Joch is an old village situated on a hill above the Vinça plain and the Têt valley. The terrain extends from the camà de l’Estrade at an altitude of 300 metres to the Puig de les Feixes at 926 metres, the highest point in the municipality. Anyone wishing to rent a holiday apartment in Joch is planning a stay directly in this village.
Culture and History
The sanctuary of Saint-Martin Church in Joch houses the Retable du maître-autel, gradins d’autel. The altarpiece is made of carved, painted and gilded wood and is classified as a protected object. Another noteworthy work is the Retable de saint Jean-Baptiste, a carved, painted and gilded wooden altarpiece with four semi-relief panels depicting the life and death of John the Baptist.
Saint-Martin Church dates from the 18th century. Its foundation stone was laid on 5 May 1756, and construction work continued until 1778. Inside, it houses several valuable Baroque altarpieces from the late 16th as well as the 17th and 18th centuries. The Cambra del rector also preserves a painted ceiling from the 17th century; the date September 1693 is inscribed on the central beam.
In the upper part of the old village lies La Força, a fortified complex with houses and cellars surrounding the former castle. The walls still visible today were built between 1361 and 1368. Only two gates and some outer walls remain of the original La Força.
Guided tours are offered for Saint-Martin Church in Joch and/or the village of Joch. The church tour takes approximately 1.5 hours, while the village tour takes about 2 hours.
Landscape and Water
The Rec Major is an irrigation canal dating from the late 13th century. At El Salt in the village, it forms two successive waterfalls: one approximately 6 metres high and another roughly 12 metres high further downstream. To this day, the Rec Major supplies all the fountains distributed throughout the village with water.
Hiking
The Puig de les Feixes route is a difficult 8.6-kilometre mountain loop hike lasting approximately four hours. It starts and ends at the castle car park in Joch, passes through orchards and vineyards, and offers views stretching as far as the Mediterranean Sea. The Croix de les Feixes is a replica of the Croix du Canigó erected in 2011.
The Boucle de les Voltes is an easy, 1.9-kilometre family loop hike with 175 metres of ascent and descent respectively. It starts and ends at the castle car park in Joch and runs entirely through Joch. In the heights of Joch and the Baronnie, the route passes through oak woodland and garrigue along former rural paths.
Local Cuisine
L’ESCOLA D’AVANT is a traditional restaurant in the former village school of Joch and serves local cuisine.
Other places to compare: Trouillas, Argeles-Sur-Mer, Felluns, Formiguères, Amélie-Les-Bains-Palalda, Sahorre, Saint-Paul-De-Fenouillet, Molitg-Les-Bains.
