Ermitage Notre-Dame du Château par la route de Lavail
Between Romanesque chapels, the ruins of Ultrera castle, viewpoints and the Massane gorges. /!\ Due to recent bad weather, the footbridge that allows you to cross the "La Massane" river is damaged; please bring rubbish bags to cross it. The road is closed to traffic from the D2 junction to Lavail from mid-June to mid-September.
This hike offers views of three chapels and the ridge line between the Medes and Ultrera rock formations. Beautiful panoramas and a lovely fountain near La Pave.
Leave your vehicle at the crossroads and start the hike from there to reach the chapel of Saint-Ferréol.
The start of this hike is located on the road leading to the hamlet of Lavail on the parking area at the foot of the Chapelle Saint-Ferréol de la Pava. Take the path that leads to the chapel. From this site, cross the DFCI-AL track n°27. For this hike follow the PR ARG 5 markings.
The path opposite passes in front of the Bosc source. The path can be quite technical and steep to reach a chaos of metamorphic rocks.
At Pic Sant Miquel, panoramic view of the Roussillon plain. Head towards the chapel of the Hermitage of Notre-Dame-du-Château.
Take the direction of Les Medes, Font del Miracles, Col de l'Aranyo, Col des Trois Hêtres, Les Crêtes
From the Hermitage, go up towards the Roc de les Medes PR SOR5 hike. The concrete circle on the ground is the former base of the first solar oven (The Padre Himalayan oven) dating from 1900. To discover its history, visit the site of the solar oven (identically reproduced by a scientific community) located at Sorède at Mas del Ca.
Then take the marked path on the left, after Puig Nalt, which follows the ridges to Roc de les Medes.
At the fork follow the sign Roc de les Medes, Puig dels Quatres Termes. Cross between 2 rocky peaks. A signposted fork then suggests the return to Lavail PV 5bis. Then begin a steep and narrow descent to the Massane river.
Cross the river at Chapelle St Martin then turn left to find your starting point approximately 2.5km further down.