Pirinexus: Cycling from Girona to the Pyrenees and Costa Brava

In October, Wiktor and I decided to tackle Pirinexus: a popular circular route following some of the best greenways (Vias Verdes) that Girona has to offer. We modified the original route (proposed on the Vias Verdes website) by adding a detour to Cap de Creus and shortening the Costa Brava section. This is not because that part is not worth a visit: if we had four days, we would definitely do it! I have, however, already ridden the last part (between Empordà, Sant Feliu de Guíxols, and Girona) multiple times, so we decided to add a visit to Cadaqués instead.

Day 1: Girona - Camprodon

↔ 90 km | △ 1315 m | ▽ 440 m

We started the trip by taking an early morning train from Barcelona to Girona. The day was sunny and quite warm, especially given that we were well into October. We got out of town quickly, and after just a few kilometers we entered Via Verde from Girona to Olot (La Ruta del Carrilet I): a 54 km stretch of a perfect gravel path, separated from road traffic, with numerous tunnels, bridges, and old train stations. We were going uphill, but it was barely noticeable.

After Olot, we joined the main road that connects Olot with Ripoll. Even though there wasn’t much traffic, we were glad to start the climb to Coll de Capsacosta, which follows an old road (most of the drivers choose to use the tunnel, leaving the old road almost empty). In Sant Pau de Segúries we rejoined the cycling path and continued until the beautiful medieval town of Camprodon, where we would stay for the night.

Day 2: Camprodon - Cadaqués

↔ 143 km | △ 1960 m | ▽ 2900 m

The second day looked brutal on paper: over 140 km with almost 2000 metres of climbing. We woke up and after a quick breakfast we left Camprodon. The first challenge of the day was climbing Coll d'Arès on the border between Spain and France, but fresh, cold air and stunning views made the ride pleasant.

At the top of the pass we were rewarded not only with marvellous views, but also with a prospect of a 50 km long downhill. We rode downhill, passing beautiful towns like Prats-de-Mollo-la-Preste and Arles-sur-Tech, Most of the time on empty roads, sometimes joining a network of cycling paths. We eventually got to the cute town of Céret, where we ate lunch and parted ways with Pirinexus - at least for now.

We decided not to follow the original route because we wanted to visit Cadaqués, which is not part of the Pirinexus route. We crossed the Pyrenees again, back into Spain, and followed some empty backroads and smooth gravel roads across the plains of the Alt Empordà region. After 100 km, only two climbs were left: a 400 m climb followed by a descent to Port de la Selva, and a smaller climb to Coll de Perafita on the way to Cadaqués. We got there just in time to enjoy the sunset.

Day 3: Cadaqués - Girona

↔ 85 km | △ 925 m | ▽ 850 m

Before starting the route on day one, we had a few alternatives for the final day. For a while we considered rejoining the Pirinexus route and following it down the coast to Sant Feliu de Guíxols, but it would be another huge day (140+ km). Instead, we decided to enjoy the day and slowly go back to Girona.

We got out of Cadaqués, avoiding the main road and opting for a gravel road instead. When planning that route I was inspired by The Traka and it was a great idea: even though the climb from Cadaqués was steep and loose, the road was picturesque. Once we left Cap de Creus behind, the route was mostly flat, a welcome change after the elevation gain of the previous days. A few hours later we came back to Girona, completing the loop.

If we had four days (or didn’t have to catch the train on the last day), we would definitely have followed the original Pirinexus route from Roses to Sant Feliu de Guíxols and back to Girona. Next time for sure!

The route

While the route was inspired by Pirinexus and largely follows it, we made a few modifications to visit Cap de Creus. You can download my GPX file here; if you are interested in following the original route (or if you are looking for other Vies Verdes), check out the Pirinexus website.