Retirement in Argelès-sur-Mer : understand the history of 1939 and visit places of memory

Understand the Retirement in Argelès-sur-Mer, it’s discovering a story that current landscapes don’t always allow us to imagine. In February 1939, some of the refugees fleeing Franco's advance in Spain are taken to the beach of Argelès, where French authorities set up an internment camp. Today, a memorial and several places of meditation allow us to retrace this episode of the Spanish republican exile. (memorial-argeles.eu)

Whether you want to know this story better, transmit this memory to your children or prepare a trip linked to your family journey, we suggest you start with the historical landmarks, then organize your visit at your own pace.

The Withdrawal : a mass exodus across the Pyrenees

The word Withdrawal, which means “retirement”, refers to the Spanish Republican exodus to France at the beginning of the year 1939. After the fall of Barcelona, the 26 January 1939, civilians and combatants head towards the border to escape the advance of Franco’s troops, to bombings and repression. (histoire-immigration.fr)

The Catalan population is part of this exodus, alongside refugees from other regions of Spain who have already reached Catalonia. So it’s not just a military retirement : entire families leave their homes, often with very little business. (histoire-immigration.fr)

According to the National Museum of Immigration History, 475 000 people cross the French border between 28 January and 13 February 1939. They pass in particular through Le Perthus, Cerberus, Prats-de-Mollo and Bourg-Madame, in trying conditions. (histoire-immigration.fr)

The Argelès-sur-Mer camp : internment on the beach

The Argelès-sur-Mer camp was set up urgently from 30 January 1939. Posts and barbed wire demarcate a space on the sand. The massive arrivals of refugees at the beginning of February quickly transformed this beach into a place of internment. (memorial-argeles.eu)

Extremely difficult living conditions

The first internees had to improvise shelters with the means available. : blankets, branches, sheets or holes dug in the sand to try to protect themselves from the wind. The barracks are built gradually. Lack of hygiene, promiscuity and diseases worsen the precariousness of living conditions. (memorialcamprivesaltes.eu)

This reality is essential to understand the Retirada in Argelès-sur-Mer : having crossed the border does not mean, for refugees, having immediately regained freedom or dignified reception conditions. The camp is surrounded by barbed wire and placed under military surveillance. (memorial-argeles.eu)

A story that continues after 1939

The history of the camp does not end with the first weeks of the exodus. After a short closure during the summer 1939, it reopens in September. Under the Vichy regime, other populations are also interned there, notably foreign refugees and French nomads. (memorial-argeles.eu)

The Memorial indicates that more than 160 000 men, women and children pass through the camp between February 1939 and the start of the year 1942. This figure relates to several years of operation : it does not correspond to the number of people present simultaneously on the beach. (memorial-argeles.eu)

Visit the Argelès-sur-Mer Camp Memorial

The Argelès-sur-Mer camp memorial, located in the village, is a good starting point to understand the places you will then discover on the coast. Its exhibition presents the context of the Spanish War, the exodus and the conditions of internment. (ville-argelessurmer.fr)

The scenography distinguishes two spaces symbolizing Spain and France. Photographs, documents and audiovisual media provide benchmarks to place individual journeys in collective history. (ville-argelessurmer.fr)

Practical information to prepare for the visit

• Address : 26, Avenue of Liberation, 66700 Argelès-sur-Mer.
• From October to June : Tuesday to Saturday, of 10 h to 13 h and 14 h to 18 h, except public holidays.
• From July to September : every day, of 10 h to 18 h.
• Individual price announced : 2 €, with free conditions, especially for those under 18 years accompanied by an adult.
• Phone : 04 68 95 85 03. (ville-argelessurmer.fr)

Before your trip, check timetables and pricing conditions with the Memorial, especially if you are coming on a public holiday or with a group.

The Retirada memorial trail in Argelès-sur-Mer

To complete the exhibition, the memorial tour of the Argelès-sur-Mer camp allows you to find several landmarks on the ground. The itinerary published by the tourist office measures approximately 3,4 kilometers and connects the main memory sites. (geotrek.tourisme-pyrenees-mediterranee.fr)

The Monolith of Spanish Exiles

Located on Boulevard de la Mer, the Monolith marks the former southern entrance to the camp. This monument pays tribute to the refugees who were interned there. It allows you to begin the external visit by placing the history of the camp in the current landscape.. (geotrek.tourisme-pyrenees-mediterranee.fr)

The north plate

The north plate marks another limit of the old camp. Its discovery helps to perceive the extent of the site and to understand why several steps are necessary to find its landmarks.. (geotrek.tourisme-pyrenees-mediterranee.fr)

The Spanish cemetery

Located on Retirada Avenue, the Spanish cemetery is a place of memory and contemplation linked to people who died during internment. It completes the historical visit with a break devoted to individual destinies.. (geotrek.tourisme-pyrenees-mediterranee.fr)

Signs and an audio guide accompany the route in French, catalan, Spanish and English. For Catalan-speaking visitors, these supports allow you to follow the route in Catalan. (geotrek.tourisme-pyrenees-mediterranee.fr)

Bring comfortable shoes, water and time to read the signs. For this visit, it is better to favor a leisurely pace rather than a simple sequence of steps.

Extend the discovery on both sides of the border

You can choose to devote several days to this story, by associating Argelès with other places of memory.

At La Jonquera : the Exile Memorial Museum

The Exile Memorial Museum, or HUSBAND, in La Jonquera, is dedicated to the memory of the Republican exile caused by the Spanish Civil War. It complements the visit to Argelès to address this history from both sides of the border.. (patrimoni.gencat.cat)

In Elne : discover the history of Swiss Maternity

The Swiss Maternity Hospital in Elne bears witness to the humanitarian action carried out by Elisabeth Eidenbenz among pregnant women, especially from the camps. It opens in December 1939 and runs until April 1944. (ville-elne.fr)

Attention : the building has been closed for work since January 2026, for an announced duration of at least one and a half years. An exhibition retracing its history is on offer at the Elne cloister during this closure.. Check the visit arrangements before organizing this step. (tourisme-pyrenees-mediterranee.com)

Organize a respectful and accessible visit

If you are looking for information about a loved one

Before you travel, gather the items you have : full name, spelling variations, dates, lettres, photographs or places mentioned in family stories.

You can then contact the Memorial to ask which resources to direct your search towards.. Do not assume that a site visit will, on her own, to find a nominative trace : it is better to specify your request in advance.

If you come with children

We advise you to start with a simple explanation : people fled a war and were interned after arriving in France. Then adapt the visit to the age of the children, to their questions and their sensitivity.

Accessibility and PMR needs

For a person with reduced mobility, prepare the visit to the Memorial and the outdoor route separately. Ask for useful information on access, drop-off possibilities, sanitary facilities and pathways.

A route advertised as easy does not guarantee wheelchair accessibility. Have the conditions corresponding to your needs confirmed before traveling.

Where to stay to discover the places of memory of the Retirada ?

For a stay combining Argelès, Elne and a stopover in Catalonia, we advise you to choose accommodation that allows you to shine without changing accommodation every evening.

The Domaine Pedra Llampada, located in Villelongue-dels-Monts, at the foot of the Albères, offers three three-star gîtes, open all year round. Its location between Argelès-sur-Mer and Spain makes it a base to consider for organizing this program of visits. (domaine-pedra-llampada.fr)

The accommodations have an equipped kitchen and a private terrace. : a formula to consider if you wish to keep your own schedules for several days of discovery. The Domaine is located in the hinterland, and not on the site of the old camp ; therefore plan your trips to the places visited. (domaine-pedra-llampada.fr)

For any accessibility need, talk with Muriel and Laurent before choosing your gîte to check the facilities that suit you.

To prepare your stay around the places of memory of the Retirada, discover the lodgings of Domaine Pedra Llampada and check availability on the dates of your visit.

Frequently asked questions about Retirada in Argelès-sur-Mer

Is the Memorial located on the beach? ?

Non. The Memorial is located 26, Avenue of Liberation, in the village. The monuments of the memorial route then allow you to find the landmarks of the former camp on the coast and nearby.. (ville-argelessurmer.fr)

Can we visit the route in Catalan? ?

Oui. The route has an audio guide in Catalan., as well as in French, Spanish and English. (geotrek.tourisme-pyrenees-mediterranee.fr)

Can we still see the camp barracks? ?

Do not prepare your visit by imagining a preserved camp with its barracks. The discovery rests today on the Memorial, the monuments and landmarks of the exterior route. (ville-argelessurmer.fr)

Can we currently visit the Swiss Maternity Hospital in Elne? ?

The building has been closed for work since January 2026. During this period, an exhibition dedicated to its history is installed at the cloister of Elne. (tourisme-pyrenees-mediterranee.com)

Where to stay to organize multiple visits ?

For this program, we offer Domaine Pedra Llampada in Villelongue-dels-Monts : you can establish your stay there, then organize your days between Argelès and the other places selected in your itinerary. (domaine-pedra-llampada.fr)