Pic de Bugarach
| Pic de Bugarach | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 1,230 m (4,040 ft) |
| Geography | |
Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 526: Unable to find the specified location map definition: "Module:Location map/data/France relief" does not exist.
| |
| Region | FR |
| Parent range | Corbières |
The Pic de Bugarach or Pech de Bugarach (puèg de Bugarag in Occitan, i.e. "Peak of Bugarag") is the highest summit (1230 m) in the Corbières mountains in the French Midi.
The western part of the mountain is located on the territory of the commune of Bugarach. Its eastern part is on the territory of Camps-sur-l'Agly.
The geology of the Pic de Bugarach is striking. Its top layer is an overthrust from the Iberian plate, and is older than the bottom ones. This has given rise to its description as an "upside-down mountain". [1]
It is possible to climb up the Bugarach: a classical route called "Voie de la fenêtre" because of a big hole in a cliff, climbs the South face. One may go down via the easiest route, North, and join the "Col de Linas" [2]. Climbing still requires a good physical condition, an unprepared tourist recently even died there.[3]
Esoterics
Due to the mountain's unusual geology, a number of New Agers (called "esoterics" by local residents) believe that the mountain contains aliens living in a spacecraft. This group also believes that the upcoming end to the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar will result in some form of apocalypse. They believe that on December 21, 2012, the aliens supposedly living in the mountain will emerge to save them.[4]
As a result, some members of the group have taken to living on or near the mountain, and The Independent reports that up to 100,000 people may be planning a trip prior to the believed apocalypse date.[4] The mayor of the nearest town, Bugarach, said that over 20,000 visitors had arrived between January and July 2011, a significant increase over previous years. He also reported that a number of groups have been taking part in what he called strange rituals.[5] A French parliamentary committee has expressed concerns that the esoterics may be planning a mass suicide or other significant events.[5] French police have recently blocked access to the mountain.[6] [7]
References
- ^ http://cirquedebarrosa.free.fr/formpyr1.htm
- ^ "Pech de Bugarach, 1230 m; Montée + 670 m, 1h45 de voiture". Retrieved 2010-12-22.
- ^ "Thousands of "esoterics" expected, indication that a tourist died last year climbing this mountain, the mayor expresses concern".
- ^ a b Pickup, Oliver (25 March 2012). "Hippies head for Noah's Ark: Queue here for rescue aboard alien spaceship". The Independent. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
- ^ a b Bockman, Chris (8 July 2011). "French village of Bugarach spooked by doomsday cults". BBC News. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
- ^ Gayle, Damien (19 November 2012). "French officials ban access to sacred mountain which believers claim will be refuge from 'Mayan apocalypse on December 21'". Mail Online. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
- ^ Barry, Ellen (1 December 2012). "Mayan 'End of World' Stirs Panic in Russia and Elsewhere". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 December 2012.
 | This Aude geographical article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |