The Hermitage of Notre-Dame de Pène

de fr

A short climb on a rocky trail leads to an old hermitage in a superb setting with a beautiful view from the top.

Details

n°2847899
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 1.42 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 0h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 99 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 99 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 150 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 51 m
Downloads
Open in the mobile app
Download GPX GPX
Download PDF PDF

Photos

Panoramic view from the hermitage
Panoramic view from the hermitage
The hermitage
Oratory

Description of the walk

Departure from the small car park at Notre-Dame de Pène, the entrance to which is located outside a bend in the D117, just south of the village of Cases-de-Pène.

Yellow markings
The trail is marked with small white crosses.

(S/E) From the car park, return to the D117 and find the start of the hermitage trail on the right (rock bearing a plaque "Notre-Dame de Penya"). Follow the trail as it winds upwards and passes afirst oratory. Pass asecond oratory and cross the rocky path bordered by a low wall, with the hermitage clearly visible above.

(1) At an intersection (signpost), turn right towards the hermitage. Follow a few switchbacks and you will easily reach the hermitage, with an oratory on the right and a staircase on the left leading to the entrance of the church.

(2) The descent is via the same path to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 51 m - Notre-Dame de Pène car park
  2. 1 : km 0.44 - alt. 117 m - Intersection
  3. 2 : km 0.71 - alt. 150 m - Hermitage of Notre-Dame de Pène
  4. S/E : km 1.42 - alt. 51 m - Notre-Dame de Pène car park

Notes

At the very least, good sports shoes are necessary for this hike on a rocky trail.

No water sources were identified along the route.

Useful map (at least the one accompanying this description).

Hike completed by the author on 31 December 2019.

Worth a visit

The route is pleasant, in a rocky setting dotted with numerous plants typical of dry environments: agaves, prickly pears and other cacti. There are a few oratories along the route.

The hermitage is the destination of the hike. It offers a beautiful view of the Agly valley and the Tower of Tautavel.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 7 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.9 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
User 24068834

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 20, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

The car park for the start is not easy to find. It is best to arrive from Estagel to be on the right side of the road. It is difficult to see just AFTER the disused factory.
The site is very pretty and easy to access, and opens onto lots of other paths

Machine-translated

Roms66
Roms66

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 21, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very pleasant hike, fairly easy.
Beautiful view of Cases-de-Pène

Machine-translated

Emeline66
Emeline66

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Great route, easy to find and follow. I did it with my dog, and we both loved it! Rocky paths, gentle slopes, cacti and aloe blooming along the way. The scenery is really lovely.
The round trip took 35 minutes with a break at the chapel and a normal walking pace.

Machine-translated

Elo79
Elo79

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 30, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Not many people out on this Wednesday afternoon during the All Saints' Day holidays. A lovely walk that quickly leads to the summit (the hermitage was closed during our visit). Accessible to all. It's a steep climb but not very long. You quickly get a beautiful view of the plain and the sea. You'll be at the top in about twenty minutes.

Machine-translated

Famb
Famb

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 11, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant, easy walk that isn't too long. Beautiful views of Corbières, the plains and the sea.
Great for a half-day outing.

Machine-translated

natur66
natur66

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 07, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A short but very beautiful route. Suitable for families. The hermitage caretaker is very friendly.

Machine-translated

ChrisDesno
ChrisDesno

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 20, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

In terms of hiking, it was more of a stroll, as the route from the car park to the hermitage was so quick! Nevertheless, it was a real change of scenery and allowed me to discover other, longer hikes in the same area, which I will do at a later date.

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

Walking Roc Rodon

Visorando member
Roc Rodon
↔15.23 km ↗+501 m ↘-500 m ◔5h 45 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Cases-de-Pène (Pyrénées-Orientales)
A climb to Roc Rodon which, despite its modest altitude, offers exceptional views of the Pyrenees and the Corbières. After passing the Hermitage of Notre-Dame de Pène, a long ridge walk leads to the village of Calce. The route continues through the vineyards, leading to the Chapel of Sainte-Catherine before climbing back up to the ridge and returning to the starting point via a balcony path overlooking the Agly valley. A very varied and exotic route on the outskirts of Perpignan.

Walking The Tautavel Tower

Visorando member
La Tour de Tautavel
↔8.13 km ↗+474 m ↘-475 m ◔3h 40 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Cases-de-Pène (Pyrénées-Orientales)
This is an alternative way to the Tour de Tautavel from Cases-de-Pène. Advantage: sheltered from the tramontana wind. Disadvantage: sunny in summer.

Walking Around Tautavel

Visorando member
Autour de Tautavel
↔7.72 km ↗+164 m ↘-167 m ◔2h 40 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Tautavel (Pyrénées-Orientales)
A getaway to the Catalan Corbières region, where you can discover Tautavel and its interesting heritage.

Walking The Tour del Far

Visorando member
La Tour del Far
↔5.69 km ↗+390 m ↘-390 m ◔2h 45 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Tautavel (Pyrénées-Orientales)
A round trip to the Catalan Corbières region will take you to the Tour del Far, where you can enjoy a magnificent 360° panorama. Thishike is strongly discouraged in high winds.

Walking La Serre de Vingrau

Visorando member
La Serre de Vingrau
↔16.29 km ↗+536 m ↘-536 m ◔6h 10 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Vingrau (Pyrénées-Orientales)
This is a fairly challenging route to reach the peaks of the iconic Vingrau mountain, a climber's paradise and world-famous site. After an easy approach walk to Trauc del Cavall, the rest of the hike involves a radical change of terrain that requires caution and endurance. However, the magnificent views to the east and west are well worth the effort.

Walking Mas Llençó - Trauc del Cavall - La Serra from Vingrau

Visorando member
Mas Llençó - Trauc del Cavall - La Serra depuis Vingrau
↔15.09 km ↗+540 m ↘-536 m ◔5h 50 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Vingrau (Pyrénées-Orientales)
From the village of Vingrau, pass through the cliffs via the Trou (passage) du Cheval. From this point, it is essential to follow the very good recent markings and the numerous cairns, staying below the ridge without descending. The path below the Serra ridge is difficult: you will sometimes need to use your hands. It consists of constant ascents and descents. However, there is no danger (no drop). This section is not recommended in strong winds. There is an alternative route that avoids this ridge: see practical information.There are many viewpoints and panoramic views, including Canigó, various mountain ranges and the Mediterranean Sea.

Walking Vingrau - Circular around the Serra

Visorando member
Vingrau - Boucle autour de la Serra
↔8.44 km ↗+443 m ↘-445 m ◔3h 40 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Vingrau (Pyrénées-Orientales)
A superb landscape with views of the Corbières and Roussillon. Best done when there is no wind. This is a circular route of 4 hours and the route is easy. There are a few steep sections. It is limestone rock from start to finish, so good footwear is recommended. From here, you can see Aguilar Castle, Opoul Castle, Canigou, the sea, the Corbières and Roussillon!

Walking Força Réal Hermitage from Corneilla-la-Rivière

Visorando member
Ermitage Força Réal depuis Corneilla-la-Rivière
↔17.24 km ↗+471 m ↘-471 m ◔6h 15 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Corneilla-la-Rivière (Pyrénées-Orientales)
You will cross dirt tracks and a few tarmaced sections, through vineyards, heath and olive groves... which will take you to Castell de Força Réal, at an altitude of 507 m... No particular difficulty apart from the climb up the north face to the observation post. Once at the top, enjoy a picnic and discover the breathtaking view of the Canigou massif and the Têt valley... You can even see the sea on a clear day. Return via some very pleasant paths...

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.