Border landscapes around Europe: La Jonquera
Past, Present and Future
By Jordi Cabezas and Andreu Cufí Summary
► Introduction of La Jonquera Physical geography ► Map location Human geography ► Past Chronology Environmental features ► Present Evolution of uses and covers ► Future ► Cross-border cooperation Introduction
► Two types of border features:
Positive features
► Big service area that generates a great economic activity and lots of jobs
Negatives features
► Illegal activities like drug trafficking, contraband and prostitution Introduction ►Physical geography: France Map location
Mediterranean Sea ►Heights ►Human geography
1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 PAST
►First historical constructions (4.000 bC)
Dolmen of Coll de Medàs Menhir of estanys ►Map of menhirs and dolmens of Albera
Dolmen Mas Baleta ►Main access between Europe and Iberian Peninsula: from la Via augusta to HSR.
Via augusta through Spain View of Via augusta at el coll de panissars in La Jonquera La Jonquera at year 2009 ►Crossing place during centuries until now
Mediterranean corridor to Helsinki
High-speed rail crossing La Jonquera ► Border area means to build castles and fortifications in order to defense and control fluctuations and incursions of population
Tour of Carabanxel S.XIX
Rocaberti Castle S. X Requesens Castle S. XI
Tour of serrat de la plaça S. XIX ► After “Tractat dels Pirineus” at 1659, The regions of Rosselló and Cerdanya became part of France ► In the XVIIIth Century, Fortification of Bellaguarda guarded all the border in this region ► In the XXth Century this border was very important during the World Wars and Spanish Civil War. ►During the period of Franco dictatorship a lot of bunkers were built in this area ►Environmental features Where the mountain joins with the sea Endemic species
Mediterranean tortoise of Albera Albera’s Cow Protected areas (PEIN 1986) and humit areas ►Economic subsistence during years
Cork extraction Grape crops in l’Albera for wine production
Olive trees in la Jonquera for oil olive production PRESENT ► During second half of XXth century La Jonquera becomes a big Custom center for document merchandise processing
Custom of La Jonquera in 1960’s. ► With the disappearance of borders between countries in the EEC in 1993, an important part of the customs duties have left. This was a strong economic impact on the town, known as a "crisis d’aduanes“ ►This crisis involved a significant increase of unemployed workers in this sector. The unemployment rate is highest recorded in 1993 which was almost 14%
►Currently the economy has changed and has been specializing in services to carriers that use the road axis. The establishment of this road service center has been very important and generated an increase of jobs ►Changes of uses and covers
► At the beginning of this change nobody of big companies believed in this commercial area of La Jonquera
► Biggest commercial brands did not want to invest in this area
► Only local investors believed in this area, nowadays they have recovered all of his investment and they are rich people
► Nowadays this urban expansion has finished 90% of La Jonquera are protected areas Only 5% is still destined to urban areas ► Volume of market area:
Attraction pole for more than 1.000.000 people of southern France Supermarkets bigger than 1.000 m 2 More than 8.000 trucks everyday From 10.000 to 25.000 people come everyday in summertime, weekends and holidays More than 18.000.000 people driving through motorway or road are possible purchaser ►Offer features of the commercial area in the present:
16 supermarkets bigger than 1.000 m 2 13 petrol stations 6 smoke shop More than 300 shops (clothes, perfumes, devices, etc.) 46 bars and restaurants ►5.500 chairs of restaurants ►4.000 daily average of menus FUTURE ► The economic future of La Jonquera is uncertain We depend of decisions of Spanish and French governments Fiscal harmonization of prices can be harmful for our economy Situation of Spanish big crisis
► New opening of big outlet ( 18.000 m 2) can attract new buyers More than 50 shops of known and international brands will be in this outlet
► La Jonquera will become a big commercial central pole between Girona and Montpellier with more than 1.500.000 people around Cross-border cooperation
►Between La Jonquera (Catalonia) and Le Perthus (France): We have interconnected electricity and water for several years We shared same doctors and same father Firemen work together National police and local police cooperate closely ► Cross-border cooperation in 1986 French and Catalan villages worked together to protect the natural area of Albera (PNIN Paratge Natural d’Interés Nacional)
► Catalan and French archeologists worked together in Santa Maria de Panissars excavations. They found Trophies of Pompeu, Via augusta and medieval graves ► The most important project of cross-border cooperation for last years is the Exile Museum (MUME, Museu Memorial de l’Exili, 2008)
► Another big project of cross-border cooperation was to achieve that UNESCO declared Human Patrimony the cross- border area of l’Albera, Natural Park of Empordà wetlands and Cap de Creus. After several efforts it was not possible to get this feature. ► Paths signpost at the to faces of the border. Called “Paths of our identity”, the tracks that exiled people had to take during wars for run away
► An university project was “Albera earth and memory”. The aim was to investigate remains in the Albera mountains about popular and traditional architecture in the past like: Ice wells, walls of dry stone, carbon squares and calcium ovens ► Nowadays some people is working to develop a big strategy of cross- border cooperation, to create a big area of economic collaboration agreed with European normative: the creation of an European District to vertebrate a common market, a big network public transport between Girona and Perpinyà, bilingual education and get better the service structure 10.200 km 2 of territory
1.130.000 inhabitants
453 municipality
2 airports (Girona and Perpinyà)
2 big geographic areas
More than 50.000 enterprises
Touristic area with more than 7.000.000 annual visits Thank you very much for your attention!
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