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 has been converted into a rest area, situated slightly lower down on the right bank of the Tech.

(S/E) Watch out for traffic. There are two options.
- From the car park, cross towards the large steps using the pedestrian crossing. Walk up the hillside, passing the house on your right. Follow this wide grassy path uphill. At the fork, go straight on. Continue along the wide path. You’ll reach the D115. Cross the road and keep to the left as you head uphill.
- From the car park, head uphill towards the roundabout. Cross at the pedestrian crossing and look for the red and white GR®® signposting^. Walk uphill alongside the D115 behind the low concrete wall.

(1) After 20 m, turn left onto the GRT, following the red and white markings, and also follow signs for “Camí de la Retirada” (³). Leave the road leading up to Coll d’Ares. Stay on the hillside; do not head down towards the houses. Cross a long footbridge over el Canidell.

(2) At the crossroads, leave the GRT to your left and the PR® to your right. Head straight ahead along the Camí de la Retirada, following the stream.
Sparse, official yellow markings may help you find your way.
Follow the La Coma de Joan stream along the right bank. After 150 m, fords the stream and head right, climbing uphill. An old tree-top adventure course is still there.
Caution: there are numerous paths and tracks. Make sure you follow the Camí de la Retirada, heading due south, continuing to climb.

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

(4) At the junction with the road and the path, watch out for 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 to the right onto a grassy track, which is overgrown in places. Follow this track for 500 metres. Do not cross the Còrrec de Flameia.

(6) Turn left onto a steep climb through the heart of the forest. 300 m further on, wade across the Còrrec de Flameia. Continue along this well-marked path, which leads onto a small grassy track in an open area.

(7) At the junction of tracks and paths, head straight ahead, continuing uphill. Ignore all adjacent tracks and paths. Carry on to the edge of the forest towards the road, passing a signposted junction for the Camí de la Retirada. Reach the Col de l’Home Mort; watch out for traffic.

(8) Cross the road to admire the lush green landscape and the wooded hillsides.
Cross the road again, turning back for 20 m until you reach the fork. Turn left; the Camí de la Retirada you are to follow lies below the D115 on your left. You will emerge into a relatively flat grazing area. The track you come to is blocked on the left; there is a signpost: Camí de la Retirada. You’ll reach a junction where a track meets a path. The old, ruined Santa Margarida chapel is on the left.

(9) Continue on level ground across the pasture and, following a wide bend to the left, reach Santa Margarita. A lovely spot for a break.

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

(11) Turn left into the pasture. The path turns due south over the fence on your left, above the road.
Please note: If there is a herd present, it is safer to continue along the road on the left-hand side.
You’ll reach a hairpin bend to the right of the road at an altitude of 1,440 m.

(12) At the junction of the road, footpath and grass track, carry on straight ahead along the grass track.
Watch out for motor traffic. There is a rock at the start of the track and signposts.
When you reach the point just below the road leading to Coll d’Ares, leave the track and head uphill to the right along a well-marked path that winds upwards.

(13) At the Coll d’Ares, cross the road and head straight ahead up into the pasture. Look out for the red and yellow^GRP®® signposting, which you should follow right to the finish. This section overlaps with the Tour du Vallespir and the Ronde du Canigó. There is a stunning 360° view of the landscape. You can take a break away from the road.
Watch out for traffic. At the France–Spain border marker, note the old customs building and a monument commemorating the exodus of the Spanish.
The path heads north-west into Spain, overlooking the road that winds down into Spain.

(14) At Coll dels Pixadors (1,525 m), continue along the^GRP®®. Leave the^PR®® junction heading down to your right. From this point, the^GRP®® follows the border.
Continue climbing towards Puig de l’Hospitalet or Puig de les Forques (1,619 m).
Descend slightly towards Coll de les Boires (1,580 m), where there is a small pond, then climb back up to Pic dels Miquets (1,630 m).

(15) The path now descends steadily. The IGN route map is not accurate. Follow the red and yellow markings closely, often following a fence. You will reach the Collada de Prats (Col des Prés). The path moves away from the border.
Proceed to the Coll de les Basses de Fabert. There is a Canadian-style gate here.
Caution: this is a confusing area due to the large number of tracks and paths here.
Simply follow the red and yellow^GRP®® markings.

(16) Set off along the wide, vehicle-accessible track, which turns right, due east, towards the altitude of 1594 m. **
Please note: At this point, the^GRP®® routes for the Ronde du Canigó and the Tour de Vallespir split. The markings remain red and yellow, however.
After 120 m, a cairn on the right marks a path that cuts across two bends in the track. You’ll rejoin the track further down.
At a right-hand bend in the track (at around 1,520 m). Continue straight on towards a wooden barrier, which you must pass to the side. Simply climb up the track. Pass a building fitted with solar panels on your left and arrive at the Torre del Mir. It is possible to access it. The top is secured. The 360° view is splendid.
Descend from the tower and immediately turn left into the forest along a very good path. Leave the track you took on the way up.
You’ll reach a small fork in the path. There are signposts here. This is the only place where the direction to the tower is indicated.

(17) At the fork, continue left, heading downwards to the south-west, and after 120 m, you’ll come to a wide track. Turn sharply left, heading due north-east. At this point, there are markings, but they’re intended for the ascent!

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

You’ll reach the Coll d’en Ce (1,305 m) after a very short climb. This area has been cleared (June 2019).
Keep a close eye out for the red and yellow markings and the few cairns. However, it is a wide, grassy track that you must follow.
From the pass, a raised hunter’s hut (made of corrugated iron) serves as a landmark. Just before this hut, turn right, still following the red and yellow markings. The track emerges from the forest. A landscape of lush green meadows then opens up before you. Continue downhill until you reach a few farm buildings and an inhabited house.

Note: Please respect this area, known as ‘el Mir’. The path passes through private property. Please respect the peace and quiet of the place. You will reach the end of the small road (altitude 1078).

(18) Set off straight ahead along a wide grassy track and ignore the road.
Walk downhill, taking in the beauty of this lovely spot, which was once a densely populated and actively used area. Join a small road (980 m). Turn left onto the road and follow it for about a hundred metres. Pay attention to the signposts; the grass is tall.

(19) At the fork, turn right and head downhill along a small, very rough track.
Note: Look for and follow the red and yellow GRP®® signposts^.
At a fork (at around 895 m), turn right, heading steeply downwards towards Prats-de-Mollo-la-Preste, which you can see in the distance.

When you reach the houses, turn left, walking alongside them whilst staying in the forest. Join and follow the path you took on the way out 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 memorial trail commemorating the mass arrival of Republican soldiers and a large number of civilians; a total of 100,000 people fleeing Spain took this route.
The Canigó Circuit: A 9- to 10-day trek starting from Amélie-les-Bains, at altitudes ranging from 250m to 2,300m, covering a distance of 145km. Accessible almost all year round.
Tours and the Canigó Circuit
The Tour de Vallespir: A 6- or 7-day trek starting from Arles-sur-Tech, following part of the route of the Tour du Canigó and the Ronde du Canigó.
From (13) to (16). Magnificent scenery along the border ridge.

Hike completed once again by the author and a group on 13 June 2019. Set off at 9.05 am, arrived at 4.30 pm.