava fins a 2000 ovins i només 150 bovins. Cada família tenia un ramat d’unes cinquanta fedes i dues a sis vaques.
El poble era especialitzat en la venda de joves moltons : les borrecs de vuit mesos a un any eren venuts a les fires de tardor, quan baixaven de la muntanya.
La vida pastoral
Aquesta ramaderia descansava sobre una organització col·lectiva. Els ramats eren reagrupats i pasturaven les diverses terres de la vall segons els períodes. El camí ramader és el camí de transhumància, que permetia als ramats anar de Tuïr d’Èvol a la Molina.
A la primavera els ramats pasturaven al voltant dels cortals. Del 1er de juny al 30 de setembre un vaquer guardava la vacada, és a dir el conjunt de les vaques del poble, a la devesa (comunal reservat a la pastura) de la Valleta, entre el refugi de la Molina i el Gorg Negre.
A mitjan juny els ramats eren en altitud : les vaques pasturaven l’herba del Pla de la Valleta, els ovins seguien els sotaboscos i els pendents més escarpats.
El dia de la Sant Joan se desenvolupava la processó al Gorg Negre. « El capellà exorcitzava les aigües i la muntanya… i feia fora el dimoni present al Bac dels Pudents, al Gorg on prenia l’aparença d’un marrà negre. Després beneïa pastors i ramats ».
Al setembre les vaques baixaven progressivament fins al poble, seguides pels ovins.
« A la primavera, la guàrdia dels ramats era confiada a tres propietaris, que es posaven d’acord entre ells i amb els pastors, gairebé tots nascuts a Èvol. Cada família tenia dos o tres cortals a diferents altituds : a l’hivern, prop del poble, i prop del bosc fins a més de 2000 metres d’altitud. A l’estiu el bestiar era reagrupat de la Molina al Gorg Negre i dins el bosc; a l’octubre, se baixava a mitja vall, per Tots Sants als Llosers, i retorn al voltant del poble per la Sant Andreu » Jean Mauri, 28 de gener del 1972, recollit per Joan Becat. Font : Revista Conflent n°67, 1974. La vallée d’Evol, vivre en Haut Conflent, Jean Bécat
In the footsteps of witches and fairies, bruixas and encantades.
​
The valley is full of memories of witches
"Born in 1918, I have always lived in Evol. I can well remember the tears of my little brother at full moon, when the village bruixa flew off to la Molina, on Mount Coronat, to the place called la Cadira de les bruixes (the witches chair)…we couldn’t console him.. and my grandfather was born in 1850, and the old priest said that our house was embruixada (bewitched).”
"The bruixa used to put spells on the animals which made them die, for instance she would stroke a pig or a sheep in a certain way while saying "que és bonic…que és guapo” (isn’t he fine, isn’t he beautiful) the next day the animal would be dead; sometimes the whole herd would swell up and die, the bruixa had been there.
When we were sitting up one evening, we heard somebody say that a farmer’s son had been in the stable, and seeing a bird perched on one of the cows, he had struck it with a stick and cut its wing. The next day he saw his mother with a broken shoulder. It was she, she was the bruixa who could turn herself into an animal.”
​
The Gorg Negre conceals fairytales
A legend tells of a hungry shepherd who unleashed a terrible storm when he fished one of the golden trout out of the lake, when a bruixa demanded that he should go and steal the fairies’ golden beater. The whole of this story can be found here: QR Code (see below).
In 1897, Jaume Masso I Torrents wrote a lyrical drama inspired by a legend which a shepherd had told him, not far from the lake. Set to music by Enric Morera, the opera showcases the encantades, the son of the lord of Paracolls and the daughter of the lord of Evol.
The Golden Trout (an extract from "Histoires de plumes et de poils, légends d’ici).
Anton was a shepherd at Evol, long ago.
That year, the canton had been plagued with famine. One fine day, he set of into the mountains intending to steal the golden trout or the white linens (which brought fortune to whoever possessed them) from the encantades, the water nymphs!
At the Gorg Negre , he leaned over to look into the water. A flash of gold dazzled him, then another!
Anton reached in and grabbed a dripping golden fish. What was he going to do with it? Eat it, of course, to draw out all its magical powers. So he went home. He prepared a good fire, and put his frying pan right on top. He pulled the still wriggling fish out of his basket. Instantly she turned into a fairy, and flew up the chimney! Anton wanted to rush after her.
The whole village was assembled in front of his door, barring his passage. At their head was the Viscount of Evol, his great sword in his hand: "Anton, you have provoked the fairies! I’ll lock you up until we decide your fate!”
When Anton was thrown into the dungeon, a terrible storm broke out, devastating everything in its path. For seven hours, seven minutes and seven seconds nobody dared to move. The winds blew, the rain drummed down and the thunder rumbled. Then the anger of the fairies died down. The fate of Anton was then decided.
He would be chained up above the Gorg Negre until the bruixes, the witches, dragged him down to the bottom of the lake. For seven days and seven nights, he bore his torment without complaint. But hunger and thirst got the better of him. He ended up begging for help. At the end of his strength, he murmured, "Forgive me! Help me! I wanted to change my destiny, not die a thousand deaths! I’ll never steal again!”
Golden trouts came near him and spat cool water in his face. But they fled at the thunderous approach of a huge bruixa from Mount Coronat whose eyes spat black lightning. "Are you quite sure you don’t want to steal any more, you miserable little thing?”
"If you let me go, I’ll do whatever you want, Witch” replied Anton reluctantly.
"You’re going to go and find the encantades and bring me back their golden beater” she demanded. Anton was released, and he set off to find the nymphs.
He walked around the lake. Just behind a rock, he came upon the most beautiful sight he could ever imagine. Two singing creatures, their magnificent bodies completely naked, were dipping great white sheets into the water. When they had thoroughly soaped the linen, they beat it with a beater which shone like the sun, and then golden trout took the sheets and drew them gently to the bottom to rinse them in the purest water.
Anton was enthralled. He stepped out before the encadades, determined to confess everything to them.
"We wondered when you were going to turn up; our sister told us about your misfortunes ever since she flew up your chimney. So what have you come to ask of us, little shepherd?”
Anton explained everything: the trout, the bruixa, the village people.
"You see, little shepherd, when one of us gets near a bruixa, we turn into a fish, like our sister whom you wanted to devour. The golden beater is our protection against the bruixes. There are only two of us. Help us to free our sisters, and you fortune will be made.”
Anton went off with the magic beater, and found the witch. She snatched it from him, laughing. Her laughter turned to bleating, her hair turned into goat’s hair and her hands turned into hooves; the witch had turned into a goat! And the encantades were free!
When Anton returned to find them, they were a multitude, luminous in the dark waters of the lake. The youngest one came up to him:
"You remember me, Anton. I visited your house, your frying pan and your chimney. To thank you for liberating us all, I give you my tunic which will bring you luck and prosperity.”
The encantada removed her shirt. Anton hid it under his own tunic and returned home.
It is said that his family never lacked for anything after that. It is also said that one of his descendants, recently, went to find the fairies at the Gorg Negre. He had come to return the shirt to its owner, and he put it on her himself!
But that’s another story….
Seguint els passos de les bruixes i encantales
​
La vall d’Èvol és poblada de records de bruixes.
« Nascuda el 1918, sempre he viscut a Èvol. Me recordi molt bé dels plors del meu germà petit les nits de plena lluna, quan la bruixa del poble s’enlairava cap a la Molina, al Mont Coronat, al lloc dit la Cadira de les bruixes. Se’l podia pas consolar i el meu avi, nascut el 1850, el padrí vell, deia que la nostra casa era embruixada. »
« La bruixa tirava males sorts al bestiar i el feia morir, per exemple acariciava un porc o un xai d’una certa manera dient « que és bonic – que és guapo », l’endemà, la bèstia era morta ; de cops tot el ramat s’inflava i se moria, la bruixa havia passar per allí.
Se sentia dir al vespre, a la vetllada, que un fill d’agricultor, a l’estable, veient un ocell descansant sobre una vaca, li donà un cop de bastó i li trencà l’ala. L’endemà, va veure la seva mare amb l’espatlla trencada. Era ella, la bruixa, que sabia se transformar en bèstia. »
El Gorg Negre amaga llegendes d’encantades
Una llegenda conta que un pastor mort de gana provocà una terrible tempesta pescant una de les truites d’or del llac, abans que una bruixa li demani d’anar a robar el batedor d’or de les encantades.
El 1897, Jaume Masso i Torrents va escriute un drama líric, inspirat en una llegenda que un pastor li havia contat, no gaire lluny del llac. Musicat per Enric Morera, l’opera La Fada posa en escena les encantades, el fill del senyor de Paracolls i la filla del senyor d’Èvol.