In search of the boundary markers of 1258

Before the current border was established, Roussillon was officially part of Spain between 1258 and 1659.
Very few boundary markers from this original border remain.
The trail allows you to discover three of them, as well as a cave and an ice well; it also offers superb views of the Pyrenees and the Corbières.

Technical sheet

3095354
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 11.10 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 286 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 288 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 428 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 256 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Depart from the car park in front of the town hall.

(S/E) Go up the D21 just above the car park and follow it on the right. After passing the old cooperative winery, follow the road towards Caramany. A few metres further on, a small road branches off to the right.

(1) Take it and you will arrive at an oratory in the middle of a Y-shaped crossroads. Follow the unpaved path to the left of the oratory (yellow markings) and join the Route de Caramany. Turn right onto it to arrive at a crossroads with three roads leading off it.

(2) Take the leftmost road downhill (red and yellow markings). After about 100 metres, take the track on the left with signs for "À travers les âges" (Through the Ages), "Bornes frontière" (Border Markers) and "Grotte de Bélesta" (Bélesta Cave) with red and yellow markings. The panorama opens up towards Mont Bugarach, the Château de Quéribus and Lac de Caramany.
Continue through a small wood to discover a beautiful view of Mont Canigou and the village of Montalba-le-Château (a path on the right offers an excellent view from the top of the Caune hill).
The path descends to the Bélesta Cave.

(3) Continue along the path, which descends steeply to the bottom of the valley.

(4) At the bottom, continue immediately to the right and then to the left, still following the path marked in red and yellow with directional signs. After leaving the path that branches off to the right towards Montalba Castle, cross the stream bed (mostly dry) to reach a Y-shaped fork a hundred metres further on. Turn right to reach the ice well, which is a few metres from the edge of the path on the right.

(5) Continue along the trail but do not follow the markings that lead back towards Bélesta on the left.
Keep to the right. Climb gradually until you come to some ruins on the left, then join another track. Take this track on the right to reach the bottom of the valley and pass a cistern on the right.

(6) Look for the yellow-marked return trail on the left. For now, continue on the right along the track. After about a hundred metres, the track splits in two. Take the right fork and stay on the left to climb to the top of the hill, where you will see a photovoltaic power station.

(7) The first marker, "Pilo d'en Gil", is visible on the hilltop to the right of the track.
Retrace your steps and descend to the path you spotted on the way up near the cistern.

(6) Continue straight ahead for about 150 metres and take the small yellow-marked path on the left that leads to the other two markers. Reach the first of the two markers via a small marked path on the left in the undergrowth.

(8) Retrace your steps to return to the path and discover the second marker on the left-hand side of the path. Continue along the path until you reach a crossroads.

(9) Turn left and continue to follow the yellow markings. The path descends to the bottom of a small valley.

(10) Continue left on the yellow-marked trail and climb up to reach a flat area a little further on, where several trails lead to properties.

(11) Take the one completely on the left, which passes in front of a kennel and joins the road after about 800 metres.

(12) Follow the road to the right, then immediately left at the crossroads to climb back up towards Bélesta and reach the Place de la Mairie de Bélesta (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 363 m - Town Hall Square
  2. 1 : km 0.24 - alt. 370 m - Fork in the road towards the oratory
  3. 2 : km 0.96 - alt. 406 m - Crossroads towards Caramany and Cassagnes
  4. 3 : km 2.24 - alt. 386 m - Bélesta Cave
  5. 4 : km 2.57 - alt. 334 m - Vallon de la Crabayrisse
  6. 5 : km 3.4 - alt. 303 m - Ice well
  7. 6 : km 4.64 - alt. 332 m - Font d'en Gros cistern
  8. 7 : km 5.8 - alt. 409 m - Pilo d'en Gil
  9. 8 : km 7.63 - alt. 341 m - Border marker
  10. 9 : km 8.02 - alt. 322 m - Fork towards Bélesta
  11. 10 : km 9.28 - alt. 282 m - Ascent to Bélesta
  12. 11 : km 9.58 - alt. 303 m - Crossroads of several poorly marked tracks.
  13. 12 : km 10.38 - alt. 340 m - Bélesta road
  14. S/E : km 11.1 - alt. 363 m - Town Hall Square

Practical information

Streams and rivers are usually dry except in early spring or after heavy rain. In this case, wear waterproof footwear.
For more information on the history of this border, see the link to the Cathar Trails blog.

In the nearby area

(3) Bélesta cave, occupied since Neolithic times... pottery has been found here and is on display at the Bélesta Prehistory Museum.
(5) Ice wells, where compressed snow was brought back in straw bales to be stored.
(7) Pilo d'en Gil, the first milestone on the hike, offers a superb view of Montalba-le-Château and the mountains.
(8) Bélesta boundary markers: a cross is engraved at the foot of the third marker encountered.

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 22 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Clarity of route map
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.4 / 5
perplex66
perplex66

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Oct 05, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Busy trail : No

A pleasant walk with an interesting main attraction, but rather austere in terms of scenery.

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Jean Claude LEBRUN
Jean Claude LEBRUN

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 15, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

I actually did a hike based on this route. I added the water circuit and the ruins of the mill, as well as a boundary marker to the west of "Pilo d'en Gil"
See hike no. 84861024

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arbonel
arbonel

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

views of the surrounding mountains, but obscured by a blanket of heat.
We had a beautiful view of Montalba Castle
The museum at the end of the hike rounded off the day nicely and allowed us to cool off after a scorching hot day.
Don't miss the juniper tree after the signposts...
The circuit is pleasant, but be careful on a few tricky downhill sections. The second one after the cave was avoided by going along the heath.

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danrando66
danrando66

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Dec 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Beautiful views of the surrounding mountains.
We made a detour to see the dolmen, which is well worth a visit!
It's a shame we couldn't go inside the cave despite asking at the museum.
A visit to the mill is recommended.
Don't miss the juniper tree after the boundary stones...
A pleasant route, but be careful on some of the tricky downhill sections.

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gege66
gege66

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Dec 01, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Busy trail : No

The scenery wasn't great, but it was interesting to see the boundary markers
No difficulty following the route

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Le club HVR
Le club HVR

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Lovely walk

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camporels
camporels
• Last modified:

It is indeed part of the "Through the Ages" hike, but with a fork after the PUITS DES GLACES, where you leave the "Through the Ages" trail on your left and continue straight ahead (near point 5)
Further historical information at
https://cheminscathares.home.blog

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Famille NEE
Famille NEE

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A very pleasant, well-marked hike called "Through the Ages" which is enjoyable. We took a detour to see the dolmen and the viewpoint. No real difficulties. A real pleasure

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picofi
picofi

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 18, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

A very pleasant hike with beautiful views, this is a circular route. Be sure to climb up to point 6, then 7 to discover the first marker. We did this hike in August, on a day when it wasn't too hot. It must be even nicer in autumn or spring.

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sosomamie66
sosomamie66

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Mar 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

Very beautiful boundary marker

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C.Andre
C.Andre

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Dec 31, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A very beautiful hike on pleasant terrain, punctuated by breathtaking panoramic views. Thank you and well done to the author for the quality of the description. Hike completed at the end of December in good weather with the river dry.

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Patrice Katchadourian
Patrice Katchadourian

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Apr 16, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Superb hike with a treasure hunt feel to it as you search for the markers. Magnificent panorama and views. I'll do it again. Thank you for organising it.

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annemarie
annemarie

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Feb 01, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A beautiful, very accessible hike. A fascinating chapter in our history and its shifting borders! A wonderful discovery of the village of Belesta. Highly recommended. Can be done easily with children

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Poucinette66
Poucinette66

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Nov 02, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

A pleasant hike with beautiful views of Canigou, Corbières and Albères, but the ground is often chalky, sandy and quite uneven.
This caused a few slips on the way down!
The Dolmen del Vent, 1.1 km from Bélesta (500 m from the start), is definitely worth a visit.

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sim4814
sim4814

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Jan 26, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

an ideal winter walk; some sections are very steep and rocky, but overall it is easy, even for older people (I am 74). Magnificent view of Canigou and Corbières on the other side. The boundary stones and ice wells are of interest to history lovers, but the walk is beautiful even without these detours.

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