コリウールの峠・トップ10

Beautiful route and a great view

A hill with spectacular views. Several trails depart from here. It's worth taking a detour when descending from Puig Neulós to visit this spot with views on the border between the French eastern Pyrenees and the Catalan Pyrenees.

The Green MEPs Jordi Solé and François Alfonsi, and the Social Democrat Éric Andrieu, launched a letter to Pedro Sánchez and Emmanuel Macron, presidents of Spain and France respectively, calling for the reopening of the crossings to be discussed at the 27th Franco-Spanish summit on 19 January in Barcelona. The letter, signed by 31 MEPs, was presented at a press conference at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Two days later, on 20 January, residents of Espolla reopened the coll for the annual Feria de l'Oli y de l'Olivera in the village. However, on 23 January the French authorities closed the crossing again.

very nice to drive with great views

Cross-border crossing between the two states that divided Catalonia after signing the Treaty of the Pyrenees on November 7, 1659. It is part of the Walter Benjamin Route, in total it is approximately 15 km (we know that Benjamin spent a night in the middle of the road) that can be done in one direction for about 5 or 6 hours to return by train from Banyuls to in Portbou. The route, which is signposted, is relatively easy and also coincides with an old smugglers' trail and with the so-called Lister Route, since it was here where the Republican general retreated with his troops in 1939, after of the defeat against the Francoist side.

Through the Coll de Banyuls, formerly called the Coll d'Espills, one of the routes that connected southern Catalonia, l'Empordà, with northern Catalonia, el Rosselló, ran. It was one of the three passes, the central one, that the Visigoth king Wamba used to cross the Serra de l'Albera in the direction of Septimania. It went up from the Roussillon coast towards the mountains through the Ravaner valley. To its west, another step was through the Vall de Sant Martí, towards the Torre de la Maçana and the Coll de la Carbassera, and to the east, towards Cotlliure via the Coll de la Farella.

From this viewpoint you can see at the bottom an area irrigated by the Orlina River that nourishes about 3000m2 full of centuries-old oaks, ideal for going down and regaining strength. If you look the way you came you will see the Espolla and in the opposite direction the Coll de Bañuls. One km from here you will find a Generalitat farm that is working on the implantation of an extinct species of roof rack.

It is worth leaving the path for a few meters, passing the fence and contemplating the landscape of the Catalan side. When you get back to riding, enjoy the track for the few kilometers you have left on the bike. At the next pass (of the 3 beech trees) you will have to dismount and push the bike for a few hours!