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Castell de Requesens – Banyuls Pass loop from Espolla

Routes

Mountain biking trails

Castell de Requesens – Banyuls Pass loop from Espolla

Hard

riders

Castell de Requesens – Banyuls Pass loop from Espolla

05:53

53.9km

1,570m

Mountain biking

Hard mountain bike ride. Very good fitness required. Advanced riding skills necessary. Some portions of the route may require you to push your bike. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: April 7, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through protected areas

Please check local regulations for:

Réserve biologique dirigée du Vallon des Moixoses

Réserve naturelle de la forêt de la Massane

Reserva Natural Parcial de la Capçalera de l'Orlina

Espai d'Interès Natural del Massís de l'Albera

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

9.54 km

View of Requesens Castle

Highlight • Castle

The Castell de Requesens is a remote but beautiful semi-preserved castle, situated in the hills of the Albera Mountains that separate Spain from France, just east of La Jonquera 6 km from Cantalops.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

11.4 km

Castell de Requesens

Highlight • Castle

Requesens Castle is an old fortress in this region of Alt Empordà. It is a medieval building that was built in the 11th and 12th centuries.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

13.9 km

Collet de les Llenyes

Mountain Pass

22.4 km

Coll de l'Estaca

Highlight • Mountain Pass

Great landscape

Translated by Google •

Tip by

28.7 km

Reserva Natural Parcial de la Capçalera de l'Orlina

Nature Reserve

32.4 km

Col d'en Verderol

Mountain Pass

34.4 km

Viewpoint

43.6 km

Border line with France

Highlight • Structure

A border between two countries can be either a physical demarcation such as a wall or fence, or simply an imaginary line that separates two national territories. An interesting example of this is when the border is visible due to differences in the asphalt of a road, where each country uses different types of pavement. The specific nature of a border varies widely depending on the countries involved and their bilateral agreements. These differences reflect the diversity and complexity of international relations.

Translated by Google •

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43.6 km

Banyuls Pass

Highlight • Mountain Pass

The approach from Catalonia is much more pleasant due to the incline, but longer and leads through a pretty, lonely landscape. The journey on the French side is short, but very tough. There is little car traffic on the entire route.

At the pass on the Catalan side there is a small but very solid, publicly accessible refuge with a table, oven and extra bedroom. There is also a spring there, but it only trickles very sparingly.

On the pass itself, several information and memorial plaques remind of the many people who had to flee to France via this pass before the repression by the Franco regime. At the Refugio there is a plaque commemorating two libertarian activists who were arrested here in 1977 and tortured to death in prison six months later.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

43.7 km

Coll de Banyuls Refuge

Highlight • Mountain Hut

It is in good condition, at least to shelter on a rainy day or even to spend the night. It has a fireplace and firewood (try to replace what you use). The fountain had no water when I passed by, but that is normal after so many months of drought.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

43.8 km

Ascent to Coll de Banyuls from Espolla

Highlight (Segment) • Mountain Pass

The distance from the viewpoint to the border with France is about 8km, you will travel along a road without vehicles and with the occasional veteran cyclist who will surely repeat the area because the truth is that it is worth it. You will hardly use up battery, only in the final part of the section but very little (it seems like there is a lot of positive slope but that's all it seems...).

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53.5 km

Sant Jaume Church

Highlight • Religious Site

The current structure of the church is the result of a significant remodeling carried out in the 18th century. The church has a rectangular floor plan and consists of three naves. The central nave is higher than the side naves and has a series of buttresses on its exterior walls. The bell tower, attached to one side of the building, consists of two bodies: a square tower with a brick rafter on which is located the octagonal bell tower with four semicircular arch openings, topped by a brick dome. The tower is plastered, while the octagonal body of the bell tower exposes the original stonework. The main façade is quite simple from a decorative point of view, presenting a door with a lintel framed by well-cut ashlars, a niche with a semicircular arch and an oculus at the top.

The bell tower is believed to be largely Romanesque, dating to the 12th-13th centuries. On the main façade there is an inscription dating from 1786, which indicates that the church, of Romanesque origin, was completely renovated in the 18th century. It is mentioned for the first time in the year 1226 (Sancti Jacobi de Spolla). Furthermore, it appears in a probably false document from 884, which affirms its belonging to the Monastery of Sant Quirze de Colera.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

53.9 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

31.4 km

11.9 km

9.51 km

1.13 km

Surfaces

18.1 km

10.2 km

10.1 km

9.93 km

3.78 km

1.75 km

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Highest point (1,080 m)

Lowest point (110 m)

Weather

Sunday 5 July

37°C

23°C

0 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 14.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

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Castell de Requesens – Banyuls Pass loop from Espolla

View of Requesens Castle

Castell de Requesens

Coll de l'Estaca

Border line with France

Banyuls Pass

Coll de Banyuls Refuge

Ascent to Coll de Banyuls from Espolla

Sant Jaume Church

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