Santa Pau walks

Between Olot and Santa Pau, this route takes you to three of the most visited sites in the Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park: the Santa Margarida volcano, the magnificent Fageda d'en Jorda beech forest, and the Croscat volcano.

A circular route around the village of Montagut, where the first foothills of the Alta Garrotxa already offer some examples of Romanesque architecture. From the centre of Montagut, climb up to the church of Sant Eudald de Jou and then on to the oratory of Planselloses. You then descend towards the Pont del Llierca (where you can swim), passing under the Puig de l'Espigoler and Puig Sacreu, before returning to Montagut along the river.

Les Planes d'Hostoles is known for its gorges, natural pools where you can cool off in summer. Theaccess paths are well maintained and mostly easily accessible. Access is regulated: there is a charge and booking is compulsory (see the Practical Information section).

A walk around the Estany de Banyoles, Catalonia’s largest natural lake. It is a place of exceptional beauty with a well-maintained path that allows you to explore wildlife viewing areas and the fishermen’s huts dotted along the lakeshore.

A magnificent hike in the Catalan hinterland, an hour from Rosas. The path is poorly marked, but it's a fairly easy and very enjoyable hike. The gorges and river are superb. Enjoy!

A lovely circular route through the forest, passing by the Capella Santa Cristina. The first section up to the chapel is slightly uphill but is manageable for children aged 6.

A fairly challenging hike with a magnificent route along the border ridge.The walk starts from the southernmost village in France.The climb along the GRT83 (¹) towards the Col de Malrems on the border is very pleasant.Passes by the Capelle Santa Cristina.A good sense of direction is absolutely essential (rated as difficult). The route on the Visorando app or on a GPS is very useful. See the ‘Practical Information’ section.

A lovely walk up through the forest to the Ermitage de Notre Dame du Coral followed by lunch at the Auberge and the same walk back down to Lamanère.

This commemorative walk follows the route taken by Spanish refugees in 1939 after the fall of Barcelona. You will pass through Pla de la Coma, where there is a commemorative plaque recalling the tragic events of that period. This walk is suitable for everyone and can be done in either direction.

This hike is an opportunity to enjoy a picnic on a wooden bench while looking out over the Muga valley, from its source to its estuary in the Bay of Roses. Best done on a clear day to enjoy the view.

Here is another classic hike starting from Lamanère: the three towers of Cabrenç. These signal towers, built in the 10th century, were used to warn of Saracen invasions from the sea. Magnificent views guaranteed.

This hike, which follows theGR®83, takes you from the southernmost village in France to a small, typically Spanish village that has been fully restored, via the Col de Malrems.

First, following the description, there is the Tower (signal tower), the Keep (garrison), then the Castle.Magnificent landscapes along the path connecting these buildings.- Do not underestimate this long hike. The GPX track will be a great help on this route with its many crossroads and junctions. The descent from the castle is very tricky.- There are many places and viewpoints from which to admire the landscape.- Short version options * in Practical Information.Classified as difficult because of the route between the tower, the keep, the castle and the descent from it.- The five fords ** may be problematic after heavy rain (observed on 15 June 2023).

A very beautiful circular on excellent, scenic trails, mostly through forest. Superb 360° view from the ridge, overlooking the Canigou massif, the peaks of Spain and the Costabonne.

This two-day hike, with an overnight stay at the Sant Guillem refuge, allows for shorter variations each day depending on the weather or individual needs. This hike is fully signposted: unfortunately, the paths are not maintained and the signposting needs to be refreshed in many places (as observed in early July 2025).

Thisfirst stage, almost entirely in the forest, is therefore possible in summer, if you set off early. A challenging hike with 1,275 metres of elevation gain on marked trails that are rarely used, requiring a good sense of direction and the GPX track.There are some beautiful spots to stop and enjoy the scenery. The highest point (altitude 1,830 m) at Puig dels Sarraïns is a perfect place to stop for lunch, for example.

This route will take you to the heart of Prats-de-Mollo-la-Preste, capital of the Haut Vallespir and largest commune in the Pyrénées Orientales, with a magnificent finale in the underground passages of Fort Lagarde, a Vauban fortification listed as a historic monument.

An original way to climb the Tour de Mir via a well-markedPR®® trail (March 2020). The return journey is via the beautifulGRP®® Tour du Vallespir trail, which is also very well marked (March 2020).The Tour de Mir, which is accessible, offers a 360° panorama. Good signposting and good paths allow for smooth progress.

A very beautiful hike, mostly through woodland, but with plenty of variety. The trails are fully marked and very beautiful.

This is a fairly strenuous hike up to Coll d'Ares.Pass via the La Retireda path, theGRP®® Ronde du Canigó and theGRP®® Tour du Vallespir.This hike is classified as difficult due to its length, elevation gain and the need for good orientation skills.The entire hike is marked and there are no difficult sections. See practical information (¹).Accessible by public transport, see practical information (²).

A fairly challenging hike with magnificent scenery.Three things to see: the Mir Tower, where you can climb up to enjoy a 360° view of the landscape; the bear trap; and Puig Sec, from where you can see a large part of the Eastern Pyrenees.The climb to the tower is not particularly difficult.The return journey requires more attention in terms of orientation and the sparse markings of different colours.Accessible by public transport, see practical information.

A fairly easy walk with varied scenery. There are no signposts on the paths, but the routes are fairly straightforward, so there’s little chance of getting lost. The walk starts in Darnius, with the first section through woodland, a stop at an11th-century chapel (unfortunately closed to the public), a walk along the lake, then back towards Darnius, with the option of climbing up to the Mirador de la Tortuga (a 15-minute ‘detour’) which offers a stunning panoramic view of the lake and the surrounding mountains.

This walk takes about an hour and a half to two hours including time to explore the bunker. The whole walk is very easy.