The former Salver Mining Site - Torre Corts from St-Michel de Cuxa

From Perpignan, take the N116 to Prades. Road signs indicate the Abbaye Saint-Michel de Cuxà as you approach Prades. Cross the railway line and head towards Taurinya via the D27 for 2.5 km. The road is wide, then narrows on a road bridge (elevation 425m). The car park is shortly afterwards on the right at the foot of the abbey.

On this route, the signposting is present and clear but uses several colours. Please pay attention to the route description.

Red and white markings

(S/E) From the Abbey car park, continue along the D27. There is little traffic, but take care. Walk on the wide, grassy verge on the left-hand side.
At the right-hand bend in the road, turn left and head straight on along a grassy track through beautiful orchards.

White and yellow + orange markings.

150m further on, turn right, continue right along a grassy track, with the hill on your left and the orchards on your right. Pass the small St. Peter’s Stele on your left. At the next fork, continue right along a track suitable for vehicles towards Coll Clarà.

(1) Walk alongside the road on the left for 10 m, crossing a road bridge over the Rec de Boera.
Ignore the track on the left leading to private pasture. Head straight ahead between the low wall on the left and the house on the right. Climb left up a stony path, crossing a small irrigation channel.
Join a track at the 563m mark and head left. Follow this track through numerous hairpin bends up to the pass.

Markings: White and Yellow + Yellow.

(2) Coll de Clara.
Caution: confusion possible due to the presence of 6 tracks of varying widths + 2 paths, with a multitude of markings in different colours, as well as signposts and directional signs.
“Keep away from the^GRP®® and the wide tracks on either side.”
Climb up the opposite side via a narrow, stony and steep track.
After a 40-metre climb, leave the track on the right which leads up to the relay masts. Continue the steep climb due south, towards Coll del Joal.

(3) You’ll reach an open, grassy area (1 March 2021).
Leave the grassy track on the right, and a path that descends steeply to the left towards Clara.
Continue for 30 m, then head due south, climbing towards Ras dels Cortalets (indicated on a wooden sign).
Leave the path on the right which descends into the forest towards (5).
This beautiful, steep but safe path climbs and offers stunning views as you emerge from the forest.

Red and white markings

(4) At the fork, turn right onto the new GRT83, now descending along another very beautiful, steep path. The landscape opens up, offering a fine view of the Conflent valley.

At the next fork, continue left, still on the GRT 83. Join a track and follow it to the left. Cross a bridge over the Còrrec del Salt de l’Aigua, turn due north, pass a car park and come out onto a small road.

(5) Turn sharply left onto this small road (a dead end) towards the El Passatge stopover lodge and holiday lodge (at altitude 639).
After the lodge, the road gives way to a track open to foot traffic but closed to motor vehicles.
This marks the start of the Salver Mining Site, which we will visit a little later on this walk. You will come to an old concrete hopper on your right. There is an information panel here.

Yellow and white markings

(6) Please note: turn left into the forest via a PR®®^path.
Let the GRT 83 continue uphill along the wide track.
This^PR®® is magnificent and climbs steadily through the forest.
After 300 m, turn left, heading north-east, continuing to climb along this path.
Clearing in the trees offers views of the beautiful Conflent forest landscape. The path turns south-west, continuing to climb. Follow this climb for about 700 m until you reach a fork at around 820 m.

No signposting

(7) Please note: turn left into the forest and continue uphill.
Leave the yellow and white markings on your right.
For the next 200 m, this path remains flat on a ledge, passing a spring with a white marker high up on the left at a trough, before turning due north.
You’ll reach a fork with damaged signposts. There’s a ruin here on your right. Continue straight ahead towards Coll de Milleres along a path that widens into a small track.

Red and yellow markings

(8) At Coll de Milleres, small boulders lie at the edge of the track. One of them contains iron-rich rock.
You’ll meet the^GRP®® Ronde du Canigó and a PR®^®.
Just before reaching the pass road, turn right and head downhill along the GRP®^®.
At the fork, continue to the right, still on the GRP®^®.

Yellow and white markings

(9) At this other fork, turn right. Leave the^GRP®® briefly.
Follow this^PR®® which curves sharply to the right for 300 m, then rejoin the GRP®^®.

Red and yellow markings.

- Information boards are located at the various sites and points of interest along the way.
Turn left twice, always following the^GRP®®. On this route, you will pass through a gate and walk past a mine entrance, where an old locomotive is on display. At the end of the track, climb a slope to reach the first mining site with a furnace. Continue climbing to reach the other, larger mining site.
''This relatively open spot is interesting and is perfect for a refreshing break.''
You must carry on. Climb steeply, still following the red and yellow markings of the GRP®^®.

Yellow and white markings

(10) After the steep climb, at a flat section, turn right onto a PR®® trail^.
Pass the remains of a chute. Look for the yellow and white markings on the brick wall.
Further on, let a path leading down into the forest pass to your right.
As you emerge from the forest, the path widens and descends rapidly towards a clear, open pasture with a beautiful view of the mountains in the distance.

(11) Turn almost at a right angle onto the^first wide, grassy path which descends to the right beneath an EDF power line. After about 100 m, you’ll reach a Y-shaped fence.
Ignore the path marked with a Yellow Cross and a White Cross that descends to the right.
So continue straight ahead, descending with the fence on your right.

Join the D27 road linking Taurinya to Fillols. There is a large EDF pylon at the side of the road on your left.
Turn right onto this quiet road, keeping to the left-hand verge due to the right-hand bend that follows.
Do take care, though.
After about 500 m, at an altitude of 691 metres, leave the road and turn left towards the tower, following a wide track. No signposting (1 March 2021).

After 150 m, at the fork in the tracks, continue to the right, passing close to an old developed spring.
A community work day enabled this spring to be restored and its water channelled to the small basin near the tower.

(12) This Torre de Corts (Tower of Corts) has been restored and now looks splendid. An information panel describes the work carried out.
After taking a few photos of the tower, continue along the^PR®®. This track descends and comes to a right-hand bend. There is a steel bench on the left-hand side (marked ‘Lluc’ on the IGN map), at around 560 m.

Off the marked trail

(13) Leave the yellow and white markings. Turn left onto a lovely balcony path.
After 100 m, the path heads due north across open ground, climbs briefly up a short steep slope, then reaches a fork in the path. Head straight ahead downhill.
About 150 m further on, you reach a crossroads in a hollow at elevation 533.

Yellow and white markings

Turn right onto the steep, descending path. You will come to a stone bridge.

(14) Cross the concrete bridge and continue straight ahead, rejoining the GRT83 and following the red and white + yellow and white + yellow markings on the left bank of the stream. Walk alongside an old concrete aqueduct on your left where the steel pipe has been removed.

You will come to another recent wooden footbridge with a few steps (and a ford). Cross it and continue to follow the numerous multicoloured markings. You will reach the abbey car park (S/E).

This is a mid-mountain area. So, as you would expect, you will need: rain gear, water, a packed lunch, a GPX track, route description, map, GPS or Visorando app, camera, good walking shoes, and a walking stick.
A filter or water purification tablets are recommended if collecting water during the grazing season.
Spring flowing on 1 March 2021 at Torre de Corts.

Please note: if in doubt or if you take a wrong turn, remember that the^GRP®®, GRT,^PR®® and signposts allow you to head down to Taurinya at any time.

Alternatives in case of difficulty:
From (2), you can descend to Taurinya via the^GRP®®, then turn right heading due north along the GRT83 towards the abbey.
From (5) or the lodge, you can head down to Taurinya, then to the abbey via the GRT83 heading due north.
From the Salver Mining Site, a^PR®® leads down to Taurinya, then left, heading due north via the GRT83 towards the abbey.

The GRT83 is a cross-border trail between France and Spain, running from Prades to the Col d’Ares above Prats-de-Mollo.
El Passatge stopover lodge and holiday lodge.
Salver Mining Site.
Community Day.
Torre de Corts.
Abbey of Saint-Michel de Cuxa (Abadia de Sant Miquel de Cuixà)

Hike undertaken by the author on 29 September 2019 and 1 March 2021.