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L'Alt Empordà in a motorhome stage I. Discover a 3-day getaway for 6 essential plans through the Massís de las Salines and Bassegoda in the North of Catalonia, the western part of the Alt Empordà region.
The most genuine Alt Empordà motorhome, an area we know well, because the mother of this family was born and raised here. We hope you enjoy this area that we have so much affection for.
Getaway through 6 essential plans through the Massís de les Salines i Bassegoda in l'Alt Empordà by motorhome (Girona)
The Salinas massif, which separates the Alt Empordà region from the Vallespir area in France, forms a Pyrenean space with mountainous features. It is a granite massif, typical of the axial axis of the Pyrenees. It has strong altitude slopes, ranging from 100 meters to the peaks of the Roc de Frausa, above 1.400 meters.
The climate is humid and rainy due to the rising winds from the sea that hit the mountain. It contains a great diversity of landscapes, the result of the action of a series of factors that make it very interesting. A strong contrast is observed between the Empordà plain and the eastern foothills of the Pyrenees.
We commonly speak of the Salinas, such as the roof of l'Alt Empordà, since the highest peaks in this flat region are here, in the Salinas. El Roc del Comptador at 1451 meters is the highest peak in the region.
1 Maçanet de Cabrenys, between gorgas, fountains and the roof of l'Empordà by motorhome
What to see and do in Maçanet de Cabrenys by motorhome
We start our route, through Maçanet de Cabrenys, a beautiful, small town, but with great attractions.
Gastronomy, one of the best in Alt Empordà in a motorhome in the area
The people of the region, we usually go to spend Saturday or Sunday to eat in its many and very good restaurants. Wild boar is one of the native dishes of the area. I recommend La Quadra restaurant, with its terrace, very good value for money and friendly service.
Apart from the gastronomy, which is worth trying you will find many trails and routes What to do here I propose the most interesting ones.
Route to Mare de Déu de les Salines and climb up the tops of the Salines from there.
Routes through pools of water, gorges and waterfalls.
-> Path to la gorga de les Dones (of women) and the gorgas and source of La Farga.
A route of about 6 km to go and return from the town very accessible for everyone and with children. In the gorga de les Dones bathing is allowed and there is even a beach.
-> Gorga of the slides.
Above the fountain and gorgas de la Farga we find the Gorga los Toboganes, which has this name because the rock forms the same, some slides to dive into the water. To access it, take the path on the right hand side before crossing the bridge of the source and gorgas de la Farga. We follow this path for approximately ten minutes until we reach Gorga los Toboganes.
-> Gorge of the Boot.
A well-known gorga at the top of the La Farga lock. The name seems to give it a rounded hole made by the rock in the center of the throat, which looks like you are getting into a barrel. Due to its accessibility and characteristics, it was a good place to learn to swim. It is approximately 100 meters above the source of La Farga.
-> Mill Gorge.
A few meters above the Olivet mill we find this shallow gorge. Ideal to go with children and to sunbathe on the surrounding rocks.
-> Hunting Gorge.
A hundred meters below the Gorga de las Mujeres bridge, we find the Cazo gorge. It is a very long and narrow gorge embedded in two rock walls. The way to access it is by following the course of the river starting from the Gorga de las Mujeres. In the photos you will see them from above.
->Gorge of the Oak.
This gorge is located in the middle of the Can Saguer Bridge and the Villa Dam, at the top of the cobbled passageway, it is round and only covers the head; the ground is rocky and the water is very clean.
Route to the Vajol, town that was the last republican capital during the war.
Where you can visit Negrín's house. You can also go to this town by car or motorhome and park there at its entrance.
Where to park and spend the night in Maçanet de Cabrenys in a motorhome
You can park your motorhome and spend the night without problem in all the town's car parks. Be careful not to go into the center of the town, because it does not take almost even a large car through its streets, parking in the parking lot under the wall, next to the river, is the flattest and you will not hinder the passage. Above all, do not take out tables or chairs or awnings or any element of your van or motorhome, otherwise they will come to fine, since that will be camping, and for camping you have a campsite in the town.
Near the gorg de la Dona, along a fairly narrow road that almost two vans do not take, is the Maçanet de Cabrenys campsite, a very nice campsite and a touch of the gorgas, in summer a very good place to go to rest for a few days.
Darnius the swamp beach: kayaking, swimming and activities at the yacht club
The Boadella-Darnius reservoir offers a great leisure area for swimming and kayaking, canoeing or paddle surfing.
You will find this bathing and nautical leisure area in the town of Darnius around the Darnius Yacht Club, where apart from eating, having a drink and walking around the swamp on its shore, you can bathe on its beach or rent a kayak and enjoy a route through the swamp that supplies the city of Figueras and its surroundings with water.
The reservoir dam in Boadella
Where to park and spend the night in the Boadella Darnius reservoir by motorhome
You can park your motorhome in the Darnius Yacht Club car parks, but you will not be able to spend the night there, it is forbidden. To spend the night you can do it in the private motorhome area of the Tennis Club next to the Darnius Yacht Club (only open in summer) or in the center of the town of Darnius.
In the parking lot of the reservoir dam you can both park and spend the night without problem.
A magnificent place to treat yourself to peace, tranquility and enjoy some of the best views of l'Empordà. In this Sanctuary you can not only enjoy good views, you can eat well, ride a horse, have a picnic and much more. Find out in the post that we did a while ago and that we update.
What to see and do in Sant Llorenç de la Muga by motorhome
In the Alt Empordà region, we locate Sant Llorenç de la Muga in the upper Muga valley, in an area also known as the mountain Empordà or the Garrotxa d'Empordà for its mountainous terrain. The Bassegoda part of the Bassegoda Salt Flat.
Medieval architectural heritage: walls, old town, church, castle and more
The urban nucleus is located in a pronounced meander of the La Muga river, which crosses the municipal term in a route of eleven kilometers, in which there are a diversity of pools that invite you to bathe.
The walled enclosure from medieval times stands out for its good state of conservation, as well as most of the houses in the old town. Strolling through the center of Sant Llorenç you will find very pleasant corners that are part of the town's history. The wall configured by the same houses, the three access portals, different circular or square-based towers located in the middle of the wall, the parish church or the irrigation canal that crosses the old town to the north of the wall where they are preserved public laundries and also some private ones.
Whether it was walls, the Castle of Sant Llorenç, privately owned and already documented in the s. XIII and the Torre de Vigía or the Moors had just configured a complex defensive system for the time.
With just over 230 inhabitants, San Llorenç preserves the spirit of a quiet rural town.
Hiking and activities in Sant LLorenç de la Muga
You will find a large number of marked routes to do on foot or by mountain bike, with different levels of difficulty: the GR-11, the trans-Pyrenean mountain bike, the La Muga Nature Trail, the local trails, the network of MTB routes in Salinas Bassegoda. or the network of trails in Itinerànnia.
Other activities depending on the season of the year that you can practice in our natural environment are hunting in winter, fishing, mushrooms in autumn and spring, and bathing in the river in summer.
Scattered throughout this territory of mountains near the river, you will find small architectural treasures such as the hermitage of San Jorge, the oratory of Sant Ponç, the hermitage and the bridge of San Antonio border La Muga, the hermitage and the fountain of Palau, the Old Bridge , the Lion Fountain ...
If you visit Sant Llorenç for the first time, it will surely not leave you indifferent! Remember, it is a micro-town with few resources, so be very responsible during your tourist visit.
Where to park and spend the night in Sant Llorenç de la Muga in a motorhome
What to see and do in Albanyà by motorhome
The town of Albanyà is in the extreme northwest of Alt Empordà, in the upper Muga valley, in Pyrenean lands that are in contact with Alta Garrotxa. In 1969 the neighboring municipality of Bassegoda was incorporated into that of Albanyà. It is one of the largest municipalities in the province of Girona, and the third highest in the Alt Empordà region.
The town of Albanyà is where the Muga was born. It was formed in the surroundings of the monastery of San Pedro de Albanyà, which in the years 820-825 founded an abbot named Dònmul.
The attractive nucleus of Albanyà is still centered on the church of San Pedro, an interesting example of early Romanesque. Inside you can see a sculpted tombstone, Romanesque-Gothic, which comes from the church of Carbonilos, of this same term.
The current extensive term extends over very rugged lands, with high ridges with steep cliffs and deep hollows.
El Mont and Bassegoda, the two areas of Albanyà
It has two very different areas, that of Mont and that of Bassegoda, apart from that of the old town of the main municipality of Albanyà.
In the municipal term we can find the 13 Churches, of Romanesque style.
The Mont area is essential to visit the Sanctuary of the Mare de Déu del Mont, although the access road is complicated by motorhome.
In the Bassegoda area we will find peaks but also the entire area of the gorgas de la Muga, a bathing paradise.
The Albanyà Astronomical Observatory
In addition, here we will have the pleasure of seeing one of the most beautiful skies in Catalonia, or so they say, which is why there is one of the best Observatories in Catalonia, where they do nightly shows that are worth seeing. It is right next to the Bassegoda Park campsite.
Where to park and spend the night in Albanyà in a motorhome
We recommend parking in this area and spending the night at Camping Bassegoda Park, apart from a beautiful campsite it is the best way to explore the area, since parking is very difficult elsewhere. There are car parks to see the gorges but with a lot of inclination and difficult access and mobility for a motorhome.
What to see and do in Les Escaules
Las Escaules, which belongs to the municipality of Boadella, is located 3,3 km down Muga and also to the right of this river. The municipality occupies a small valley watered by the Muga in its middle course, before coming into contact with the Empordà plain.
This valley is surrounded by mountains and hills that do not exceed 300 m. of altitude and that they are the last Pyrenean buttresses that limit the Empordà plain. To the N stands out the Sierra de los Tramonts and, at noon, that of the Eixarts, the ridges of which form the dividing line with the neighboring terms of Biure and Terrades; the SE limits with that of Llers and Pont de Molins and to the NW with that of Darnius. The highest peaks in the term are Mount Hangman (263 m), Mount Tornillo (260 m), Mount Gros (191 m) and Mount Molló.
La Muga crosses the municipal term from NW to SE. Another river course of some importance is the Caula torrent. This stream, about 500 m east of the town of Las Escaules, forms a 30 m high waterfall. There are other streams of irregular course, such as the correct one from Mas Serra, that of Noguer, that of Trees and the correct Fondo.
For this reason, you cannot miss seeing the Salt de la Caula, the gorges of the torrent de la Caula and the Castle of Les Escaules, which has a walk of about 3 km round trip, easy and accessible to go with children as well. Apart from the small town, horizontal on the banks of the Muga of medieval origin, it is worth a visit.
Where to park and spend the night in Les Escaules in a motorhome
Parking is difficult in the same town since there is only one parking lot at the entrance of the municipality and it is small and always occupied by its inhabitants.
We recommend reserving a table at the Salt de la Caula restaurant, on its terrace in front of the beautiful 30-meter high waterfall, and thus park early and make all the visits to the area. The restaurant's parking lot is large and is located on the same road. The only downside to the car park is that it closes at 17 p.m. and opens from 10 a.m. The restaurant is very old and the food is grilled, and not very fine, but for the stop and place it is worth it.
But just before and in front of the restaurant on the same road there is a small parking lot for a couple of motorhomes, although it can be full of cars too.
From the restaurant to the town, the gorgas route and the castle there are only 5 minutes.
To sleep you will have to move to some other place of the aforementioned or cross the national II and go to the motorhome area of Perelada, Vilatenim, Cantallops de Can Pau, etc ...
Route map and motorhome trips
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