“Cycling a long distance to discover a region or country you don’t know is the best gift you can give yourself.”
That’s what a cyclotourist I met on the Pirinexus told me. I think he’s right. This type of trip offers maximum freedom, as you can cover hundreds of kilometres in a few days and go about anywhere you want.
But to get the most out of your trip, it’s key to prepare well. To help you, here are 5 things you need to know about the Pirinexus before you set off.
1. Allow more than 4 days to visit the places of interest around the Pirinexus
Sporting, cultural, natural, relaxed: there are many adjectives to describe the type of holiday you can enjoy on this cycle route. And they can all be combined. Every traveller has different desires, and if yours is to discover the cultural and natural heritage of Catalonia, I’d advise you to leave some time over.
Here are a few activities you might like to do:
- Visit the Catalan mountain villages: Sant Joan de les Abadesses, Olot, Prats-de-Mollo… On both sides of the border, there are several picturesque villages well worth a stop. I enjoyed wandering around these places with a relaxed atmosphere to get a taste of Catalan culture and admire the historic buildings.
- Stroll through the Greco-Roman ruins of Empúries: a treasure on the route. Located in L’Escala, just behind the beach, the site tells the story of the Phocaean Greek merchants who founded the town in the 6th century B.C. It also shows how a Roman city was organised. Allow at least 2 hours to complete the entire tour, listening to the explanations on the audio guide.
- Take a dip in the Mediterranean Sea or a mountain river: every day, you’ll have opportunities to freshen up. This is particularly useful when you don’t have the option of taking a shower on a campsite or in a hotel. Of course, towards the end of the route, the beaches of the Costa Brava’s seaside resorts await you, but you can also take a break beside mountain streams such as the Ter River.
- Discover a bodega in Empordà: the wines of this historic region of Catalonia have a protected designation of origin (Denominació d’Origen). You will pass through two of the region’s most emblematic wine-producing villages: Capmany and Perelada. Would you like to meet winegrowers where they work and taste their wine? Visit one of the many bodegas in the first village. If you prefer large estates with modern facilities, visit the only bodega in Perelada (€25).
I allowed 4 days (the minimum time advised on the Pirinexus website) to cover the 340 km of the route. That doesn’t leave enough time to enjoy all the attractions. I even had the feeling that I had to rush to keep up the pace.
To avoid this feeling of urgency, go for 6 days. However, it all depends on what you want to see, your physical condition and your time constraints.
2. Use a route planning and navigation app
For most of the route, it’s easy to find the recognisable Pirinexus signs. However, towards the end of the itinerary, they disappear on several stretches. For example, the last day, between Sant Antoni de Calonge and Sant Feliu de Guíxols, I saw no signs at all.
To avoid getting lost and wasting time, install an app, such as Komoot or Strava, before setting off. I use Komoot, and I’m very happy with it.
3. Take more water than you really need
Are you worried about running out of water when you’re out cycling? I do too. Especially when I go to hot regions in summer, as it was the case on the Pirinexus.
What’s more, there was a drought in Catalonia in 2024, the year I of my trip. On the Spanish part of the route, it was easy to find free water in the towns and villages I passed through. On the French side, however, almost all the fountains were closed. So I had to buy a bottle of water in a village before entering an isolated area.
However, I’d brought two 800-ml jerry cans and a bottle of the same capacity, i.e. just under 2.5 litres in total. In my opinion, that’s the minimum capacity per person you need when travelling the Pirinexus in summer.
The most critical sections for water supply are:
- The mountain road that climbs out of Olot: you won’t be passing through any villages in this area until you reach Sant Joan de les Abadesses, and the effort will require you to stay well hydrated. Water bottles empty fast!
- The climb between Le Boulou and the Col de Panissars, on the Spanish border: a fountain in a small village, in France, appeared at just the right moment during my journey. Without it, I would have driven without any water the way to La Jonquera.
4. Ask local people to pitch your tent on their field
Doing wild camping requires taking time out at the end of the day to find a suitable site. Ideally, it should be safe, quiet and protected from the wind and the rain. In my opinion, it’s even better to know that the owner of the field has been informed.
In a large orchard near L’Escala, I asked the people there if it would be possible to pitch my tent for the night. They agreed and were very welcoming. That put my mind at rest.
In my opinion, it doesn’t cost anything to ask people for permission. And although I don’t want to generalise, it seems to me that Catalans will tend to agree if you ask politely. However, bear in mind that, in isolated mountainous areas, you may not meet anyone.
5. Take a break in one of Girona’s cycling cafés
Girona is Spain’s cycling capital. It’s quite normal to come across cyclists on road bikes or more rarely gravel bikes, weaving their way through the tourists. On my trekking bike loaded with two panniers, I must have looked unusual.
Why is this small town so keen on cycling? The topography and quality of the roads that surround it, as well as the mild weather. But above all it’s the presence here of numerous professional cyclists who have made it their home.
The forerunner was Danish rider Johnny Weltz, who moved to the region in 1986. 10 years later, as sports director of a team, he set up a base in Girona. Riders arrived in the following years, the most famous being Lance Armstrong. In their wake, amateur cyclists arrived. It has been become usual to hear them speaking English, German and Dutch in the streets of the province’s capital.
As a result of this influx, a whole cycling economy has sprung up, with top-of-the-range cycle shops, repair workshops and… cycling cafés.
Here are three of them I tried out:
- Hors Catégorie: a large, carefully decorated café-restaurant with a relaxed atmosphere. The terrace overlooks a quiet street.
- Espresso Mafia: this small space, located in a busy street in Girona’s historic centre, is very welcoming. The staff are friendly and the coffee is of good quality. The establishment is owned by a retired professional cyclist, Christian Meier, and his wife.
- La Fabrica: the couple also runs La Fabrica, a café-restaurant offering a wide choice of brunches, juices and coffees. The prices are high, but the atmosphere is friendly. I sat on the terrace, as the inside was too noisy for my taste. The view over the little square is charming.
Other cycling cafés in Girona include La Comuna, Oniria Café and Eat, Sleep, Cycle.
Do you have any other tips to enjoy the Pirinexus? Share them in the comments!
