Route 01: Oliana – Pallerols

Route Description

Section 1: From Pont de Peramola to Pallerols

The first section of the Camí d’Andorra begins at Pont de Peramola, over the river Segre, at the exit from the town of Oliana (Km. 144.3 of the C-14).

After passing the bridge, you must walk along the road in the direction of Andorra for about 150 meters until you find, on the left, the path that goes up to the hermitage of the Virgin of Castell·llebre. Due to the widening works of the C-14 road, the start of this path is very steep. After overcoming this small obstacle, continue along the old path until you reach the hermitage (40 minutes).

To enter the hermitage you must ask for the key at the Casa del Pont de Peramola: the first house you come across going in the direction of Peramola. Ask about Josep Boix or his wife Concepcion.

After visiting the Mare de Déu de Castell·llebre, continue along the trail that descends to the Hostal de Can Boix (55 minutes). Here you can visit Our Lady of Grace.

The Hostal de Can Boix is ​​crossed behind the building, always following the blue and yellow markings.

Following the old road you reach Peramola (35 minutes).

In Peramola you can visit the Paller where the 1937 expedition slept on November 19. You can also visit Cal Mateu where Mateu Molleví Roca, “Mateo the milkman”, was the contact that the expedition had in Barcelona.

You can have something at Fonda la Masia, ask for Josep.

You will leave Peramola passing the Font del Cané, where you can rest.

After the source you will continue in the direction of Cortiuda and after about 250 meters you will find on the left the deviation towards Sant Marc i Pallerols. Follow the track, which you will leave after 20 minutes of walking, to enter the forest that goes below the Roc de les Dues. After overcoming a pass you will reach the track that goes directly to the house of Sant Marc. Before reaching the house you will find a crossroads (1 hour 30 minutes):

a) Following the track on the left you will go to Sant Marc’s house (25 minutes) and continuing along the track, to Pallerols (45 minutes).

b) The path on the right will take you to the Font de Comalpou or del Comapou (10 minutes), which is the source where the members of the 1937 expedition most likely went to look for water, when they were refugees in the Cabana, half an hour’s walk from this source in a north-west direction. From the source and in a southwesterly direction, you will quickly descend to Pallerols (30 minutes).

Summary of Section 1

From the Peramola Bridge to Castell·llebre	40 min.
From Castell·lebre to Hostal Can Boix	55 min.
From Hostal Can Boix to Peramola	35 min.
From Peramola to Cruïlla de Sant Marc	1 hour. 30 min.
a)
From Crossroads to Casa de Sant Marc	25 min.
From Casa de Sant Marc to Pallerols	45 min.
b)
From Cruïlla to Font de Comalpou	10 min.
From Font de Comalpou to Pallerols	30 min.

Total from the Peramola Bridge to Pallerols via Sant Marc: 4 hours. 50 min
Total from the Peramola Bridge to Pallerols by Font de Comalpou: 4 hours. 20 min.

Camping Areas and Springs

Peramola.- Fonda La Masia (H). Ask for Josep Esteve (973.47.04.61).

Fountains.- In the village of Peramola there are abundant springs: In the village washrooms and especially in the Font del Cané there is very good water. Ideal for resting and having breakfast or lunch.

Pallerols.- You can camp in the following places:

• In the meadow at the source of Pallerols: with tents (A2)
• In the Rectory and Refuge: There are three beds and mattresses. With sleeping bags on the wooden floor, about 25 people can fit (A1)
• La Font de l’Ou, which is dry (F1)
  Font de Comalpou, low water (F2)
  Font de Pallerols, under recovery (F2)
  Font de Vilaró, with good water (F3)
  In the Rectory and in Ca l’Empordanès, there is water (F3)

L’Empordanès.- It is a Rural Tourism Farmhouse (CP). There are 3 independent houses in the same complex. swimming pool There are a total of about 12 beds. You can rent only one of the three houses. Tel. 973.40.20.45

Cabin.- Two tents can be pitched (A2). There is no water.

Circuits of Balerols
General considerations about the Pallerols circuits

In the Pallerols area we propose 4 circuits, which correspond to the days that the 1937 expedition spent in the Barony of Rialb awaiting the notice of departure for Andorra.

Following these circuits, you can visit the areas where the 1937 expedition went from November 20 to 27.

We describe the 4 circuits in chronological order:

• The Circuit 1 corresponds to the final part of the walk they did on November 20 when they arrived at Vilaró’s house from Peramola. They spent the night at Paller de Peramola from November 19 to 20. They stayed at Vilaró’s house for two days: November 20 and 21. At dusk on the 21st they moved to Pallerols church and they spent the night in a room above the sacristy, which communicated with the Rectory.
• Following Circuit 2 you will be able to relive the days from November 22 to 27, when the expeditioners lived in a cabin in the forest that they called Cabana de Sant Rafel and that in the area of ​​Pallerols they call it the “chaplains’ hut”. You can also see the Bassa where they bathed. In the area they call it “el Banyador”. On the afternoon of the 27th, they set out for the Espluga de les Vaques where they meet the general guide of the expedition, Josep Cirera, who will lead them to Andorra.</ li>
• Circuit 3 will take us to the source where they most likely went to look for water, the source of Comalpou.
• Walking along Circuit 4 we will reach the source of Pallerols.

Circuit 1
From the Baronia de Rialb road to Vilaró i Pallerols

The start of this circuit number 1 is at the junction of the road that leads to Pallerols and the road that goes from Peramola to Gualter i Ponts. It is marked with yellow circles. This section coincides with the old road from Peramola to Vilaró.

It takes about 20 minutes from the road to Vilaró’s house.

From Vilaró to Pallerols another 20 minutes. Before arriving at Casa de Vilaró you will find the Font de Vilaró, with very good water.

When you get to Pallerols you can visit the place where they spent the night from November 21 to 22, as well as learn about the episode of the Meeting of the Rose inside the church, on the morning of the 22nd.

Circuit 2
Pallerols – Cabana de Sant Rafel – Bassa del Banyador – Pallerols

You leave the church of Pallerols in a northerly direction guided by the signs indicating the Cabana and following the blue and yellow markings. It is the “old way of Arçosa”. In 35 minutes you reach the Cabana. In the area it is called “Barraca dels Capellans”. The 1937 expedition lived in this cabin from November 22 to 27.

We will leave the Cabana area continuing in a north-easterly direction until the ridge path (livestock path). When you reach the indicative signs there are two possibilities:

• a) To the left, heading north, you go to the houses of Montlleví and Torrent. It is the “Camí d’Andorra”, which the expeditioners followed in the afternoon of the 27th when they left the forests of Rialb to head towards Ribalera. It is marked with the colors blue and yellow.
• b) To the right, heading south, you go down towards La Bassa and Pallerols. It is circuit 2 which is also marked with the colors blue and yellow.

We will follow the path to the right, arriving in 20 minutes at Bassa del Banyador where the expeditioners of 1937 bathed.

From La Bassa we will continue down towards the house of Empordanès (13 minutes), where the refugees from La Cabana sometimes went to look for food, and then we will reach Pallerols (7 minutes).

In total, we will have spent 35 minutes going up from the Pallerols church to the Cabana, and 40 minutes going down from the Cabana to Pallerols.

Circuit 3
From the Cabana to the Comapou Spring

When you have reached the Cabana (Circuit 2) continue to the ridge and descend along the path that leads to the Bassa following the blue and yellow markings (Circuit 2). About 15 minutes from the Cabana you will come to a sign indicating on the left, heading east, the Font del Comapou or Comalpou. From this sign, the path leading to the spring is marked with yellow circles and can be reached in 30 minutes.

At this source the expeditioners of 1937 went to look for water.</strong >

From the Cabana, it will take you a total of 45 minutes to get there. From the source you can return to Pallerols by the previous path or follow the route coming from Peramola (Tram 1) signposted with the blue and yellow colors.

Circuit 4
From the School of Pallerols to the Font de Pallerols
Right in front of the Pallerols school, currently converted into a rural tourism house, a path leads down to the Font de Pallerols.

This path coincides with the GR-1 that passes through Pallerols. Following the markings (yellow circles) you will reach the source in 7 minutes.