Camí de La Retirada - Col d'Ares - Ronde du Canigó - Tour de Mir

Cross Prats-de-Mollo-la-Preste via the road bridge over the Tech. At the roundabout, turn right onto the D115A. Park immediately on the right in the car park, which is set up as a rest area, below the right bank of the Tech.

(S/E) Be careful of traffic. There are two options.
- From the car park, cross towards the large steps using the pedestrian crossing. Climb up the hill, passing the house on your right. Climb up this wide grassy path. At the fork, go straight ahead. Continue along the wide path. You will reach the D115. Cross the road and climb up the left-hand side.
- From the car park, climb towards the roundabout. Cross at the pedestrian crossing and look for the red and white GR®® markings^. Climb along the D115 behind the concrete wall.

(1) After 20 m, turn left onto the GRT, marked in red and white, and follow the signs for "Camí de la Retirada" (³). Leave the road that climbs up to Coll d'Ares. Stay on the hillside, do not descend towards the houses. Cross a long footbridge over el Canidell.

(2) At the crossroads, leave the GRT on your left and the PR® on your right. Head straight ahead along the Camí de la Retirada, following the stream.
Sparse, official yellow markings can help you find your way.
Follow the La Coma de Joan stream on the right bank. After 150 m, ford the stream and turn right uphill. An old tree-climbing area is still present.
Caution: there are many paths and tracks. Follow the Camí de la Retirada, heading south, continuing uphill.

(3) Turn left, continuing uphill through the woods. Pass the altitude 822.

(4) At the crossroads with the road and the path, be careful of traffic and cross the D115. Continue along the path that climbs opposite. Leave a track on your left and continue climbing.

(5) At the fork, keep right on a grassy track that is overgrown in places. Continue along this track for 500 m. Do not cross the Còrrec de Flameia.

(6) Turn left and climb steeply again into the forest. After 300 m, cross the Còrrec de Flameia, this time by wading. Continue along this well-marked path, which leads to a small grassy track in an open area.

(7) At the crossroads of tracks and paths, head straight ahead, continuing uphill. Ignore all adjacent tracks and paths. Continue to the edge of the forest towards the road, passing a signposted fork, Camí de la Retirada. Reach the Col de l'Home Mort, taking care to avoid traffic.

(8) Cross the road to admire the lush green landscape and wooded mountains.
Cross the road again and retrace your steps for 20 metres until you reach the fork. Turn left; Camí de la Retirada is below the D115 on the left. You will come out onto a relatively flat grazing area. The track is blocked on the left, with a sign indicating Camí de la Retirada. You will reach a crossroads between the track and a path. The old Santa Margarida chapel is in ruins on the left.

(9) Continue along the flat pastureland and follow a wide curve to the left to reach Santa Margarita. This is a lovely spot for a break.

(10) Then head south, climbing back up towards the road. Go through a gap in the fence and follow the road on the right-hand side. Stay behind the crash barriers in the bend. You will arrive in the middle of the bend at a track on the right.

(11) Turn left into the pasture. The path turns south above the fence, on the left-hand side, above the road.
Please note: If there is a herd of cattle, it is safer to continue along the road on the left-hand side.
Arrive at a hairpin bend to the right of the road at an altitude of 1440 m.

(12) At the crossroads of the road, path and grassy track, continue straight ahead along the grassy track.
Be careful of traffic. There is a rock at the start of the track and markings.
When you arrive below the road leading to Coll d'Ares, leave the track and climb to the right along a well-marked path that winds upwards.

(13) At Coll d'Ares, cross the road and climb up the pasture opposite. Follow the red and yellow^GRP®® markings until you reach your destination. This route overlaps with the Tour du Vallespir and the Ronde du Canigó. There is a beautiful 360° view of the landscape. You can take a break away from the road.
Be careful of traffic. At the France-Spain border marker, note the old customs building and a monument commemorating the exodus of Spaniards.
The path heads north-west into Spain, overlooking the road that descends into Spain.

(14) At Coll dels Pixadors (1525 m), continue on the^GRP®®. Leave the^PR®® junction that descends on your right. From this point, the^GRP®® follows the border.
Continue climbing towards Puig de l'Hospitalet or Puig de les Forques (1619 m).
Descend slightly towards Coll de les Boires (1580 m), where there is a small lake, then climb back up to Pic dels Miquets (1630 m).

(15) The path now descends continuously. The IGN map is not accurate. Follow the red and yellow markings, often following a fence. Arrive at Collada de Prats (Col des Prés). The path moves away from the border.
Reach Coll de les Basses de Fabert. There is a cattle grid here.
Caution: this area is confusing due to the large number of tracks and paths present here.
Simply follow the red and yellow^GRP®® markings.

(16) Set off along the wide track, which turns right, heading due east, towards the altitude of 1594 m. **
Please note: this is where the^GRP®® trails for the Ronde du Canigó and the Tour de Vallespir separate. However, the markings remain red and yellow.
After 120 m, a cairn on the right indicates a path that cuts across two bends in the track. You will rejoin the track further down.
At a bend to the right on the track (at around 1520 m), continue straight ahead towards a wooden barrier, which you must cross sideways. Simply climb up the track. Pass a building equipped with photovoltaic sensors on your left and arrive at Torre del Mir. It is possible to access it. The top is secure. The 360° view is splendid.
Descend from the tower and immediately turn left into the forest onto a very good path. Leave the track you took on the way up.
You will come to a small fork in the road. There are signposts here. This is the only place where the direction of the tower is indicated.

(17) At the fork, continue left, descending southwest, and after 120 m, you will come to a wide track. Head completely left, due northeast. At this point, there are markings, but they are for the ascent!

Pass a water catchment on your right below in the forest, then cross a fence via a designated passage.

After a very short climb, you will arrive at Coll d'en Ce (1,305 m). This area has been cleared (June 2019).
Look out for the red and yellow markings and the few cairns. But it is a wide grassy track that you need to follow.
From the pass, a raised hunter's hut (made of sheet metal) is the focal point. Just before this hut, turn right, still following the red and yellow markings. The track leaves the forest. A landscape of green meadows opens up before you. Continue downhill until you reach a few farm buildings and an inhabited building.

Note: Please respect this area, known as el Mir. The path passes through the property. Thank you for respecting the peace and quiet of the place. You will reach the end of the small road at an altitude of 1078.

(18) Head opposite along a wide grassy track and ignore the road.
Descend while admiring this beautiful place, which was once a densely populated and heavily used area. Join a small road (980 m). Turn left onto the road and continue for about 100 metres. Pay attention to the markings, as the grass is tall.

(19) At the fork, turn right and descend along a small, very rough track.
Note: Find and follow the red and yellow GRP®® markings^.
At a fork (around 895 m), turn right and descend quickly towards Prats-de-Mollo-la-Preste, which you can see ahead.

When you reach the houses, turn left, walking alongside them and staying in the forest. Join and follow the path you took on the way up to return to the car park (S/E).

(¹) Pay attention to changes in direction and, therefore, changes in the colour of the markings.

This is a mid-mountain area. Therefore, as is necessary, you will need: rain gear, water, snacks, route map, description, map, GPS, camera, good walking shoes, and a walking stick.

The raised hunter's hut after the Col d'en Ce and the Tour de Mir (17) can be used as shelters.
From (16), you can cool off and take shelter in the shelter lower down on the right. (See description).
Comment from a VR on Saturday 18 January 2020 at 10:01 regarding this hut ==> Please note the very poor condition - recent - of the shelter near the Tour de Mir. This shelter, managed by farmers, has apparently suffered from the negligence of certain individuals

(²) public transport for €1

(³) Camí de la Retirada: find and follow this sparse signposting to (11).

** From (16), if necessary or in bad weather, you can descend to the shelter at the edge of the forest where there is a plentiful spring. Find two old wooden posts marked in yellow and then turn right onto the left bank of the còrrec (talweg) with the forest on your right, cross a track twice, continue downhill, the shelter is clearly visible below. This place can also be used as a rest area. A few metres after the shelter, turn left onto a track that descends and find the start of the tower before (17).

Camí de la Retirada: A path commemorating the mass arrival of Republican soldiers and a large number of civilians. A total of 100,000 people fleeing Spain took this path.
The Canigó Circuit: 9 to 10 days from Amélie-les-Bains between 250m and 2300m altitude on a 145km route. Passable almost all year round.
Tours and Ronde du Canigó
The Tour de Vallespir: 6 or 7 days from Arles sur Tech, a route that follows part of the Tour du Canigó and the Ronde du Canigó.
From (13) to (16) Magnificent landscapes on the border ridge.

Hike completed again by the author and a group on 13 June 2019. Departure at 9:05 a.m., arrival at 4:30 p.m.