Banyuls-sur-Mer at the Col de l'Ullat

From Perpignan, you can reach Banyuls using the departmental bus service. The price is modest, €1 for the entire route. The bus station is adjacent to the SNCF train station. The departure point is at the Banyuls Town Hall square, point 0 of^{the GR®®10}.

(S/E) Walk up the avenue along the seafront, pass the bandstand and take the first street on the left, Avenue du Puig del Mas.

(1) Change to the route: previously, the path followed the storm drain. Now, take the street on the right, Rue Michel Grau, then the next right, Rue des Angles. Go under the railway tunnel on the left.

(2) Leave the tarmac road and take the path on the right. Follow the red and white^GR®®10markings through the woods. View of the Banyuls vineyards. Reach the road at Coll de les Vignes.

(3) Cross and continue straight ahead on the GR®^®. You will reach the Coll de Llagastera orientation table.

(4) Continue straight ahead on the tarmac road.
Follow the^GR®®10below the road: pass Font del Falgueràs.

(5) Leave the road and turn left, cutting across the embankments. Return to the road shortly before Coll dels Gascons and follow it to the right.

(6) The^GR®®10trail resumes to the right of the cistern, then passes through a rocky section. Ignore it and follow the track on the left to reach Coll de Vallauria (elevation 416).

(7) Take the track on the right, then leave it almost immediately for a path on the left. The slope becomes steeper.

(8) Continue left, following the^GR®®10markings, and climb up Serrat de Castell Serradilló. Leave the path to reach the Francis Grand spring, following the red dots. The spring is shaded and very cool. The flow is low. The water is collected in a small reservoir and a tap allows you to fill your bottle. Remember to turn off the tap after filling your bottle.

(9) Turn back to^{the GR®®} and continue to the right to Puig de Sallfort (elevation 978).

(10) The small "Tomy" refuge is in a rock crevice a little further south. Continue along the ridge path, taking care to avoid the grazing cattle. The path is clearly visible in the grass. On your right, there is a beautiful view of the coast with Perpignan in the background. Pass Coll del Pal and then Coll dels Terrers.

(11) Leave the path to pass by the source of the Massane, the river that flows into Argelès-sur-Mer. The source has been developed so that it is not polluted by animals. Today, it is not flowing. Continue along the ridge to Coll dels Emigrants.

(12) Leave the ridge and walk along the fence on the right, descending to rejoin the^GR®®10and cross the fence at a designated crossing point. Follow the path through the forest, which joins a forest track at Coll de l'Estaca.

(13) Leave the^GR®®10and take the forest path on the left to reach Font de l'Orri, which has a high flow rate. Continue along the track, passing under the Refuge de la Tanyareda. A little further on is the spring of the same name.

(15) Leave the path to climb Puig Neulós via the direct route of^{the GR®®10}: fairly steep slope. Arrive below the TDF facilities and cut across the end of the access road to these facilities; climb opposite towards the large cairn and the geodetic marker of Puig Neulós.

(16) Continue south-west, still on the^GR®®10, on the grassy slope. You will rejoin the road at a hairpin bend.

(17) Continue along the^GR®®10through the forest to the Ullat Refuge located at the pass of the same name (E).

This section is difficult because it is long and the first few kilometres involve a 1,000 m climb in one go.
There are regular water points along the route, but in summer the springs may be dry.

A hat and sun cream are essential as there is constant exposure to the sun along the entire ridge.
Be careful in case of tramontane winds, which can be violent.

Refuge de l'Ullat: the refuge is an inn. A meal and accommodation package is available at a reasonable price. Accommodation is in four-person boxes.

Numerous viewpoints over the Roussillon plain and the sandy coast. View of the Spanish side.
The^GR®®10is quite busy. You will probably meet other hikers to walk with.