From Lastourg to the Jando Canal

The hike (or walk) takes place on the south-eastern side of the Mont Coronat limestone massif, starting from the Mas de Lastourg campsite.

(S/E) Start in front of the road leading to the campsite and the SHEM hydroelectric station.

On the N116, cross and continue straight ahead on the service road marked "Interdit sauf riverains" (no entry except for residents) (for cars).
Immediately turn left and continue along the service road for 800 m, slightly uphill (+40 m). Pass an old renovated shepherd's hut with a very pretty garden on your right, cross a bridge over the small Ravin des Horts/Correc dels Horts river (often dry), cross a fairly large parking area (former gravel storage area for the road department?), then continue along the track (often completely overgrown with weeds). Cross a passage marked "Attention passage à gué" (caution: ford). At the end of this path, there is a road barrier, like a car park entrance or toll booth. You need to go back about 30 metres.

(1) Leave the path and head up the embankment at a 90° angle to the road, towards a small oratory. The climb is short but difficult.

(2) You will quickly reach the first terraces. Continue to the oratory. Go around the oratory and head towards a large shepherd's house, clearly visible 100 metres higher up. The climb is quite steep, through old terraces, with no signposts or path. However, the house is visible throughout the mini-climb.

(3) When you reach the house, turn left onto a path leading from this shepherd's house to the neighbouring farm of La Guardia, 700 m away. Along the path, on the right, you will find the old Jando irrigation canal (sometimes marked "Rec Nou" = "new irrigation canal" in Catalan), which is sometimes clearly visible, sometimes completely hidden by vegetation or filled with earth.

(4) Leave the canal and head towards La Guardia. The gates to the farm property are at the end of the circuit to the west.

(5) Turn back.

(4) Follow the canal again.

(3) Pass behind the shepherd's house, without turning right, and continue to follow the old canal (rather than the path shown on the map, which is completely abandoned). The canal joins the dry riverbed of the Ravin des Rocs Llisos/Torrent dels Horts (which flows into the Têt a little further down).

(6) This passage is quite difficult to cross, as the canal is broken and has probably been out of service for decades; you will need to do a little non-dangerous downclimbing over a 2-metre drop. The canal then resumes its winding course with very steep passages and counter-escarp walls over a length of 500 metres. However, this is not dangerous, even for children.

(7) The canal then joins a new river, the Ravin des Horts/Correc dels Horts. You have to retrace your steps for 30 metres. Then leave the canal and descend to the right through the undergrowth to rejoin the service road taken at the start of the hike, leaving the peak at 573 metres (IGN map elevation) on your left, the Kerlong. After crossing terraces planted with young cork oaks, join the path below, about 60 metres before the bridge over the Ravin des Horts/Correc dels Horts river, which you crossed earlier.
Back on the service road, simply follow the road in the opposite direction until you reach the campsite (S/E).

Do not expect a wide, well-marked trail. The trail is narrow or almost non-existent. It is cluttered with vegetation, rocks that have fallen from the cliffs, and - very important - there are no lakes, passes or peaks with breathtaking views, just landscapes with the wonderful scents of the Mediterranean and the ruined remains of a heritage that our ancestors built with patience and maintained with tenacity. Nostalgia for a bygone era, difficult and close to nature, is the only motivation and interest for this hike. Only go if that's what attracts you!

It is best to set off very early in the morning to avoid the noise of the RN116 road.
Wear good sports shoes or light hiking boots and clothing that covers your legs and arms, as there is a lot of vegetation (including thorny plants).
There is no drinking water along the route, so bring your own supplies.
In case of bad weather during the hike, you can take shelter either at the first shepherd's house (on the terrace or inside if it is open, or at the back of the property, where there is a small outbuilding without a door), or at the second shepherd's house. After that, there is no further shelter.

You can see the interior and exterior design of the shepherds' houses, the ingenuity of our ancestors who designed and built the irrigation channels throughout the region, and of course the beauty of the surrounding landscape!
For campers at the Mas de Lastourg campsite, we keep an eye on the pitches practically throughout the entire hike!