will not fully appreciate until following the route by bicycle and savouring the wealth of all its details.
the Pirinexus route
Main route: 353 km Additional routes : 175 km
PARADISE OF DIVERSITY IN TERMS OF LANDSCAPE, CULTURE AND GASTRONOMY The geography, latitude and strategic location of this small territory mean that the diversity of its landscapes, traditions, gastronomic aspects and cultural heritage would be difficult to match in any other area of this size across the world. The fact that in less than 70 km, as the crow flies, we go from an altitude of 2,500 m above
TWO STATES, ONE LANGUAGE: CATALAN
jean claude martinez
Pirinexus is a circular trans-border touring cyclist route which links the regions on both sides of the Pyrenees at the eastern end of the mountain range between Spain and France. The main section of the route is 353 km long, on top of which there are 175 km of additional itineraries which take you to the many sights of interest along the route. Almost half of the entire route runs along greenways and the rest uses rural tracks and roads with low traffic densities.
sea level to sea level itself shows that we have intermediate latitudes, and that the easiest way to cross the Pyrenean border is by following the Mediterranean coastline, means that the route combines snowy mountains with beaches where bathers can be found all year round. Furthermore, the area produces a great variety of natural vegetation and crops that are used in the gastronomy of a wide range of extremely varied and wholesome products. This is where the worldwide reputation and the Michelin stars for Catalan food come from. If we add to this the contributions made by the different cultures that have lived or passed through these lands, the Indigetes, the Greeks, the Romans –Hannibal with his elephants–, the Arabs, Jews, etc., this gives us a small idea of the reasons behind this cultural and heritage diversity that we
Until 1659, the inhabitants of the area covered by the route spoke just one language –Catalan– and the area was governed by one sole administrative body; the Catalan Courts. This fact will become evident again and again along the route in the place names, the symbols found on flags and coats of arms, in the close relation between elements of cultural heritage, and also in the gastronomy. This situation comes to an end in 1659 with the signing of the Treaty of the Pyrenees between Phillip IV of Castille and Lluis XIV of France. The two monarchs put an end to the war between them with this Treaty in exchange for, among other things, the transfer of particular territories; one of those being the county of Rosselló that includes the current part of the French state covered by our route. On the north side of the border, the Catalan identity has been maintained mainly through symbols. The language is currently undergoing a recovery process in some schools and 50% of the population understand it.