The 36 Communes
Town of Villeneuve-de-la-Raho
Located a short distance from Perpignan and the sea, Villeneuve de la Raho, built on a hillock overlooking the Roussillon plain, has long been a commune whose activity was essentially devoted to the vine.
The story
In Roman times, only three villas were in use in the area. It was not until the 9th century that the village took shape. At that time, Villeneuve-de-la-Raho was still only a group of houses grouped around a small religious building, the Chapel of Saint Julien. The village continued to develop thereafter. It was at this time that the large wine estates appeared, some of which still exist today (Château Cap de Fouste, Mas Sauvy, etc.).
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Villeneuve
Number of inhabitants
The town of Villeneuve-de-la-Raho has approximately 3,991 inhabitants. Its inhabitants are called the Villeneuvois.
The lake
If, as the years went by, the decline of the vineyard seemed inevitable, an event came to upset the destiny of this small village. A project conceived by the State and the Department led to the creation of a lake in order to ensure the control of water on the plain of Roussillon. Put in water in 1977, this lake with a capacity of 18 million m3, used by the canadairs during the fires, quickly became a pole of great sporting interest for the runners, for the walkers, for the fishermen in particular with the carp as well as a privileged place for the nautical activities. Adjacent to this 201 hectare lake are two other smaller lakes; one with an 800 metre beach generates summer tourist activity, the other has become an ecological and ornithological nature reserve.
