Loop for athletes! (red mountain bike marking n°3)
Route details
Description
Argelès-sur-Mer seen from above. This beautiful hike in successive stages will take you up to the village of Argelès-sur-Mer.
At the ford, take the path on your left. After a hundred meters, tackle the first difficulty. A severe steep path takes you up the hillside for the most rolling part of this route. The first ten minutes are sustained. Don't give up now. At the top of this hill, tackle approximately 3 km of rolling downhill section with a small restart until the Mas Cristine bifurcation.
The Mas Cristine junction marks a transition from the track to a tarmac section of 300 meters. It is also the last rest passage before starting the main climb to the basin. At the end of the road, take the DFCI-AL 39 track on the right and from now on, take the right pace. The next three kilometers offer little respite.
Reach the highest point of the mountain bike hike at the basin. But there are still a few small difficulties before the long descent to Valmy. The hike continues to the right of the basin. SUGGESTION: For the more adventurous, at the level of the basin (water reservoir) the track opposite continues for 2 km via the DFCI-AL 41 ter track towards Roc del Corb (terminus of the track, altitude 580m). Beyond that, we recommend putting down your bike and or carrying it on the hiking trail. At the Place d'Armes the path continues in a scree which rises steeply to the Tour de la Massane (Altitude 794m). The view is panoramic over the entire Pyrénées-Orientales department and the Mediterranean Sea. Please note: The hiking trails are not approved for mountain biking.
On the descent, don't miss the hairpin bend. This point is ideal for a small souvenir photo. With all this effort, it is well deserved.
At the ford, take the path on your left. After a hundred meters, tackle the first difficulty. A severe steep path takes you up the hillside for the most rolling part of this route. The first ten minutes are sustained. Don't give up now. At the top of this hill, tackle approximately 3 km of rolling downhill section with a small restart until the Mas Cristine bifurcation.
The Mas Cristine junction marks a transition from the track to a tarmac section of 300 meters. It is also the last rest passage before starting the main climb to the basin. At the end of the road, take the DFCI-AL 39 track on the right and from now on, take the right pace. The next three kilometers offer little respite.
Reach the highest point of the mountain bike hike at the basin. But there are still a few small difficulties before the long descent to Valmy. The hike continues to the right of the basin. SUGGESTION: For the more adventurous, at the level of the basin (water reservoir) the track opposite continues for 2 km via the DFCI-AL 41 ter track towards Roc del Corb (terminus of the track, altitude 580m). Beyond that, we recommend putting down your bike and or carrying it on the hiking trail. At the Place d'Armes the path continues in a scree which rises steeply to the Tour de la Massane (Altitude 794m). The view is panoramic over the entire Pyrénées-Orientales department and the Mediterranean Sea. Please note: The hiking trails are not approved for mountain biking.
On the descent, don't miss the hairpin bend. This point is ideal for a small souvenir photo. With all this effort, it is well deserved.