Sorède (French pronunciation: [sɔʁɛd] ; Catalan: Sureda, that is cork oak wood) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France.[3]

Sorède
A general view of the village of Sorède
A general view of the village of Sorède
Coat of arms of Sorède
Map
Location of Sorède
Sorède is located in France
Sorède
Sorède
Sorède is located in Occitanie
Sorède
Sorède
Coordinates: 42°31′53″N 2°57′27″E / 42.5314°N 2.9575°E / 42.5314; 2.9575
CountryFrance
RegionOccitania
DepartmentPyrénées-Orientales
ArrondissementCéret
CantonVallespir-Albères
IntercommunalityCC des Albères, de la Côte Vermeille et de l'Illibéris
Government
  Mayor (20202026) Yves Porteix[1]
Area
1
34.54 km2 (13.34 sq mi)
Population
 (2023)[2]
3,512
  Density101.7/km2 (263.3/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
  Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
66196 /66690
Elevation42–1,241 m (138–4,072 ft)
(avg. 80 m or 260 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Geography

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Sorède is located in the canton of Vallespir-Albères and in the arrondissement of Céret.

Map of Sorède and its surrounding communes

Government and politics

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Mayors

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List of mayors
PeriodNamePartyProfession
1966–1989André Cavaillé
1989–incumbentYves PorteixUDF/MoDemMayor & Vice-president of the Community of Communes

Population

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Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1968 1,164    
1975 1,491+3.60%
1982 1,896+3.49%
1990 2,160+1.64%
1999 2,699+2.51%
2007 2,970+1.20%
2012 3,083+0.75%
2017 3,267+1.17%
2023 3,512+1.21%
Source: INSEE[4]

Sites of interest

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  • The main church "St Assiscle et Ste Victoire", 14th century choir, 17th century Baroque sculptures.
  • Notre-Dame du Château, an 18th-century sanctuary dedicated to the Virgin Mary in the mountains, and the ruins of the castle of Ultrera, dating from the early Middle Ages.
  • Saint Martin de Lavail, a 9th-century Romanesque chapel.
  • Since the 13th century, whips have been made from the local celtis tree. Celtis whips are still made by hand today in Sorède and visitors can tour the workshop where they are made.

Notable people

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  • Father Antonio Gomes, known as « Padre Himalaya », a Portuguese scientist and priest who experimented with one of the first solar ovens in Sorède in 1900.
  • Philippe David Clarke - was one of the early winners of the Euro Millions Lottery in February 2004. Clarke won an estimated 19,000,000 Euros. He has lived between Sorède and Kent, UK for most of his life.

See also

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References

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  1. "Répertoire national des élus: les maires". data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises (in French). 2 December 2020.
  2. "Populations de référence 2023" (in French). National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 18 December 2025.
  3. INSEE commune file
  4. Population municipale entre 1968 et 2023, INSEE