GR10 // day 47 // Las Illas - Ouillat

Distance: 25.8km (964.0km), time spent: 8:28 (369:50).
Ascent / descent: 959m (54762m) / 573m (54160m).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 550m / 936m / 936m.
Weather: Sunny and nice weather, warm, some clouds.

With me in my backpack after the breakfast at the Hostal des Trabucayres I've got a not so good weather forecast for tomorrow, the weather gods supposedly doesn't want to smile down upon me on the last day of my adventure. For the walk of today they are however keeping the clouds at bay. From Las Illas the route is going up on a quiet and peaceful road to yet another Super, Super Las Illas.

Walk on the ridge between France and Spain on a nice track, here from the route after Col del Priorat.

After Super Las Illas the trail is following the ridge alongside the border to Spain, the vegetation here has now changed and is noticeably closer to the Mediterranean. It's a nice walk through an open forest. Canigou is visible between the trees. At Mas Nou there is a sign that it's forbidden to take pictures and that it isn't allowed for everyone to walk further on the trail, walkers of the GR10 are though allowed apparently. The reason is that this is some kind of a naturist farm. However, there aren't any angry naked farmers coming jumping out on the trail when I pass. The builds of the farm looks somewhat tired.

View of the Canigou from Las Carboneres.

It's a clear blue sky and warm for a change, something it hasn't been for a long time. The spectacular areas on the trail is now far behind and the route is now clearly going down towards a lower landscape. I go up to Pic del Priorat (492m), but there isn't any view from the top. Whereupon I afterwards are overlooking where the GR10 is going off from the path and then continues on, and not notice that I've gone wrong before I'm down at Las Carboneres (337m). Where it is a nice view of the Canigou next to the ruins of an old farm building.

The Roman ruins at Col de Panissars with Fort de Bellegarde above.

The Romans came a long way, de also came here. Below Fort de Bellegarde lies the Roman ruins at Col de Panissars. I go up to the fort. It's a free entrance today so I leave my backpack behind at the counter and steps into the tourist shoes. The fort is big and from the top of the walls there are good views to the area around. To the south what was the main route through the Pyrenees in the classic age is stretching downwards, the Romans called it Summum Pyrenæum, now it's a motorway. Le Perthus is situated below between the two countries.

View from Fort de Bellegarde, Spain in the valley below.

I'm hungry when I arrive at Le Perthus (290m), but it isn't tempting to sit down to eat at a place here. This is an awful tourist trap, with unnumbered shops selling various baubles. But when I called to order a place at Chalet de l'Albere I got the message that they couldn't serve me dinner, so I've to do some provisioning here for the evening. After having stocked up with provisions I try to put the place quickly behind me. My stomach complains, but the sight of the place complains more.

At Col de la Comtesse (513m) I finally give in to my hunger and sit down to eat. It has gotten even warmer, and my backpack weights a lot more now. On a sign France is crossed out and replaced with Catalunia Nord. Le Perthus is fortunately easily forgotten on the way up to Saint Martin d'Albere. The trail is then going steep up with a good view back to where I've walked. My legs are a little bit tender when I arrive at Col d'Ouillat (936m) and Chalet de l'Albere.

View from Col d'Ouillat.

The place is situated with a great view of the valley below; far below I can see Fort de Bellegarde on its small hill. I didn't get to know why I couldn't get dinner here on the phone, but the reason was that there is a party here in the evening and hence there isn't any place to sit if it should be bad weather. But the weather is now brilliant, and the best in a long time, so they are arranging dinner for me and some others on a place outside.

Chalet de l'Albere.

While I'm sitting and enjoying the sight of the view and the darkness descending over the landscape and the pass between France and Spain my thoughts are going to that I tomorrow will be starting on my last on the GR10. It feels a little bit unreal. The remote goal is now just around the corner and the start of the journey is now lying remotely behind me. Here they meant it would be nice weather tomorrow. From the restaurant there is a lot of joyful voices, the guests has arrived. It was a nice walk today, with the exception of Le Perthus. I'm wondering a little bit of where Claire is.

<- Las IllasTagnerède ->

GR10 // day 46 // Moulin de la Palette - Las Illas

Distance: 21.0km (938.2km), time spent: 8:39 (361:22).
Ascent / descent: 1053m (53803m) / 1164m (53587m).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 661m / 550m / 1450m.
Weather: Sunny and clouds, overcast after a while.

A sign that I've walked far and probably is a little bit tired is the tendency of me using a lot longer time in the mornings now. In itself not so bad, I'm not in a rush anyway. I slept well alone in the small dormitory and eat a good breakfast at the place after which I use a long time before I continue further on the trail. There is a clear sky at departure, but the sun hasn't reached down into the valley I'm walking in yet.

Montalba d'Amelie.

I have the feeling of being in a quiet and isolated place almost during the whole of todays walk. After a calm walk I come to the tiny hamlet of Montalba d'Amelie (543m), a collection of house situated on a small shelf on a hill. A dog is guarding a dilapidated and deserted house. As every place with respect for itself this place also has its own chapel, which should cover the needs for the few inhabitants in the valleys around, there are supposedly also a gîte d'etape here. It's just as quiet here when I leave as when I came.

The ruins of the old mill of Molli Serrador.

The trail is continuing through the forest and after a small ascent I arrive next to a house where the vegetation is in the process of overtaking what mankind has made, though it's only remains of a house. Inside behind thorns and scrubs is the ruins of that was once an old mill, Molli Serrador (833m). I have to go through a lot of thicket to get closer to the building. On a sign it says 'Risque d'eboulement', so I have to be careful so I don't get an old mill on my head. You can't help but think of how remote this mill is located.

Roc St-Saveur.

At Coll Cerda (1058m) my curiosity strikes again, it gets too tempting, even though I have to defy my feelings of being a little bit too tired to do my usual excursions off the route. Beyond the pass is Roc St-Saveur (1235m) rising up towards the sky, from here the climb looks manageable. But after having put away my backpack and climbed that was supposed to be a marked trail to the summit, I find myself on the other side of the summit instead.

Even so, it's a nice view from here; Canigou is now even further back in the horizon. But I'm unsure if the continuing path, which now goes further downwards instead of upwards, will take me to the summit. So I turn and climb back down again. I make a direct attempt at the summit from the pass instead, but there my attempt stops dead next a too steep wall after a while. I'm going higher up anyway, though darker clouds await me there.

View from Roc St-Saveur in the direction of Col de Paracolls.

Before I come to the French rock, I sit down on the border to Spain, lighting up my gas stove and eat lunch. The clouds have retaken the throne in the sky now, but below the clouds there is a nice view out over Spain and towards the ocean. Even though they for a short time descend down over the mountain and hide the landscape in a chill mist. I climb up to the Roc de France (1450m); Canigou is now cloaked by the clouds.

View from Roc de France.

Down at Col du Puits de la Neige (1240m) I shortly crosses into Spain where the GR11 (the Spanish variant of the GR10) is making a guest performance. From here and down the walk is less exciting. The weather seems to have got caught in a routine; nice weather in the mornings, for then to become grey and dull. Coll dels Cirères (1015m) is lying well hidden inside the woods, but a quiet place for a cup of hot tea. I get concrete under my feet after La Selve (612m); the trail is here following the road all the way down to Las Illas (550moh).

The Mediteranean in the horizon.

From the style of the buildings here it's obvious that I'm getting closer to the Mediteranean. There is no one in the gîte, and the persons running the gîte isn't at home either. I install myself in the gîte anyway. It's a quiet day here, the season is coming to an end, and I eat almost alone in the restaurant at the Hostal des Trabucayres. The food is excellent. Cured meat, trout, lamb and cake, all served with wine. On the way back to the gîte in the evening there is light at home of the persons running the gîte so I get to pay for the stay. Still there is no one else at the gîte. I didn't see Claire again after I talked to here in the morning at Moulin de la Palette.

<- Moulin de la PaletteOuillat ->

GR10 // day 45 // Mines de Batère - Moulin de la Palette

Distance: 25.2km (917.2km), time spent: 7:54 (352:43).
Ascent / descent: 675m (52750m) / 1514m (52423m).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 1500m / 661m / 1500m.
Weather: Sunny and clouds, overcast after a while.

It is well done to avoid any boring day on such a long journey as this, in the same way that you can't expect good weather on all the days either. Todays weather wasn't the worst, but the walk didn't offer anything special. Instead it was the excursions of the trail the made the day interesting.

Morning at the Mines de Batère.

I make an attempt to find the remains of the mines here, but after some fruitless searching in the woods I end up putting on my backpack and continue walking with an unresolved case behind me. It doesn't however take long time before I yet again deviate from the route. The tower in the distance is calling; perhaps there is a maiden in distress at the top of it. There isn't any maiden in distress in the top, but if there had been a person in the top of Tour de Batère (1439m) the person would probably had been in distress, maiden or not. To climb up into the tower is quite hazardous, the stones are loose and unsecure. The old signal tower built in the twelfth century is situated in a nice location with views over the valleys below.

Tour de Batère, an old signal tower from the twelfth century.

On the way back from the tour a car is stopping and out comes a man who immediately after starts hollering up to the hill above. I'm quite puzzled at the start, but then it dawns on me that it must be a farmer that gives an order to one of his sheep dogs to herd the livestock downwards. From above barks can be heard in response. It's been a blue sky above me so far, but when I start the descent from Col de la Descarga (1393moh) the clouds have started to furnish the sky above the landscape. No smoke signal is coming from Tour de Batère so I can safely continue further down.

Further down there is an abandoned building where it's written Refuge des Bigarrats on the wall, which easily could be interpreted as Refuge of Big Rats. Not a nice place, and a boring walk down from the pass. Claire did think about going here yesterday, but I think she's happy that she didn't. This is Els Vigorats (884m) and is the remains of an old station of some kind.

View to the Canigou-massif from the Tour de Batère.

I arrive at Arles sur Tech (282m), where the names of the streets are marked on engraved tiles with small and ornate paintings on. I walk in the town through small, narrow and nice streets before I encounter Claire at a street café. Of the larger places you pass on the trail this would have been one of the nicest ones to spend an evening in, but I want to continue. The cloister here is supposed to be well worth the visit, but I'll have save that visit to another time if the opportunity rises.

Above Arles sur Tech on the climb up to Coll de Paracolls, Mines de Batère a tiny white dot in the horizon.

It's been a long time since I've been as low down as Arles is lying, and the trail has understood that. It climbs steeply up towards Coll de Paracolls (902m). There is now a grey sky above me, with some few blue glimpses. High up and far away in the horizon I can see the white building of Mines de Batère. Canigou is hidden in between the clouds. In the view towards east is Roc St-Saveur jutting up from the forest and hills.

For the sake of the walk, there is a nice part to walk after Coll de Paracolls. The ruin of what is Paracolls is lying with a broken roof. After going down through the forest I arrive at Moulin de la Palette (661m), here I get myself a place at the Ecogîte de la Palette, a quiet and isolated place in the middle of the forest. It is a nice and small place, with a nice and small dormitory that I get for myself. So even if the walk today didn't offer the great excitement, the end of the day offered a nice stay in the kingdom of silence.

View just below Col de Paracolls, Roc St-Saveur prominent in the picture. Moulin de la Palette almost in the center of the picture.

Claire is arriving at the place later and is pitching her tent outside. We can hear the boars grunt while the pass through the garden. While the darkness descends over the forest my thoughts are going to something that has long been a remote target, there is now about only three days left before I stand at the shores of the Mediterranean and the end of my journey.

The Ecogîte de la Palette at Moulin de la Palette, a nice place situated in a quiet spot in the forest.

<- Mines de BatèreLas Illas ->

GR10 // day 44 // Cortalets - Mines de Batère

Distance: 16.8km (892.0km), time spent: 6:13 (344:49).
Ascent / descent: 273m (52075m) / 923m (50909m).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 2150m / 1500m / 2150m.
Weather: Overcast.

Most people use to go to Arles sur Tech from Cortalets, by climbing up to Canigou I move the walking odometer some kilometers back on the map. So instead I choose to set course for the old and now derelict iron mines of Batère. Perhaps a fitting target for a walk under a gloomy layer of clouds.

Lights in the night seen from Cortalets.

From Cortalets two wanderers disappear into the mist, I walk together with Claire again. We choose the alternative route today, and don't go by Ras del Cortalets as the trail does. In the woods above Cortalets there are remains of a crashed airplane and this route take us into the drifting clouds higher up than the original route and past the wreck. You almost have to walk over parts of the wreck; other parts are lying spread around below. Someone has sprayed a shark figure on the remains.

Remains of an airplane not far from Chalet-Refuge des Cortalets.

The clouds have climbed higher up towards the sky, but have made an abrupt halt and are giving an illusion of outright slicing off the top of the mountains. In the horizon a blue line is visible; it's the sea and the Mediterranean that calls. After 43 days on the way since I left the Atlantic I can now see the sea again. It's a strange feeling; I'm getting closer to the end of my journey.

Above Ras del Prat Cabrera (1739m) we find a rock that can be used as a nice bench, a great place for a lunch with a nice view over the valley below that stretches down towards the lower area and finally the sea. After Ras del Prat Cabrera the trail is going around the Llech valley, above us the cows are eying us suspiciously. The trail is even and good to walk on, but there are a lot of cow shit here.

In the horizon...the sea. View from above Ras del Prat Cabrera. Note the grafitti on the rock.

The open mountain huts has usually been solid huts of stone, but Abri de Pinatell (1650m) is the first hut of this kind that I pass that is made of wood. Inside it is cozy; I wouldn't mind have stayed here for the night. It is a little more boring now; we pass another cabane, Maison Forestiere de l'Estagnole (1479m), before we have to start the climb up to Col de la Cirère (1731m). We can see remains of an old and abandoned mine further down in the valley on the way up to the pass.

Up at the pass the wind is showing some muscles and the clouds are darkening the horizon, glimpses of light in the distance, dark violet hues and the ocean. Gusty and desolate, you wonder how the work in the mines here would have been. Remains of houses and a herd of sheep are passed on the way down; Tour de Batère is in the horizon. Claire seems to be on good foot with the sheep.

The Llech valley. The clouds are situated like a lid above the valley and are almost slicing the mountain in two.

The mining works has long ago stopped and when we arrive at Mines de Batère we also get the feeling of being in an abandoned place. Gîte-Refuge de Batère (1500m) is located in one of the derelict mine buildings and situated with a nice view. The door to the restaurant is closed. We're wondering what kind of place we've come to. On a fence there is a yellow note with the following inscription: 'M. Tarjei. Installez-vouz, dortoir à 20m plus bas'. They got my name right at least. On the door further down there is another note, 'M. Tarjei. Repas prêt à la Cuisine'.

Inside, Claire and I stop dead and are just standing still and looking at each other, not knowing whether we should laugh or cry. It's a peculiar and quite sparse place. On a bench in the kitchen there is a tray with food on, my dinner apparently (I ordered demi-pension). We're not the only one here either, a German pair doing a part of the GR10 and has walked from Banyuls sur Mer is here also.

View from below Col de la Cirère, the Tour de Batère on the ridge in the center of the picture.

I heat up my food, while Claire is making her dinner. Despite its appearance the food was quite good and consisted of a quite good pate, a good gratin with mushrooms, potatoes and some other ingredients, yoghurt and bread. The person that runs the place is arriving while we're eating. I was the only one that had ordered and the season is soon over, so he didn't thought it was necessary to open up the restaurant for only one person. Which is reasonably enough. And anyway, I get to buy myself some good beers of the Pelforth Brune type, so I'm satisfied. But it isn't so cheap to stay here.

The Gîte-Refuge de Batère, the yellow paper blowing in the wind had my name on it.

Later in the evening the wind is increasing and you can hear it howl outside. The highlight of the day was undoubtedly Canigou and by far the highest. The trail from Cortalets was nice in the beginning, but it got somewhat boring towards the end. The Mines de Batère will probably be one of the strangest places I've stayed at on the journey, but it will also be remembered well because of it.

<- Pic du CanigouMoulin de la Palette ->

GR10 // day 44 // Pic du Canigou

Distance: 13.0km (875.2km), time spent: 3:21 (338:36).
Ascent / descent: 758m (51802m) / 758m (49986m).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 2150m / 2150m / 2784m.
Weather: Sunny in the morning, cloudy later on.

The day dawns with a fantastic sunrise. Above me the sky is colored brightly red and there are no clouds, they are lingering down in the valley. It was a starlit sky during the night and the lights from far down below was clearly visible up here on the mountain. For a good time I was chilled down by the cool temperature while I stood admiring the view in the dark.

Racing against the clouds on Pic du Canigou.

Up towards Canigou it becomes a race against the clouds, so I walk a little bit faster than I want to. The little lake I barely saw and walked fast past yesterday is now visible in its entirety; I walk fast past now as well. At the junction where the path is going up towards the summit just below le Pic Joffre the clouds are arriving and covers the mountain in a dreamlike condition. Serenely I move through the dreams and arrive above the clouds, which now float towards the mountain sides of Canigou.

The trail gets steeper and more and more rocky. The summit is barely hidden by the ridge you have to climb up to. From Cortalets there is a relatively easy walk up to the summit, except when you try to win over the clouds in a race. I don't make it, just before I reach the summit at 2784m the clouds are crossing the finishing line and the view is history. I'm not going to hide that a small 'merde' is escaping from my lips, and that in the moment after laughter can be heard from the summit.

The summit of Pic du Canigou. Catalonian flags blowing in the wind at the cross on the summit.

I turn around and there is Claire sitting, she'd woke up early to get up before the clouds. I can't do nothing but laugh a little bit myself. At the cross on the summit the Catalonian flag is hanging, today is their freedom day. The flag is blowing in the wind. Clouds drifts over the top and small windows are opening up towards the surrounding world, and in the end we can look over the clouds. It's chilly at the summit, but we stay on the top for some time.

At the summit of Pic du Canigou (2784m).

I climb down the steep path towards Crête de Barbet, but instead of following it down right away I instead set course for Puig Sec. On both sides of the ridge the clouds are swallowing the valleys below, but from the summit of Puig Sec (2665m) there is a better view than from Canigou. Which lies hidden inside the clouds. Below I can see the valley I walked up yesterday from Refuge de Mariailles.

View from Puig Sec.

Satisfied I start walking down again over Crête de Barbet. For a long time I walk above the clouds, but in the end the fog is wrapping me in. Le sommet de légendes behind me, a nice walk despite that the view wasn't quite what was wanted.

<- CortaletsMines de Batère ->

GR10 // day 43 // Mariailles - Cortalets

Distance: 18.3km (862.2km), time spent: 7:23 (335:15).
Ascent / descent: 1100m (51044m) / 678m (49228m).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 1718m / 2150m / 2250m.
Weather: Cloudy, some sun, rain, fog and later a bucketful of rain.

Pic du Canigou was somewhat in my mind for this day, but not unexpectedly bad weather was predicted. So today I focused mainly on the walk to Cortalets, and instead go for the summit bid from there tomorrow. There were a few that woke up early at the refuge to get up to the summit before the bad weather, but too early for my liking. There are some magnificent red colored clouds over the mountain in the morning.

In the morning above Refuge de Mariailles.

There is also a cabin above Refuge de Mariailles that possibly could be used by walkers, l'abri pastoral de Mariailles. From Mariailles the GR10 is making a long traverse of the Canigou-massif and the route is starting by going on an easy loop up through ravin des Sept-Hommes before it ascends to Col Vert. Already you have moved to higher ground and you can look down at Mariailles. The waymarking here is not so good, so for a while I'm wondering if I've taken the wrong way and gone into another trail that is also marked on the map.

Looking back down at Refuge de Mariailles.

The waymarks are returning when I cross Font d'en Marty (1964m). While the GR10 turns left is the path up to the summit of Canigou continuing further up the valley towards Refuge Arago (2123m), I follow that trail up to a cabin that is on its way to become a ruin. The cabane is in a bad shape, and outside a danger sign is hanging. It starts to rain, the group that sat and rested at the cabane (Arago) rises and continues undaunted onwards.

The trail is going over some large stone slabs above Jasse de Cady.

Above Jasse de Cady the trail is going on some large slabs in a stony field, below some shepherds are gathering their animals. The view isn't exactly cheerful, what was a blue horizon is now a grey and dark horizon. But the grey horizon is staying put at the moment, so the walk alongside the flanks of Canigou is still nice. I am not far away from Refuge de Mariailles again as the birds fly at Col de Segales (2040m), but there is a deep gorge between us.

The rain stopped after not so long, but it's still a colorless weather. In clear weather there would have been a view to far away from the trail. After Col de la Jasse d'en-Vernet (2040m) the fog is slowly creeping over the mountain and I descend down into les Conques. This is an area often devastated by avalanches and the resulting marks are evident, so some care is needed when passing through. Refuge de Bonne-Aïgue (1741m) is appearing out of the fog at a convenient time, I can eat lunch peacefully in shelter from the wind and rain. The cabane wouldn't have been so bad to stay the night in.

Dark clouds in the horizon.

When I climb up from the cabane I encounter another couple that also stayed at the Refuge de Mariailles. They'd walked over Canigou and started some time before me in the morning, but they could report that they didn't get any view from the summit. I come up to an orry (la Casteille) and a dramatic view. There is a short stay in the weather and some blue sky to see, but in the horizon the rain clouds are tearing at the mountain sides and there is a black wall coming my way. Fortunately, there isn't far to Cortalets from here.

Refuge de Bonne-Aïgue.

The fog is sweeping in over me with great force and then the rain is starting to pour water over the landscape. In the weather the trail up towards Canigou is disappearing behind me and a small lake is barely visible. At Chalet-Refuge de Cortalets (2150m) the rain sheets above the entrance are blowing heavily in the wind before I'm standing inside in the heat and spill water out over the floor. Inside there is a fire in the fireplace, making crackling sounds. Quite the changing weather today, but the walk was nice.

Orry at la Casteille with dramatic clouds in the horizon, an ominous wall approaching.

The weather is howling outside while I sit inside in front of the fireplace and enjoying the place's own beer, Els Cortalets. There aren't many guests here today, but the dinner is good. Claire is arriving later in the evening. They say it should normally be nice weather tomorrow, we'll see then, if the weather is inviting for a summit bid to the Catalonian holy mountain.

<- MariaillesPic du Canigou ->

GR10 // day 42 // Ras de la Carança - Mariailles

Distance: 25.5km (843.9km), time spent: 9:51 (327:52).
Ascent / descent: 1621m (49334m) / 1734m (48550m).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 1831m / 1718m / 2300m.
Weather: Sunny and nice weather.

A long walk today, but the weather gods rewarded me with good weather after the previous days of partly miserably weather. In the Cicerone guidebook the suggested walk today is Mantet, but today I'm of the opinion that four hours is too short of a walk. I want to start early since I have a long way to go, but the guardian is oversleeping. So together with a lot of other hungry walkers there is some waiting here in the morning. Unfortunately a small misunderstanding makes the guardian think I'm angry at him, which I wasn't, so I leave Refuge de Ras de la Carança with a little bit of bad conscience.

View back towards Coll Mitja.

There is frost on the ground on the way up to Coll del Pal; it must have been a lot colder than expected here during the night. It's crystal clear weather and I can see Coll Mitja in an altogether different light than yesterday. Ruins of old farms and inside the forest there are some other wanderers that are camping. After a while I can see the roof of Refuge de Ras de la Carança far below.

Coll del Pal, an amazing view of the Canigou massif.

Up at Coll del Pal (2294m) the backpack is going off and the view is to be enjoyed. In the horizon the Canigou massif is dominating the scene and the summit is towering blue against a blue sky, it would have been perfect to be on the summit today. With the mythical mountain in the corner of my eye I walk on a nice path over to La Serre de Caret (2300m). The trail is going down from here and to Mantet I walk through a nice valley.

Mantet with the pass of the same name above.

Mantet (1535m) is a small and nice village with houses of stone that is well worth a visit. I walk a little bit around between the houses before I sit down to have lunch at La Bouftiq, a three course meal at the menu. When I walk up towards Col de Mantet (1761m) Claire is appearing behind me and we walk together up to the top of the pass, but there are our ways separating again. Her camera is broken and she is travelling down to a larger town (Prades) to get it fixed.

Py with the only restaurant at the place with a tiny shop in the ground floor.

Down to Py the walk is less exciting, the trail is crossing and passing the road several times. On the way I pass the Green Meridian (La Méridienne Verte) that marks the tree-planting effort along the meridian through Paris in 2000. Py (1023m) is also a small and cozy village; where I buy some provisions in a tiny shop. The trail is then going through the small hamlet of La Farga, which largely isn't much other than a small cluster of houses.

The trail is following a watercourse up through the Bois de Manailles.

At Col de Jou (1125m) I start to feel tired in my feet. There is a tower now far away, Tour de Goa, that I probably would have walked up to had it been earlier on the GR10. But not now. From here and up to Refuge de Mariailles the trail is becoming steeper. A section of rocks are inviting some view of the Canigou. After a while the route is following a watercourse that runs down next to the trail, a nice walk for tired legs.

Refuge de Mariailles.

I've been out walking for quite a while when I arrive at Mariailles (1718m), so it feels good to relax at the veranda afterwards with a view out over the valley below. The dinner in the evening is very good and on the walls there are hanging some very nice pictures of the farmer from Esbints. Darkness descends on the summit above, a long day goes to its end and the view of Canigou is coming with me into the kingdom of the sandman.

<- Ras de la CarançaCortalets ->

GR10 // day 41 // Planes - Ras de la Carança

Distance: 14.8km (818.4km), time spent: 7:34 (318:01).
Ascent / descent: 1168m (48313m) / 837m (46816m).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 1500m / 1831m / 2367m.
Weather: Some clouds in the morning, rain and fog, changing weather.

It rained a lot during the night, but when I wake up the weather outside isn't that bad, it's sunny and some clouds. Today I walk together with Claire. We start the walk with a visit to the little church here in Planes; the church isn't big and is only consisting of a very small and round room inside. We can see Puig Carlit behind us in the horizon.

The little round church in Planes.

View from Planes, Puig Carlit in the background.

It's back to the woods today; up towards Pla de Cédeilles (1911m) the trail is going upwards below the trees with small glances out towards the valley. The view from Pla de Cédeilles gives us an overview of the other side of the valley where we are going to, towards Jasse des Collets. The trail is then going in a loop south in the valley below where we walk around Refuge de l'Orry and are crossing the Ribérole river above the cabin.

At Refuge de l'Orry (1810m) we talk with a farmer that is using one part of the cabin, the other part is open to walkers. He's scowling suspicious at the weather and believes it could be a thunder storm on its way. There are more clouds on their way now and some of them are darker than those before.

Claire walking up towards Coll Mitja through heavy rain and fog.

Clouds above Ras de la Carança.

At Prats Balaguer (1685m) there is a small cabane and several marmots that are staring at us. It's steep from here and up to Jasse des Colletts (2073m), where we sit down and have lunch. The sun is looking out from the clouds. From above we hear voices from the forest, and shortly after a large group of walkers are walking by. We can see Coll Mitja and the trail further up.

The journey continues and we walk into the forest again with quite nice weather above us. When we walk out of the forest some few minutes later the mountain is completely engulfed in clouds and shortly after it starts to pour down. Yet another example of how fast the weather changes in the mountains. We're tiring ourselves up towards Coll Mitja (2367m) where the wind is blowing even stronger. On the way down the weather lifts a little bit and the summits are tearing themselves loose from the clouds. The trail is almost going straight down from the pass.

Looking down at Refuge de Ras de la Carança.

Dinner at Refuge de Ras de la Carança, I'm sitting next to the window.

At Refuge de Ras de la Carança (1831m) the rainy weather has passed by and it's quite calm. The farmer we met said it would probably be a lot of people here, since he believed it would be some hunters here. And there are many people here, but no hunters. A large group of Dutch is here, the large group that walked past us earlier was also a part of this group. This wasn't the most exciting day if you look away from the weather. It's nice then that a large bonfire is built outside in the evening.

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