A solar furnace? In the Pyrenees? Definitely yes please!

Additional info: The visitor centre is currently closed but there is plenty to explore.

What: An enormous hillside solar furnace

Where: Southern France/Eastern Pyrenees

Why visit: ‘Like nothing I’ve ever seen.’

Station: Font-Romeu/Odeillo/Via

Train line: Le Petit Train Jaune

Activity: Exploring and learning

Walk time: Ten minutes from the station

Terrain: Good, roads and tracks, uphill

Toilets: Font Romeu station

Refreshments: None

From the train station walk up the hill towards Font Romeu along the Avenue Professeur Trombe (named after the man who created the solar furnace). Look out for a road on the left signposted ‘Four Solaire’. Follow this down until you see a large construction and ranks of mirrors on the hillside. You’ve found the solar furnace.

Imagine the largest bank of mirrors you’ve ever seen, arranged on a green hillside facing a range of snow-capped mountains. Put that bank of mirrors in front of a huge eight-storey building covered in an enormous parabolic reflector.

Now stand in a tall compartment in front of the parabola while the bank mirrors are angled towards the sun. You won’t last long.

Sustainable energy

The solar furnace at Odeillo can magnify the sun’s energy by 10,000 times, and this is one of the sunniest places in Europe. Despite its ultimate suitability for Bond villain revenge, this fascinating installation wasn’t created as a film set but rather to research solar power generation, extract new and pure materials from ores and perform tests in extreme environments.

Solar heated buildings

Professeur Félix Trombe, who designed the Odeillo solar furnace, was also a pioneer in the field of passive solar building design. You can see examples of his famous Trombe walls, utilising concrete and glass in the buildings nearby.

A great stop-off

The visitor centre at the Odeillo solar furnace is no longer open but there are plenty of information boards and the place is fascinating. Visit on a sunny day, you’ll find plenty to explore.

I wasn’t expecting that

We first glimpsed the Odeillo solar furnace on a walk up to find the shops at Font-Romeu. In a scene composed mostly of mountain views, it was a shock to notice some of the mountains upside down, and realise we were actually staring into a concave parabola of mirrors.

Absolutely fascinating

We returned the next day to explore the installation more closely. I had expected us to take maybe 30 minutes but we were so taken with the science and the visual impact of the mirrors that we stayed for at least two hours.

Upside down mountain views

It’s hard to say what made the greatest impression on us. The history and science of the furnace were fascinating and the mirrors ranged on the hill impressive but it was the enormous parabola of mirrors with its inverted mountain reflection that called our eyes back and challenged our brains.

Peaceful and undisturbed

It’s not often you find something so different and exciting to visit in such a calm and peaceful location. We were mesmerised by the place and would recommend it to anyone.

It’s hard to say whether we enjoyed our trip to the thermal hot springs or this solar furnace visit more but one thing’s for sure. For such a small train, le Train Jaune has plenty to offer if you’re happy to explore on foot.