Chapel of Our Lady of Life and caves

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What could be more surprising than visiting a chapel built by human hands, completely isolated on a seemingly impassable rock face, with a huge cave overlooking it, also equipped with an altar forming another chapel, this one natural and even larger than the previous one!
On the way up, there is a smaller cave. Both caves are completely safe. With a torch, you can explore them more fully...
From up there, you'll get a breathtaking view of the Têt Valley, the surrounding valleys and the Canigou.

Technical sheet

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 2.14 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 1h 35 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 331 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 331 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 782 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 451 m
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Photos

Our Lady of Life
Rotjà Valley and Pic du Canigou
The Canigou from the chapel
Chapel of Our Lady of Life

Description of the walk

The hike (or walk) takes place on the south-eastern side of the Mont Coronat limestone massif. Park in the small car park opposite the start.

(S/E) Start the hike at the oratory (Montjoie) on your left. Take a small path on the left through the copse.
Then just follow the path marked with thick white paint, which is very well maintained and winds along the mountainside. It's impossible to go wrong as there is only one path. The few false trails that deviate from the main trail are clearly marked by piles of stones, indicating that they are not the right way. After 15 minutes of climbing (approximately 800 m horizontally), with the mountainside on your right, you will reach a hairpin bend.

(1) Turn sharply right to continue climbing with the mountain on your left for about 10 minutes (400 m horizontally). You will reach the chapel esplanade.

(2) You can access the large cave above the chapel by taking the path that passes to the left of the chapel. You will first arrive at a beautiful viewpoint. Continue for a few minutes along a moderately difficult path to reach the entrance to this majestic cave.

(3) Begin the return journey by following the same path you took on the way there to return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 451 m - Parking is available along the road. - Têt (fleuve)
  2. 1 : km 0.75 - alt. 642 m - Turn right
  3. 2 : km 0.96 - alt. 687 m - Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Vie
  4. 3 : km 1.05 - alt. 725 m - Grande Grotte
  5. S/E : km 2.14 - alt. 451 m - Parking is available along the road. - Têt (fleuve)

Practical information

This hike is best done early in the morning in July and August, as the trail is completely sunny and it can get very, very hot.
Wear good sports shoes or light hiking boots.
There is no water during the climb or at the top, so bring your own supplies.
In case of bad weather during the hike, there is no real shelter until you reach the chapel (except for a small cave a third of the way up, but this is not very convenient if there are more than three of you).
However, the courtyard in front of the chapel is somewhat sheltered from the wind in the event of a heavy storm.
Above the chapel, the large cave can be used as a shelter if you have already reached this point.
With a bit of luck, you will find some volunteers working at the chapel. This was the case for me, and I was able to visit the entire chapel, including the part not open to the public, where the association members have lunch and where things are stored.
You can also choose to visit during the Assumption Mass (celebrated on 15 August or on a date close to this).

In the nearby area

The Little Cave
A third of the way up the hill is the first small cave to visit. It is a short passage ending in a cavity barely one square metre in size. With a little patience, you can reach the bottom without a torch, as your eyes gradually adjust to the darkness.

The zip line
Almost at the chapel, the most curious and technically minded visitors can take a look at the zip line and its combustion engine, which is used to transport building materials for work to improve the chapel and its surroundings.

(2) The Chapel.
This is the main attraction of the hike.
See its history and description at:
http://pyreneescatalanes.free.fr/Themati...

The Great Cave (3)
This is the most unique feature of this route. This large rock fracture offers a wide space that is almost entirely dry. The view of the Têt valley and Fuilla is breathtaking!

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 23 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.1 / 5
Clarity of route map
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
Lorène T
Lorène T
• Last modified:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Oct 20, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

Park at the side of the road when your GPS indicates that you have arrived at the hiking trailhead. You will see the trailhead for the Notre-Dame-de-Vie chapel in front of you. You will have a beautiful view of the chapel, which is also very pretty. After the chapel, if you continue for another 5 minutes, you will see an incredible view from a cave. Moderately difficult, but well worth the effort!

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Parazoom
Parazoom
• Last modified:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

Very beautiful hike,

We did it as a family with a child. After reading the reviews, we decided to start from the car park in Villefranche-de-Confent, which gave us the opportunity to visit the town and the fort at the same time.

The view from the cave is simply magnificent.

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Mariadelmar
Mariadelmar
• Last modified:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 01, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Very beautiful hike.
It took me about an hour to climb up. It's very steep, so perhaps not suitable for young children.

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titi670
titi670
• Last modified:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Oct 08, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Very beautiful hike. Very beautiful view from the top.

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patchole33
patchole33
• Last modified:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Feb 06, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Superb hike, but as mentioned above: do not park at the campsite, it is far too dangerous, there is no space on foot and it is suicide. Park in the dirt car park at the hydroelectric power station, with the oratory opposite marking the start of the hike. If you park correctly, you will not be fined.
The view over the Rotja valley and Mount Canigou is splendid. The route is quite busy as it is a Way of the Cross, and you get there quite quickly even though the start is steep (you reach the chapel in 30 minutes). Access to the cave is then very quick (barely 5 minutes) but challenging, and you need to be careful, although it's nothing crazy.
I recommend this route, but for the sake of everyone, the starting point really needs to be changed...

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huguette
huguette
• Last modified:

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 23, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

No need to park at the campsite, which is too dangerous to get to the starting point.
Park near the railway line.
We looked for the starting point of this hike.
It's just to the left of the oratory.

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GIULIO66
GIULIO66
• Last modified:

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of walk : Nov 10, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Clarity of route map : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

The initial advice for this hike is to be avoided. Parking at the campsite is a terrible idea and forces you to drive along this national road, which is deadly in terms of traffic!
Simply park in the car park opposite the oratory after the railway line.

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flavienh@hotmail.com
flavienh@hotmail.com
• Last modified:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Oct 06, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A pleasant short walk with beautiful views of the Rotjà valley.

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alrie
alrie
• Last modified:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 07, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very beautiful short hike with a lovely view of the valley.

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paddington59
paddington59
• Last modified:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 26, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Please note that parking in front of the oratory is strictly prohibited. We parked at the Saint André bridge on the way out of Villefranche before the bridge and therefore the railway line, skipping step 1.

Tip:
- Leave early or late in the afternoon as the route is in the sun.
- The oratory is not easy to find. It is on your right as you leave Villefranche after the railway line, opposite the no parking zone near the gatekeeper's house.

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frederique.gillen
frederique.gillen
• Last modified:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 25, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

The departure point was really difficult to find.

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antun004
antun004
• Last modified:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Jul 05, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

On leaving the pretty fortified town of Villefranche de Conflent, just after the bridge over the Têt river on the N116, a small oratory on the right marks the start of this walk.
Parking is available on the side of the road opposite. The climb is quite steep and the path is completely exposed to the sun, so it is advisable to do this hike in the morning or on a day when it is not too sunny or hot.
The chapel is on the mountainside, isolated with a sanctuary for the cross of Christ.
Above the chapel, going around it on the left, climb up to a huge cave where, according to local residents, a hermit lived for several years. The path is steeper but secured by a metal chain fixed to the wall. The cave is impressive for its size and its interior layout, which consists of cairns.
The panoramic view of the valley is breathtaking and offers the opportunity to take some stunning photos.
Bring water and provisions (there is nothing on this hike).

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fnaylife
fnaylife
• Last modified:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : May 15, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A magnificent hike offering sublime panoramic views.

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Laboise
Laboise
• Last modified:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : May 04, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A magnificent view!!! The climb to the chapel is fairly easy, just take a little time to find the oratory :-)

Thanks for this tour!

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gobelin
gobelin
• Last modified:

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of walk : Oct 22, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

What's the point of walking along the N116? Apart from getting run over by a car! The oratory is difficult to find. It would have been better to signpost it from Villefranche de Conflent: just as you leave the village, on the side of the road, immediately on the right. It's small, so be careful not to miss it. There is indeed parking on the other side of the road.

Otherwise, it's a lovely walk and the cave is particularly worth seeing. Thank you.

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Walking Lamanère to Notre Dame du Coral

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