Coll de Paracolls via little-known paths

On leaving Amélie-les-Bains coming from Perpignan on the D115, turn left towards Montalbà. After 1.7 km, park in a clear area at an altitude of 328.
Be careful not to block any property exits. ¹

(S/E) Head east towards the Santa Engràcia Chapel. The path climbs towards the road and ends with concrete steps.

(1) Continue left along the road, climbing for 150 m. Look for a path on the right that climbs steeply.
Turn right and climb this path parallel to the road. It then turns south. On the right, at an EDF pylon, you can admire the magnificent landscape on your way back.

(2) At the fork, turn left and climb. The path turns south, then north in a wide bend, leading to a fork with a track.

Turn right uphill onto a wide path, leaving the track on your left. The path quickly turns south-east, climbing into the forest. Continue for about a hundred metres until you reach a right-hand bend in the wide path.

(3) Look for a wooden sign high up on a tree on the left with the inscription: La Croix chemin direct (difficult).
Turn left and then immediately right along the ridge through the forest, climbing very steeply.
You will come to a large white wooden cross where there are some facilities (bench, mineral table). Continue on and you will come to a fork in a good path.

(4) Turn left towards the Santa Engràcia Chapel, passing the Còrrec Fosc, which is often dry. You will arrive at a large, beautiful, open and well-maintained area. Turn left and descend. There are numerous information panels.

(5) Santa Engràcia Chapel. A beautiful building in perfect condition, which is open to visitors. The site has been developed, with a few picnic tables in the forest. It is also a lovely place to take a break. Go around the chapel, keeping to the left.
You now need to find a path to the right behind it, passing in front of a casot (a small hut in the Pyrénées-Orientales) closed with a chain.
There are recent directional signs. Follow the signs for Montalbà.

Caution: do not take the shortcut on the left, which descends very steeply to the south-east.
The path to follow heads due south and then curves to the left, remaining at the same level. Cross the Còrrec del Clot del Truc, which is often dry, for the first time. Leave a path that branches off to the right towards the spring.
The path now descends rapidly and crosses the Còrrec again. Join a good path and turn right, continuing downhill. Ignore a shortcut on the left that climbs steeply. Continue downhill.
Cross the Còrrec one last time. You will arrive in an open area.

(6) At the fork, turn right towards the ruined Mas Mascarat. Leave the path on your left that descends towards the road (towards Amélie-les-Bains).
The path goes around the ruins of the farmhouse on your left and descends. Cross the Còrrec de can Mascarat. The path continues along the hillside for 400 m after the Còrrec.

(7) At the fork (a very small clearing), turn right and climb steeply into the forest, towards Mas Pagris and the Paracolls pass.
Please note: it is essential to follow the fairly frequent yellow markings consisting of large lines or dots.
The path is well marked and there are also cairns. You must stay on this path at all times.
The route to follow until you reach the^GR®10(Coll de Paracolls) is not shown on any map.

(8) There are two successive forks. At the first, go straight ahead, climbing towards Coll Paracolls. There are old directional signs there. Very quickly, at the second fork, go straight ahead. Leave Mas Pagris on your left. Continue climbing along the well-marked path.
Please note: further on, when you reach Còrrec, follow the old yellow markings, which are clearly visible.

After Còrrec (around 855 m), the path branches off to the left, heading south and continuing to climb.
You will arrive at an open area (around 900 m). The path then turns right, south-west, remaining flat on the 900 m contour line for about 120 m. You will arrive at another open area.

(9) Leave a good path on your right that heads flat towards the rocks. Now descend, heading southwest, still following the old yellow markings, which are clearly visible.
The path then turns due west (at around 870 m) and climbs back up towards the clearly visible gap in the pass.
Join the^GR®10and turn right for 30 metres to reach Coll de Paracolls.

(10) A very beautiful spot for a lunch break. The view is unobstructed. Roc de Sant Salvador is clearly visible to the south-east. From this pass: the^GR®10, a^GRP®, a^PR® and the climb to Piló de Belmaig.
The route to follow, which is not shown on the IGN map, is shown on OSM.
Head right, towards the north-east, along a path that climbs steeply through the forest.
Note: this path is the ridge route of the Belmaig trail. White or red markings, numerous cairns and a wide orange tape circle the trees (October 2019). Arrive in the open area at the highest point of this ridge (altitude 981).

(11) A very beautiful, open spot. At the bottom of the valley, you can see Moli de la Paletta, and higher up, the hamlet of Montalbà d'Amélie. Turning southwest, you can easily imagine the steep climb to Piló de Belmaig.
Then continue downhill, heading due north, along a well-marked path.

(12) At the fork, turn right onto the^PR®, marked in yellow. Continue down this good path.

(13) Fork in the road. Old signs. Turn right and head uphill towards the Santa Engràcia Battery.
This is also a beautiful spot with excellent views. A 360° panorama allows you to get your bearings in this densely wooded mountain. Only the impressive foundations of the building remain. A metal Catalan/French flag flies high above this vantage point. Imagine that cannons were once mounted here.
Then turn back to the previous fork.

(13) There are two options depending on how much energy you have left:
- Continue straight ahead to shorten the hike.
- Or climb to the right to go to the Santa Engràcia battery. A very beautiful path leads there and it is a very beautiful spot with a 360° view.

(14) Descend back to the previous fork.

(13) Continue right along this beautiful wide path downhill that led to the battery. Further down, you will come to a fork you already passed on the way up.

At the two junctions (one on the left, one on the right) very close to each other, continue straight ahead and you will come to a junction you passed on the way up.

(3) Continue straight ahead, in the opposite direction to the outward journey, and you will come to a fork in the road, which you also passed on the way out.

(2) Continue completely to the left along a wide path. Descend, leaving a path on your left, and rejoin the road.

(1) Cross it, find the concrete steps and return via the same route to the (S/E).

The GPX track is essential, as much of the route is unmarked.
If in doubt, from (7) you should know when to turn back.
- Either turn back.
- Or head towards Can Riubanys, Montalbà. After a short descent, you will reach the D53b road. Follow it to the left. At the junction of two roads, at altitude 393, rejoin the D53 road and follow it to the left. At the junction of a track on the left, at altitude 413, follow it to the left (^PR®) and rejoin the (3).

If parking is not possible, you can park a little further up near an EDF pylon.

Please note: it is essential to follow the fairly frequent yellow markings. The path is well marked and there are also cairns between (7), (8) and (10). The trail is not marked on any map.

There is spring water at the chapel, but you will need disinfectant tablets or a filter bottle.

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

Hike completed on 3 March 2019.

Amélie-les-Bains