Roussillon (Traditional province, France)

Last modified: 2002-01-18 by ivan sache
Keywords: roussillon | catalonia | error |
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by Jorge Candeias

• The banner of Roussillon
• Erroneous banner of Roussillon

See also:

• France
• Trzditional provinces
• Region
  • Languedoc-Roussillon
• Department
  • Pyrénées-Orientales
    
    
• Occitania
• Catalonia

The banner of Roussillon

The flag of Roussillon has horizontal bars, not vertical bars. Roussillon formed part of Catalonia until Spain delivered it to France in the Treaty of the Pyrénées (1659). I have been in Roussillon several times and I have always seen the flag flying in horizontal form, except when hanging from windows. In some communities in the region where Catalan is the main language, the flag can be seen in great numbers.

Jaume Ollé, 2 July 1996

Erroneous banner of Roussillon

by Chris Pinette

Probably the above drawing of the flag of Roussillon is based on the heraldic shield of the old county of Roussillon where, in fact, the bars are placed vertically, but this also occurs with the shield of Catalonia.

Jaume Ollé, 2 July 1996

The origin of the arms of the County of Foix and the one of Roussillon have the same origin as the Catalan arms. There is a legend linked with these arms. The real origin is a bit mysterious, I think these arms are the same than the ones of the old Kingdom of Provence, with the King Berenger. The place where these arms first appeared might be a territory corresponding to the now western part of Switzerland and going to the Mediterranean Sea. This affirmation is based on a study of all the arms of this region, which show that there are many arms with pales.

Pascal Vagnat, 28 August 1997

Some manufacturers still sell 'Roussillon flags' with vertical bars, sometimes with equal number of red and yellow stripes.

Pascal Vagnat, 29 April 2000