iris1745

IRIS1745; MY wife and I are looking for any information on walking in the Pyrenees. We would like to spend one whole day walking. Trails could be moderate in difficulty. We are in our 70's but in very good condition. Our home base for three days is in Prades. I know our hotel will help once we arrive, but I'm just now looking for information from people who have already walked trails in this area. MERCI Iris

kenderina

Wow, I don't know anything about walking in the Pyrinees, I just want to say I'm impressed ! My parents are your age and, sadly, they are not in such a good condition so I just wish you a wonderful walking trip and I hope you have a great time !!

iris1745

THANKS KENDERINA; We are very fortunate people to have good health. Many of our friends do not have such good health. My wife goes to the gym 4 or 5 days a week. I go 7 days with a break a few times a month. Our trip to France is for 22 nights, ending up in Versailles to celebrate our 50th anniversery. MERCI Iris P.S. BEST to your family.

StCirq

You go, Iris!

Google Grandes Randonnées for information on trails throughout France, including the Pyrennées.

GregY2

There are some nice walks from Vernet les Bains, not far from Prades. We picked up a small booklet from the tourist office there for 3-4 euro and it lists a numbers of walks ranging from easy to difficult and from 1 to several hours. Generally very pleasant walking with great views towards Mont Canigou and across the valley. Of course there will be many other options - this is just one area that I know quite well.

Pvoyageuse

THE obvious thing (!) to do is to climb up Mount Canigou from Vernet-les-Bains (a few km from Prades) but it takes several hours. The solution is to take a taxi (jeep) from Vernet-les Bains to the Cortalets chalet. You'll have a 2-hour easy climb to reach the top (I did it when I was 11). Your hotel in Prades will make the taxi reservation for you.

You can also walk from Vernet to the Abbeye of Saint Martin du Canigou (stiff climb)


The tourist office in Vernet sells a Topo guide with 13 itineraries in the Cady valley.

Bear in mind that the area is mountainous and that if you want to hike on flat land, you wil have to drive towards Perpignan. For instance, amoung dozens of possibilities, there is a bird-watching itinerary between Canet-Plage and Saint-Cyprien, a walk around Ile Sainte-Lucie near Port-la-Nouvelle, etc...... Will try to find more for you if you are interested.

iris1745

THANKS for all the information. Iris

roussillon

I would take one of the days and head to the Med shore...lots of nice and easy walks right along the coast.

You can go from Collioure to Port Vendres on a nice trail. Or another super easy one is to park at "le Racou" beach and walk from there in to Collioure. Have a lunch, take some photos and then go back. This also saves the hassle of trying to park in Collioure if it is busy.

There are also some nice walks leaving from Port Vendres up into the vineyards which overlook the coast and the towns. Absolutely lovely in nice weather. Unforgettable panoramic photos, and a gentle walk, with some climb and descent.

Also in Prades go into the Casals museum (actually a special room in the tourist office). He was a great catalan cellist and lived in exile from Franco in Prades for years. Nice classical music festival every summer started by him.

You will like the area. Rouss

iris1745

THANKS for all the help. Iris

lp_nyc

We stayed just outside Villefranche le Conflent last summer and loved the area. Would love to go back and do a walking day like you are planning!

We didn't do any real hiking (my husband was still recovering from a ski injury), but we did spend an afternoon at St Thomas Les Bains and I noticed sign posts for many GR trails. It seemed like a really nice area to do some walking. And the baths would make a lovely treat after a day of hiking.

Here's link to an entry from my blog of last year's trip that includes info on a mild hike to Fort Liberia and our visit to the baths.

http://4theloveoffrance.blogspot.com...in-valley.html

kenav

ttt

blackduff

Iris1745
There's a really nice walk on one of the gourges between Villefranche to Mount Louis. It climbs up to the summit in Spain, and if you want, you could drop down into the Spanish valley. This is the Nuria area in Spain.

I can't remember the name of the gourge but it's the only in that area. To start the climb is about 30 minutes drive from Prades.

As others have posted about Collioure and the climbs nearby, I would second this for having just one day's climb. You're going to see where the Pyrenees meet the Mediterranean.

This is my photo album about this area and you would see the Pyrenees where the mountain meets the sea.

http://www.pyreneesmediterraneanliving.com/

When you get to the region around Prade, stop at Decathlon (a sports shop in Perpignan) and you can find a lot of books about your hike.

Let us know which time of the year you're planning. Right now the temps are near to 20 degrees C each day now.

Blackduff

Pvoyageuse

Blackduff

I suppose you mean the Gorges de Carança.
You would need at least 2 days to trek from Thuès-entre-Valls to Nuria.
Just to get to the Refuge del Ras takes 4 hours.

iris1745

Blackduff; The photos were great. I can't thank everyone enough for all the information. We will be in Prades on the 19th, 20th and 21st of September. From Prades we go to Lectoure in the mid-pyrenees for two nights, visiting many of the fortified towns. Will not be responding again until after the 11th of March as we are off to Florida. BEST TO ALL Iris

blackduff

<b>Author: Pvoyageuse ([email protected])
Date: 03/03/2008, 02:59 pm
Blackduff

I suppose you mean the Gorges de Caran&ccedil;a.
You would need at least 2 days to trek from Thu&egrave;s-entre-Valls to Nuria.
Just to get to the Refuge del Ras takes 4 hours.</b>

The Gorges de Carnca is the place I was saying. I tried to hike up the gorge but I had a puppy with me and it's impossible.

I have skied on the Nuria side though and the cog wheel train back to the village is spectacular.

This is a superb part of the world.

Blackduff

blackduff

Iris
When you visit Lectoure, check out the &quot;Pastel&quot; products. They guy who owns a farm there and grows plants which can turn into pastel colours.

I guess this is called Indigo but in French it's Pastel. It's a nice cool blue colour and the production can be worth visiting the place.

There's a woman on this board and she wrote up a lot of information about Lectoure. It's worth checking her trip report on the Dordogne. I think her screen name is Marilyn. If you're interested and you can't find her report, post again and I'll find where it's located.

Blackduff