Pyrenees: Ceret

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Driving west from Ceret on the D115 road you arrive to Prats-de-Mollo-la-Preste. Its 33 km from Ceret and about 50 minutes drive. Click HERE to view on the map.

A nice village with a medieval old walled city and an impressive fortress on the hill above the village. There are several restaurants and cafes in the village, and the road itself along the D115 is very nice.

If you decide to continue and go further-away and up from Prats-de-Mollo-la-Preste you have two option:

• Option 1: Mollo. Little village on the Spanish side: from Prats-de-Mollo – cross the river and continue on D115 toward Col d'Ares and the Spanish border. Its rather winding and serpentine road. You can enjoy first glimpse of the area in a view point in height of 1185 in Col de Seille. Its just a stop on the side of the road, not a ready made view point. Continue to Col d'Ares - Its a beautiful ridge right on the border between Spain and France. There are magnificent views on the Pyrenees from this location. Than you can continue to a nice and small Spanish village with several restaurants and cafes in the center. The name of the village is Mollo. From here you can return on the same way to Ceret.

 

• Option 2: Views on Mount Canigou (2785 m)from Châlet Las Conques which is a little tea/coffee/beer house and also a refuge with dormitories. Check before arriving if its open if you plan to eat or sleep there. From here you can walk around and see the massive cliffs of Mt. Canigou. The location is HERE

How to get there: When exiting Prats de Mollo you turn right to D115A immediately after crossing the river . Than just before arriving to La Preste Les Bains you take a right-turn to a narrow road climbing steeply to the mountain. Note: its not an all-weather road. If the weather is rough don't do it! Its rather winding and serpentine road. Another option for good walkers is to walk up to Châlet Las Conques by foot from the last parking in La Preste Les Bains (its after the hotels, just on the entrance to the dairy farm). Its 5 km about 4 hours steep uphill climb and you have to do all the way down again. Its not a simple “walk in the park” and you have to be prepared with enough water, snacks and good walking shoes. The trail is marked red and yellow and there is quiet good marking. See image with the sign post you see from the parking lot.