![]() Whether capped by snow, framed by china-blue skies or back-lit at sundown, El Canigó is always majestic, always there to give the spirits a lift. ![]() El Canigó, as it’s officially called, stands a wombat’s whisker under 2800 metres, just over half France’s highest, Mont Blanc though at 100 million years older it can definitely claim superiority on age.įor many who live nearby it’s the centrepiece of a daily communion. We’re pretty proud of our local landmark too. But the villagers finally win him over, the mountain holds on to its dignity and Hugh gets the girl, obviously. People take their mountains very seriously, a point well illustrated in a Hugh Grant film “The Englishman who went up a Hill and came down a Mountain,” the story of outrage in a mining community when a London bureaucrat attempts to reclassify a much revered Welsh peak. That really doesn’t mind what you call it Le Canigou, El Canigó, La Muntanya Sagrada? Once we arrive at Ribes de Freser, we will feel that we have gone all over a great alpine stage, which we can finish up by taking the rack railway to visit the Sanctuary of Núria and its incomparable surroundings.Something to say? Please leave a comment. We will pass through Rivesaltes and we will get to the road that joins Ribes de Freser with Pardines, where we will find a section of narrow road thought which we will have to circulate with caution. This is a high mountain track, with wild landscape in many sections and vegetation that starts to disappear as we go up giving way to large quarries, however the track is in a very good condition and we can enjoy this landscape with total comfort.įrom this point we start finding vegetation again, which increases as we go down to the Ribes Valley, passing from the alpine meadows, forests of black pine and fir trees to medium mountain vegetation. We pass through the Fontlletera valley from where we can ascend to Balandrau without too much difficulty. ![]() We drive along a paved road, we cross Tregurà de Baix and just leaving Tregurà de Dalt we take a rural track and climb up to the hill of the Gralla. We leave the town to our right and we follow by the road GIV-5264 until the crossing of the town of Tregurà de Baix. If we continue towards the south, in a few kilometers we arrive to Setcases. Once the track is finished we will go to the road that goes from Setcases to the Vallter ski station, where we can approach if we want to do some high mountain trek or to enjoy the ski resort. Once in the mountain pass we continue along the track without difficulties and we will reach the viewpoint of the Baidana, where it is worth stopping to be able to enjoy the views of the valley. Possibility to spend the night in a hostel or cells and enjoy mountain tourist activities. High mountain location, where you cannot reach by car and starting point of numerous ascents and crossings to summits of almost 3,000 meters. Núria’s Valley: Place where the rack railway arrives and where we find the Sanctuary that houses a Romanesque carving of great historical value. Ribes de Freser: Starting point of the rack railway that access Núria’s valley. Restaurants.Ĭollada de Fontlletera i coll de Meianell: Ascending point to Balandrau (2,585 m) and Montroig (1,991 m) respectively, with beautiful views over the Ribes Valley. Tregurà: Picnic area at the viewpoint you find after leaving the town. Setcases: Point of exit of excursions towards the Valley of Núria, Bastiments or Canigó. Small grocery store and bar serving meals.Ĭollada Fonda: Ascension point to Costabona (2,465 m.) from where we can enjoy magnificent views of the Canigó massif. Espinavell: Bucolic mountain village with steep streets.
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