MEGALITHS OF THE PYRENEES / Menhirs, dolmens, barrows, cromlechs – megalithic monuments can be found in most parts of the Pyrenees, along with a few statue-menhirs. This article provides a general overview, including where to find them in the Pyrenees and a photo gallery of some of my favourites.

THE MAIN SOURCE OF EUROPE’S TALCUM POWDER / Although it scars 11 square kilometres of the Pyrenees, you are only likely to spot the Trimouns quarry if you climb a mountain on the north side of the Ariège valley. This high-altitude site supplies 40% of Europe’s talcum powder, but what do we do with it all?

THE OLDEST ROMAN TROPHY / Around 71 BCE, the Roman general Pompey built a monument in the Pyrenees to celebrate 877 victories in south-western Europe. Only a handful of Roman trophies survive, and this is the oldest.

CANFRANC: A FIVE-STAR INTERNATIONAL RAILWAY STATION / Opened in 1928, the main station building was grandiose in both its style and dimensions. In 1970, a runaway train destroyed a bridge on the French side of the mountains and Canfranc fell into ruin until it was bought by the regional government. It reopened as a 5-star hotel in 2023 and its facilities now include a Michelin-starred restaurant housed in a pair of refurbished railway carriages.

TRIBUTE OF THE THREE COWS – SINCE 1375 / This claims to be the oldest treaty still in force in Europe today. On 13 July every year, representatives from two Pyrenean valleys – one French, one Spanish – join hands at the border and repeat the ancient chant: ‘Pax avant! Pax avant! Pax avant!’ Let there be peace! Last week, I attended the 650th edition.

WHAT IS TRANSHUMANCE? / This term comes from two Latin words meaning across (trans) and ground (humus), a type of seasonal migration that is still practised in many parts of the world today. Transhumance is particularly prevalent around the northern side of Mediterranean basin from Turkey to Spain, and this is probably the route by which it was introduced to the Pyrenees around 7,000 years ago.

JACA: THE BEST PLACE IN THE PYRENEES TO ENJOY MILITARY HISTORY / As well as being the only surviving star fort in Spain, Jaca’s fortress is home to various museum galleries covering topics such as military medicine, military paintings and mountain regiments. It also hosts a garrison of 32,000 lead soldiers.

‘THE PYRENEES A HUMAN HISTORY’ GOES TO PRESS / We all know the saying ‘never judge a book by its cover.’ Nevertheless, anyone who has been involved in the production of an actual book will know about the critical role of cover design.

WHERE IN FRANCE IS THE MIDI? / The Midi is the southern part of France. As with most north-south divides, where it starts and where it ends is open to debate. Whatever its boundaries, the Midi can claim to have distinctive cultural, gastronomic and linguistic roots.

THE FAIRYTALE TOWN OF ALQUÉZAR / The very name of this quaint little town sounds Moorish, and indeed, Alquézar is thought to derive from the Arabic word for fortress. Around 1067, Alquézar was captured by the king of Aragon and a medieval Christian town developed. Today, it is listed as one of the most beautiful villages in Spain.

GAUDÍ AND THE PYRENEAN CEMENT FACTORY / The renowned architect made extensive use of concrete in many of his constructions, from the Sagrada Familia cathedral to the Parc Güell. It is, then, particularly apt that he also played a role in building Catalonia’s first Portland cement factory.

HEMINGWAY: ON A BUS, ON TRIAL AND IN THE CAFE IRUÑ/ The first tourist bus crossed the Pyrenees in 1913. Ten years later, it brought Ernest Hemingway to Pamplona and the Cafe Iruña. A century after that, some residents had had enough.

THE MOST HISTORICALLY INTERESTING CAFE IN TOULOUSE? / There are four parts to the story of Le Bibent, and together, they make it the most historically interesting cafe in Toulouse: outstanding architecture, catering innovation, political journalism and an assassination conspiracy.

FOIX AND THE PYRENEES FEATURE AT THE LONDON BOOK FAIR / For the cover of its autumn catalogue, Yale University Press has chosen the image it designed for the cover of my forthcoming book, ‘The Pyrenees: A Human History’.

The sixth line from the Lord’s Prayer asks God to provide us with the essentials that keep body and soul together. Long before those words were written, our distant ancestors took more practical steps to reduce the risk of dying of starvation in troubled times. A key part of their survival strategy was the silo.