The weather
Accessibility
Roses Frontier Crossing
Start and finish your cycling adventure on the Empordà plain. Cross the massif of the Cap de Creus Natural Park in the direction of Llançà. Enjoy an enchanting stretch of the Costa Brava that leads you to the border and reach the Costa Vermella, to Banyuls.
Return to the plain through the Albera mountain range along the demanding ramps between Banyuls and Espolla. You are on the heart of the DO Empordà Wine Route. Stop and enjoy our wines.
Type: road
Direction: counter-clockwise
Distance: 93 km
Duration: 5 h 25'
Accumulated climb: 1.390 m
Accumulated descent: 1.390 m
Main passes: Coll del Frare and Coll dels Belitres (Average gradient of 1.9% - Maximum gradient of 8%) and Coll de Banyuls (Average gradient of 3.5% - Maximum gradient of 20%)
Difficulty: 2/3
1. On the fastest main roads, the kerbs are reasonably good, traffic is fairly heavy and even more so in summer.
2. You should be fit and especially so if, at Banyuls, you choose the option to go towards Collioure.
3. Stop to gather your strength before climbing the Coll de Banyuls.
4. Attention! After Colera, you leave the N-260 to climb the Coll dels Frares towards Portbou and don’t have to go through the tunnels. It's worth it.
5. The climb to the Coll de Banyuls is along a road which is in good condition but is narrow, without lines or kerbs. Final inclines of 22%.
6. On the descent of the Coll de Banyuls to Espolla there are 5 cattle grids (these are iron bars set into the ground, visible or covered with steel plates). They are indicated with a warning sign. There are some sections with slopes of 10%.
7. After the first descent of the Coll de Banyuls, at the first ford of a stream you cross, the concrete road surface is in poor condition. The asphalt on the rest is fine.
8. After Espolla, don’t be over confident, despite entering the Empordà plain towards Roses, it is long and there are often deceptive flat sections and small undulations.
Downloads
Images
Legal warning
The trails are an option to follow specific routes. The trail markers are exclusively of informative nature that indicate where the planned itinerary goes. Given the diverse situations and circumstances that may occur, it is essentially impossible to guarantee that this signage remains intact always. As such, the Town Hall and/or other entities that maintain the signage are not to be held liable for damages and/or loss in the case of getting lost or any other potential problem that users may face when using the indicated routes.
For this reason, users following the marked routes are recommended to not only rely on the signage for direction. Rather, both prior and during their excursion, they should have a map, GPS or compass at hand in order to solve any problems that may present themselves.
Additionally, it is important to keep in mind that when following a marked trail, the norms for movement and correct behaviour should be totally respected, whether on trail, road or streambed.
The marked routes on the trails are merely informative, and, as such, the Town Hall of Roses is not to be held liable for the accidents occurred whilst using said trails. When using the trails, it is recommended to do so with the proper equipment and material, keeping the prior recommendations in mind.
