Hiking in and around Maureillas

The Col de Porteille hike is one of the must-do excursions for lovers of nature and magnificent panoramas in the Maureillas-las-Illas region. Located in the Pyrénées-Orientales region, this hike offers an experience rich in scenic diversity, combining forests, meadows and breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains.

In 1794, during the Battle of Le Boulou, the French armies of the Republic, led by General Dugommier, surrounded the Spanish armies on all sides, who escaped via the Col de Porteille road. This road had been opened in 1793 by the Spanish to avoid the Bellegarde fort, and 2,000 men were needed to make it passable.

The start of this hike is opposite the Riunoguès church, reached from Maureillas via the D13. The markings are yellow. The hike to the Col de Porteille is of moderate difficulty and can take between 4 and 6 hours round trip. The gradient is reasonable, with some slightly technical sections requiring a degree of caution, particularly on the steepest slopes.

The Tour de Bel Oeil hike is a popular excursion in Maureillas-las-Illas, Pyrénées-Orientales. It offers a beautiful combination of historic heritage and spectacular panoramas, ideal for nature lovers and local history buffs.

The Tower is situated at an altitude of 308 metres. It overlooks Maureillas and offers a 360° panorama. It is believed to be a signal tower dating back to the Middle Ages. This hike offers not only a journey back in time through the region’s medieval history, but also an immersion in the natural beauty of the Pyrénées-Orientales. It’s an ideal half-day excursion, offering a mix of culture, nature and physical activity.

Departure is from the Prat de la Farga recreation area. Markings are yellow. The hike is considered to be of moderate to easy difficulty, making it accessible to most hikers, including families with children used to walking. It takes around 2-3 hours round trip, depending on pace and stops.

The trail is well-marked and passes through a variety of landscapes, including holm oak forests and Mediterranean maquis typical of the region. The path is shaded in places, offering pleasant protection from the sun. The highlight of the hike is the ascent to the Tour de Bel Oeil, an ancient medieval watchtower. The tower, largely in ruins, nevertheless offers an impressive panorama of the surrounding area, including the Roussillon plain and the Albères mountains. The view from the tower reveals the strategic importance of this observation point in the Middle Ages.

The bandits of Vallespir …
On September 29, 1833, Ferdinand VII, King of Spain, died. Shortly before his death, he abrogated the Salic law, which excluded daughters from inheriting the crown. Thus, the crown fell to his 3-year-old daughter Isabella II, to the detriment of her younger brother, Don Carlos. Civil war ensued. The Trabucayres were Carlists who took refuge in Las Illas because of its proximity to the Spanish border, and lived by brigandage. They were so named because they were armed with trabucs (blunderbusses). They attacked stagecoaches, took prisoners and held families to ransom.
They had plenty of hiding places, especially in caves, as well as accomplices in the region. They were finally arrested thanks to the joint efforts of French and Spanish troops, and two of them were executed in Céret’s Place du Barri in 1846.

This hike starts at Las Illas, which can be reached from Maureillas via the D13f. Markings are yellow, as well as red and white. Next to the restaurant, take a small path on the right, which crosses a track and climbs towards Col de Lly. This is a circuit for experienced hikers, lasting around 5 hours and covering some 15 km, with a difference in altitude of 780 metres.