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In Banyuls-sur-Mer, follow the D 914 towards Cerbère. About 2 km further on, make sure you don’t miss the narrow tarmac road on the left leading to the sewage treatment plant – it is not signposted. However, an old wooden sign bearing the words “sentier littoral” indicates that you’re on the right track. Park in the car park, which can accommodate five to six vehicles, situated next to the barrier blocking access to the treatment works.
Yellow PR® markings
(S/E) Head towards the signpost indicating the coastal path. The slope becomes steep and a few steps help you negotiate it before reaching the bottom of a small hollow with a tiny stream on your left. Continue straight ahead, ignoring the level track branching off to the left, and climb up to a wooden post bearing the signpost.
Veer slightly to the right to cross another hollow, and once you reach a very large cairn, turn sharply right uphill and continue to the junction with a cross-country track.
(1) Turn left, then keep to the right at the next two junctions to get closer to the cliffs. The track, which becomes a path, heads south and leads to the small Taillelauque beach. Then turn right onto a track suitable for vehicles and follow it for a good hundred metres.
(2) Turn left onto the coastal path, the start of which is marked by a signpost. Further on, join the D 914 and follow it for a few metres until you reach a car park.
(3) Turn left to cross the car park, then, once at the far end, follow the path to the right. This path runs alongside a tarmac road before veering left back towards the cliffs. Turn right at the next junction, avoiding Cap Rederis, and continue to the beautiful Peyrefite Beach. Walk along the upper part of the beach, heading for the clearly visible signpost at its southern end.
(4) Return to the coastal path, ignore a path branching off to the right further on, and after a few steps you’ll reach the fence of the heliomarine centre. Turn left to walk alongside it and go round the centre until you reach a crossroads.
No signposting
(5) Temporarily leave the signposted route by turning left. When you reach a fork shortly after a tiny cove, veer left to stay as close as possible to the coast; you’ll soon emerge onto a wide track where you’ll rejoin the signposted route.
Yellow PR® signposting
Follow this track to the left to quickly reach a campsite. Do not enter the campsite, but turn left and then immediately right to walk along the fence. Once you reach the Aloès holiday village, walk alongside it for about thirty metres.
(6) Turn left onto the path, which winds up and down like a rollercoaster before coming out onto the D 914 just after crossing over the railway line.
No signposting
(7) Cross carefully at the pedestrian crossing and go up the steps opposite leading to Impasse Canadeils. Turn right, then take the first left and the first right in turn onto Rue du Mas Nadal.
(8) Take care not to miss the staircase on the left which leads up to a small square. Go straight on, turn left, then left again into Rue Paul Cézanne.
Yellow PR® signposts
(9) Turn right uphill onto Rue Raoul Dufy. At the end of the street, the tarmac gives way to a concrete track which quickly becomes stony. Continue to the junction with a track suitable for vehicles (water tank no. 323).
(10) Cross this track and take the narrow path opposite, heading towards Puig Joan, signposted as a 45-minute walk. This is followed by the most gruelling part of the walk: a steep climb where you’ll need to stop occasionally to catch your breath and rest your legs.
Once on the ridge at a paragliding launch site, veer left and continue along the path leading to a junction with a track near a moving memorial to a firefighter who died in the line of duty.
(11) Turn left uphill and follow the track to the large electricity pylon, at the foot of which there is a signpost.
(12) Ignore the path on the right – which you’ll take on the way down – and continue along the track, leaving it on the left to take a path that serves as a shortcut and leads to the summit of Puig Joan.
(13) Enjoy the exceptional 360° panoramic view. Head back down to the pylon.
(12) Turn left onto the narrow path that descends the northern shoulder of Puig Joan. Reach the Coll de la Creu.
No signposting – a few cairns
(14) Ignore the yellow markings to the left and head up the opposite slope along a well-marked path that follows the ridge. After a very steep descent – where you’ll need to be careful as you may be tired by the end of the walk – the path reaches a tarmac road at Coll de Gran Bau.
(15) Turn immediately left onto a wide track and, further on, ignore the first turn-off to the right. Take the next turn, pass a house and you’ll reach a junction. Turn left and, after two hairpin bends, turn right onto the narrow tarmac road leading to the first houses in Banyuls-sur-Mer. Continue straight on along Rue du Séris until you reach a four-way junction.
(16) Turn right onto Rue Édouard Chatton and, at the right-hand bend, keep left onto a stony track, then carry on straight ahead along the tarmac road that descends to the D 914.
(17) Cross carefully at the pedestrian crossing, then turn right along the road, where you’ll be protected by a low concrete wall. Further down, the path joins a wider track, where you turn right, leaving the access to Plage du Troc on your left.
Continue along this track, which soon leads to the sewage treatment plant (S/E).
Visorando Member
Very difficult 
Moderate 
