C/ Prat de la Creu 74-76, baixos. Andorra la Vella

ACCES AND PARKING

The main entrances to the valley are described below. It should be taken into account that there are many more, and that each of these paths may have forks or alternatives. However, these are the most significant ones and the ones that are signposted.

Remember that the Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley is a pedestrian environment, motorized vehicles are prohibited.  

FROM Pleta dels Orris

To get to La Pleta dels Orris, you need to get to the end of the Cortals Road (CS-220). There, you can leave your car and go back on foot, along the road, to the climbing wall. After this, you must cross the hanging bridge and go to La Pleta dels Orris, where you have two options:

1.- carry along the same path that goes along the crest line to the peak of the Griu and then along the Collada d’Emportona, where you should take the GR7 to the Refugi de l’Illa (this path goes along the Collada de Pessons).

2.- follow the path from Campeà which crosses the Obac dels Cortals, goes to Lake Ensagents and continues to the Collada de Pessons.

FROM Ensagents

Take the Cortals road (CS-220), and approximately 1 km after Sant Jaume dels Cortals Church, there are the panels indicating the path to enter the valley. Follow the GRP as far as Collada de Pessons (going past the Refugi d’Ensagents) and from there, take the GR7 to the Refugi de l’Illa..

FROM camí de les Àgols

The path begins at the junction of the Cortals road (CS-220) with the Borda de les Pardines, just before the kilometer point PK3 of the CS 220, on the right side of a water tank. There we find a parking area. An aluminum panel indicates the beginning of the Agols path. Take this path, which follows a route that passes near the Gargantillar lakes and near the Rodó lake and which finally arrives at the refuge of the Illa.

FROM Pessons

We will go up the road CG-2 to Grau Roig, where we will leave the car to continue on foot to the first of the Pessons lakes (l’estany Primer), from here we have two ways to get to the Illa refuge:

1.- through the Pessons pass: we follow the GR7/GRP that passes by the lakes: Primer, Forcat, round, Meligar, and Pessons, until we reach the pass of the same name and from here to the Illa refuge.

2.- by the Montmalús pass: take the path that goes up the Montmalús pass and the Coma Estremera lake, a few meters after the pass, fork to the right in the direction of Illa refuge (yellow markings).

ALONG THE Comella ROAD (CS 101)

This is the main entrance from Andorra la Vella.  Some 4 km along the Comella road, you will get to the “picnic point” (punt de berenar) next to the Alberg La Comella; there is a parking area where you can leave your vehicle. There is a path here that goes up to Prat Primer through Riguer, going past El Cortal de la Plana. When you get to Prat Primer, carry along the steep path that takes you to the Refugi de Prat Primer, from where you enter the valley, either along the left-hand path (along El Coll Pa) or by going straight ahead (along the Collada de Prat Primer). Both paths take you to Claror, the entrance to the Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley.

A less direct option than the Prat Primer path is the forest path: from the same departure point as before, take the forest track, carry along the Palomera path and then go along El Planell del Ras path. Carry on towards La Collada de la Caülla along the Maians path, and finally take the Certeressos path until you come to the Refugi de Prat Primer.

From El Pont de la Margineda (in Santa Coloma)

Cross the bridge and carry on towards the old highway. Carry along Costa Seda, then along Pica Romana, towards the Collada de la Caülla, the Certeressos path and you will come to the Refugi de Prat Primer.

From El Rec de l’Obac in Andorra la Vella

Another option is to take the GR7 at the Rec de l’Obac in Andorra la Vella, carry along the Solobre path and head towards the Collada de la Caülla, the Certeressos path and you will come to the Refugi de Prat Primer.

From the Font des Traginers

On the border with Spain, hedged towards the Refugi de la Rabassa until you get there, then carry on to Roca de Pimes, Solana del Caborreu, Coll de Finestres, Camp Ramonet as far as the Pic Negre where you enter into protected territory.

From the centre of Sant Julià de Lòria

In Avinguda de Canòlich, take the footpath towards Nagol. Carry on to Certés, as far as Bordes del Manyat following the GR7, continue along the Collada de la Caülla, Prat Primer and towards the Collada de Prat Primer where you go into the valley.
Bear in mind that once you get to Coll de Costa Seda, there is the alternative option of taking the path that leaves from the Pont de la Margineda in Andorra la Vella (the two paths cross each other here and again at the Collada de la Caülla, the end of the route is the same).

FROM Perafita

From the peak of Perafita, carry on towards La Torre dels Soldats as far as Port Negre. There, you cross the path that comes out of the Font de Traginers and take the same route.

ALONG THE FORESTAL TRACK

The forest track enters from Spain (Fonts dels Traginers) and goes to La Rabassa where it meets the secondary road, where there is also the GRP path that goes from El Cortal del Folch (and that can also be reached from Arcavell). The track ends up in Camp de Claror and from there on you should take the same path as described from the Font de Traginers.

FROM la Plana ROAD

Some 50 metres from the crossroads between the Engolasters road (CS-200) and the Plana road (CS-101), following the Plana road, you reach the foot of the Camí de Muntanya, which is the most direct entry into the Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley from Escaldes-Engordany.

  • Some 2 km from this entrance, following the Plana road and just before reaching La Plana residential estate, you will come to another entrance, the Rec de l’Obac.
  • The Font de Ferro path which comes out of the Passeig del Rec de l’Obac in Andorra also goes to La Plana.

There is another secondary entrance some 50 metres further up from the crossroads of La Plana and Engolasters roads, heading towards Engolasters, which is Les Molleres path.

From the Circuit de les Fonts

On the last bend of the Engolasters road (CS-200), you get to the Circuit de les Fonts car park. Thanks to this car park, this entrance is one of the main gateways to the valley from Escaldes-Engordany. From here, you should take Els Matxos path to Coll Jovell, and here, you go into the protected area along the same path that goes down to Ràmio, along the Solà de Ràmio path or along the Tosa de Braibal path.

From the Engolasters esplanade

Take the Engolasters road (CS-200) until you come to the Pla d’Engolasters. In the picnic area at the Font de la Closa, there are two paths: the Coll Jovell path (which is the most direct one) and the Canal de la Tosa path, which links up with Els Matxos path.

From the centre of Escaldes-Engordany

Several paths entering the Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley are signposted from Escaldes-Engordany town centre. However, all these paths are, at some point or another, interrupted by the Obac road (CS-100).

  • Along the Avinguda del Pont de la Tosca and from the bridge of the same name, take the Molleres and Engolasters path which will take you to the Obac road.  There are three alternatives here: either Les Molleres path, or do part of the road and, going upwards, go towards the Engolasters path which leads towards the Engolasters plane and pond, or going downhill, take La Muntanya path.
  • Other secondary entrances from the same avenue are La Canaleta path (which, after crossing the Obac road, joins up with La Muntanya path) and Coll de Caldes path which comes out into the Engolasters road.
  • Along the Obac path you will come to the Plana path that leads to La Plana residential estate.  From there, take the Rec de l’Obac path.

from Encamp

To visit the Valley from Encamp, you can leave your car in the Grau Roig car park (entrance from Els Pessons), in the car park on the Ctra. de les Pardines (entrance from Les Agols), or you can leave your car in the Funicamp intermediate ski resort area in Els Cortals d’Encamp (entrance from Ensagents).

from Andorra la Vella

There is a free parking at the main entrance to the Valley from Andorra la Vella, just at the beginning of the Prat Primer path, in front of La Comella picnic area.

If you take the entrance from Pont de la Margineda, you can also leave your car in a small asphalted car park just next to the bridge.

FROM Sant Julià de Lòria

The entrance from Sant Julià de Lòria has the Naturland parking area, height 2.000 meters.

FROM Escaldes-Engordany

There is a blue zone parking at the entrance of the circuit of Les Fonts.

The main entrance to the valley through Escaldes-Engordany has a barrier parking. It is located just before turning right, on the Plana road, where the entrance is on the Mountain road.

At the Circuit de les Fonts entrance, at the Pla d’Engolasters, there is a rough area of land where you can leave your car.

Finally, you can leave the car in the Camp del Serrat car park, next to the Engolasters lake.