The Banyoles Lake

According to the legend the Banyoles Lake, was formed like this

A story from the 8th century, tells of a great beast which lives beside the lake. It is the last descendant of the prehistoric beast that lived in that region. It lives in a deep cave and it is not good to disturb him.

According to what people said, the beast had a voracious appetite and it devoured the peasants' flocks. They lived hidden at home protected by walls. In fact, every night one man disappeared from his house.

One day, Charlemagne arrived there and, having heard about the beast, he decided to go to kill it. When the soldiers arrived there, the dragon came out of its cave giving off its foul breath and they began to cough because of the toxic cloud that formed around them.

After that, the peasants asked a monk to help. He had arrived with Charlemagne's troops, was called "Mer" (Sant Emerio).

The monk went to the dragon's cave and began to pray, after that they both went out and the peasants asked the monk to kill him.

The monk stopped them and told them it was harmless and it only ate grass and roots.

And when they asked him about the disappeared people he told them the truth: the disappeared people were fighting with Charlemagne who stole all the flock

The big monster went back to its cave and even today, if somebody tries to disturb it, it will give off its foul breath against them.