"Ansignan" a Ansignan Travel Page by TygerLyn

Ansignan is another small village near to Latour de France, Trilla, Le Vivier, Maury and St Paul. Instead of a flag outside the Mairies office, it is instead tied to a tree in the centre of the village. By the Cave there is a footpath indicating a Dolmen. The Dolmen is one of many in the area and you an almost draw a straight line through Dolmen from Tautavel, through Ansignan, Sournia down to Prades. The Ansignan Dolmen is quite small, probably around 2 metres in length by 1 metre wideand perhaps a metre high. Two little capstones rest on some sidestones with a back stone and a half height stone at the front. There appears to have been a cairn at some point surrounded by larger stones, about 8 metres in diameter but, as usual for this area, it has fallen into disrepair and there is no indication that it will be restored. If they can't get a EU grant for it they don't bother! . You can find the Ansignan Dolmen on the Felluns road.

Like a mini Pont du Guard this Roman Aqueduct is a must see. It is working and you are able to walk under the trough and through the arches. Sometimes it is full of water and other times it is empy. They use the water to irrigate the vines in the fields. To think they have been doing this for over 1100 years! It is extremley atmospheric! There are so many wonderful photos that I am going to be pushed for space.

The place is so atmospheric you can imagine the Romans who biult and then lived and guarded the aqueduct. Water is very precious in this part of France as it is so hot ( 360 days sunshine every year - so they say) and the fact that this fascinating place has been there so long once again pays tribute to the engineering and design skills of the Romans. A river, albeit quite shallow durning the summer, runs under the largest arch and it is not advisable to try and walk along the trough, even if it is empty. The photo below is taken standing on the river bank. It really is a feat of engineering.