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

From Perpignan, take the N116 to Prades. Road signs indicate the Abbey of 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 425). The car park is shortly after on the right at the foot of the abbey.

On this route, the markings are present and correct but in several colours. Pay attention to the description.

Red and white markings

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

White and yellow + orange markings.

After 150 metres, turn right and continue on the grassy track, with the hill on your left and the orchards on your right. Pass the small Stèle Sant Pere on your left. At the next fork, continue right on a track towards Coll Clarà.

(1) Walk along the left-hand side of the road for 10 metres, crossing a road bridge over the Rec de Boera.
Leave the track on the left that leads to a private pasture. Head opposite between the low wall on the left and the house on the right. Climb left up a stony path, crossing a small irrigation canal.
Join a track at an altitude of 563 metres and turn left. Follow this track through numerous hairpin bends to the pass.

White and yellow + yellow markings.

(2) Coll de Clara.
Caution: confusion is possible due to the presence of six ± wide tracks + two paths, with a multitude of markings in different colours, signposts and directional signs.
Leave the^GRP® and wide tracks on either side.
Climb up opposite via a narrow, stony and steep track.
After 40 m of climbing, leave the track on the right that goes up to the relay antennas. Continue the steep climb southwards towards Coll del Joal.

(3) You will arrive at a clear grassy area (1 March 2021).
Leave the grassy track on your right and a path that descends steeply to the left towards Clara.
Continue for 30 metres, then head south, climbing towards Ras dels Cortalets (marked on a wooden sign).
Leave the path on the right that descends into the forest towards (5).
This beautiful, steep but safe path climbs upwards and offers beautiful views as you leave the forest.

Red and white markings

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

At the next fork, continue left, still on the GRT 83. Join a track suitable for vehicles and follow it to the left. Cross a bridge over the Còrrec del Salt de l'Aigua, turn north and pass a car park, then you will come to a small road.

(5) Turn left onto this small road (dead end) towards the El Passatge stopover lodge (at altitude 639).
After the lodge, the road gives way to a track that is closed to motor vehicles.
This is the start of the Salver Mining Site, which we will visit a little later during this hike. 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^®.
Leave the GRT 83 to continue uphill along the wide track.
This^PR® is magnificent and climbs steadily through the forest.
After 300 m, turn left, north-east, continuing uphill along this path.
Gaps in the trees allow you to enjoy the beautiful landscape of the Conflent forests. The path turns south-west, still climbing. Continue climbing for about 700 m until you reach a fork at around 820 m.

No markings

(7) Please note: turn left into the forest and continue climbing.
Leave the yellow and white markings on your right.
After 200 metres, this path remains flat, passing a spring with a white marker on the left at the level of a valley, before turning north.
You will come to a fork with damaged signposts. There is a ruin on the right-hand side at this point. Continue straight ahead towards Coll de Milleres along a path that widens to become a small track.

Red and yellow markings

(8) At Coll de Milleres, there are small boulders at the edge of the track. One of them contains iron-rich rock.
Meeting point with the^GRP® Ronde du Canigó and a PR^®.
Just before reaching the pass road, turn right downhill onto 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® for a moment.
Follow this^PR® trail, which curves sharply to the right for 300 metres, then rejoin the GRP^®.

Red and yellow markings.

- Information panels are provided at various sites and places of interest along the route.
Turn left twice, still following the^GRP®. On this path, you will cross a barrier and pass a mine entrance with an old locomotive. 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 area is interesting and is the perfect place to take a break.
Continue onward. Climb steeply, following the red and yellow GRP® markings^.

Yellow and white markings

(10) After the steep climb, at a flat section, turn right onto a PR^®.
Pass the remains of a chute. Look for the yellow and white markings on the brick wall.
Further on, ignore a path on the right that descends into the forest.
At the edge of the forest, the path widens and descends rapidly towards a clear grazing area with a beautiful view of the mountains in the distance.

(11) Turn almost at a right angle onto the^first wide, grassy path that descends to the right under an EDF power line. After about 100 m, you will come to a Y-shaped fence.
Ignore the path marked with a yellow and white cross that descends to the right.
Continue straight ahead, descending with the fence on your right.

Join the D27 road that connects Taurinya to Fillols. There is a large EDF pole on the left-hand side of the road.
Turn right onto this quiet road on the left-hand side due to the right-hand bend that follows.
Be careful nonetheless.
After about 500 m, at an altitude of 691, leave the road and turn left towards the tower, still on a wide track. No signage (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 made it possible to restore water to this spring and bring it to the small basin near the tower.

(12) This Torre de Corts (Corts Tower) has been restored and now looks impressive. An information panel describes the work that has been done.
After taking a few photos of the tower, continue on the^PR®. This track descends and arrives at a right-hand bend. There is a steel bench on the left-hand side (Lluc indicated on the IGN map), at around 560 m.

Off the trail

(13) Leave the yellow and white markings. Turn left onto a pretty balcony path.
After 100 m, the path heads north into open terrain and climbs steeply for a short distance before reaching a fork in the path. Head downhill straight ahead.
After about 150 m, you will reach a crossroads in a hollow at an elevation of 533 m.

Yellow and white markings

Turn right onto the steep path that descends. You will come to a stone bridge.

(14) Cross the concrete bridge and continue straight ahead, rejoining the GRT83 and 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 dismantled.

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 come to the abbey car park (S/E).

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

Please note: if you are unsure or make a mistake on the route, remember that you can always follow the^GRP®, GRT,^PR® and signposts to descend to Taurinya at any time.

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

GRT83 cross-border France-Spain from Prades to the Col d'Ares above Prats-de-Mollo.
El Passatge stopover lodge and holiday cottage.
Salver Mining Site.
Citizens' Day.
Torre de Corts.
Abbey of Saint-Michel de Cuxa (Abadia de Sant Miquel de Cuixà)

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