Puigmal d’Err – de Petit Sègre – de Llo – de Coma Dolça – Les Planes Mountain Hut

Coming from Perpignan or Mont-Louis, continue along the N116 towards Bourg-Madame. Pass Err on your left and, before Sainte-Léocadie, turn left onto the D89 towards the Err-Puigmal ski resort until you reach a barrier. There is a large car park before this new barrier (2022). The old car park is off-limits. A cycle path (closed to all motorised vehicles) has been tarmacked as far as Jassa del Prat de Tossa.

Scatteredyellow markings and wooden trail posts indicating the elevation gain achieved.

(S/E) Go through the barrier and continue along the tarmac road, heading south-east. Once past the old car park, the road becomes a tarmac cycle path. Follow it to the sharp right-hand bend.

(1) At this bend, carry on straight ahead, leaving the drinking water building on your right. Follow the Ribera d’Err along a steep, non-vehicular track. Continue to the end of the track and join another track.

(2) Turn right onto this track and follow it for about a hundred metres, then look out for the start of a path on the left, marked with a yellow sign at elevation 2217.

(3) Head left up this very steep path, which turns due east. Given the very steep gradient, don’t hesitate to take breaks and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Pass the ruins of an old hut, then turn south-east and, much higher up, reach a very clearly marked fork at an elevation of 2637.

(4) Continue due east, climbing steeply over the rocky path. You’ll reach a sort of pass at the border ridge at around 2,850 m.

(5) Carry on to the left, heading north-east. Note, in the distance, the crosses marking the summit of Puigmal d’Err. Head towards the summit.

Helpful signposting: wooden trail posts.

(6) Take care: many paths lead off from this summit. Descend due north along one of the paths and continue down the border ridge along a very good path which leads to a rocky area and then to a sort of pass at an elevation of 2,809 metres. Magnificent scenery throughout the descent.

(7) Turn left, heading due west, through rocky terrain to reach the Col du Puigmal Petit de Segre at around 2,807 m.

(8) Ignore the descent to the left which leads back to the car park. This is an alternative route if necessary.
Continue due west, climbing up to the Puigmal de Petit de Segre at an elevation of 2,801 metres.

(9) Stunning panoramic views and a lovely spot for a lunch break.
Continue along the ridge, descending slightly towards Puigmal de Llo. Follow the well-marked path, which turns south-west at a faint fork in the path, up to an altitude of 2,705 m.

(10) Please note: change of direction.
Head due north-west; there is no clearly marked path on the ground. A wooden trail marker was still in place on 13 October 2022. Continue down the grassy, stony ridge and pass Puig de Coma Dolça at an elevation of 2,587 metres. Reach the junction of the grassy ridges at around 2,525 metres.

(11) Then veer slightly to the right, north-north-west, still following the descending ridge. Pass a large cairn and then, much lower down at around 2,310 m, join a good path that is very clearly marked on the ground; this is supposed to be the GRT73 but is not signposted.

(12) Follow this lovely Cami de Nuria to the left, marked as the GRT73 on the IGN map. Reach the Coll de Segalera at around 2,185 m.
Please note: change of direction. Head west, still following the clear path marked on the ground, and reach a clearly marked junction after turning due south.

No signposting. Traces of a blue mark on a stone at the start. End of the trail’s wooden posts.

(13) Leave the GRT73 on your right and continue due south along a very beautiful balcony path. Pass the Collet dels Vaquers, then finally cross the Rec de la Mata, turning due west for about 100 m.

(14) Please note: at around 2,030 m, there is a change of direction; the IGN route is inaccurate at this junction.
Head south-west, passing by a magnificent wooden hut. It is essential to follow the GPX track using a GPS device or the app. The numerous paths in the area can be confusing. Stay almost level throughout, heading generally south-south-east.

(15) At around 1,915 m, the path descends steeply and rapidly into a clearing and turns south. Head for the Refuge Pastoral des Planes.
Note: there are blue directional markers which we did not notice during the descent.

(16) Cross the wooden footbridge, continue along the north-west-bound track and reach the D89 road.

(17) Turn left onto this road and head for the car park at the foot of the chairlift (S/E).

Your sat-nav will no doubt suggest you go via Err to reach the resort. Having done this myself, I would advise against it: the cows block the narrow track when they are on summer pasture (mid-May to September).
From Perpignan, head towards Andorra via the N116. Then, 3.5 km after Saillagousee, turn left onto the D89, following the sign for ‘Station du Puigmal’.
Or take the N20 from Toulouse (Puymorens Tunnel). ‘Train Jaune’ station: Err.

This is a high-altitude mountain area (2,910 m): bring rainwear, water, a packed lunch, a GPX track, route description, map, GPS or the Visorando app, a camera, good walking boots and a walking stick.

Please note: I mention the wooden trail markers, but these are unreliable, prone to rotting and easily damaged and/or pulled up by grazing animals.

Water is available at the start of the walk (tapped spring).
Water must be filtered or disinfected at the Rec de la Mata (torrent) before the (14), and at the Ribera d’Err (16).
A hut at (14) and a refuge at (16).

Latour-de-Carol – Enveigt: international station. From France, the SNCF operates the Train Jaune from Villefranche-de-Conflent, the TER Occitanie from Toulouse, and from Spain, RENFE operates a commuter-style R3 train from Ripoll; naturally, the three trains run on tracks with different gauges... Wikipedia

The Train Jaune.
Saillagouse.