Walk the Region: Cosprons Circular
with Tim and Chris Parker
Key info A delightful circular walk of approximately 1h 20mins with good paths and short ascents and descents inland from Port Vendres. Suitable as a family walk. No-stress parking away from town. Walking boots recommended. Waymarked yellow. Suitable at any time of year except immediately after torrential rain, as route crosses several stream beds. Access: map IGN 1:25000 Banyuls, Col de Perthus, Cote Vermeille 2549OT |
Start
Park on gravel area on right off roundabout at exit of dual carriageway N914 approaching Port Vendres. The road up to lotissement (housing estate) le Pont de l’Amour is in front as you turn right but don’t go up this road; just turn immediately right again into parking area to side of roundabout.
The walk
Take road up towards lotissement. Path is waymarked with yellow boards halfway up on right. Take this path, which soon runs between 2 stone walls. Lotissement will be across valley on left.
After approx 10 minutes emerge onto narrow road. Cross directly opposite to right of 2 storage tanks and take double track to right of stone cabin.
Rise gently alongside vineyard to reach crossing of tracks. Go straight across and descend to cross stream bed just after path becomes single track.
Follow path left above narrow road to reach end of tarmac section of road. Continue in same direction you were heading onto double track beside holiday hideaway cottage on left, with vines on right.
Path turns right down vineyard. Ahead is the stone water tower of Cosprons. Look out for single path on left before right hand bend on track. Path leads to a road. Cross it to continue downhill across dry stream bed then up to the impressive water tower (30-35 mins to this point).
Not all olives are equalOver the past few months, you’ll probably have noticed black olives scattered around the bases of unpicked olive trees but did you know that those perfect black olives that you buy in tins are very pretty and shiny because they are cured in an alkaline solution, and treated with oxygen and an iron compound (ferrous gluconate), which turns their skins black, – and affects their flavour of course? If you’re looking for healthy and tasty black olives, don’t go for the shiny black ones, (marked ‘confites’ here it France) as they’re the least natural of the lot!
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Around the tower is a garden planted with olive trees. Here you will find a memorial sculpture for Olivier Ferrand, a local man who died in 2012 and set up the Terra Nova Foundation, an internationally well known French independent liberal think tank. The sculpture is in metal and in 2 parts.
Stubborn donkeyAccording to legend, the village of Cosprons grew up following a miracle. A fisherman from the Bay of Paulilles caught a statue pf Christ on the cross in his nets. Amazed, he loaded his catch onto his donkey to take back to his village. When they arrived, the donkey continued walking until he reached the top of the hill, where he stopped and refused to move any further. A donkey with Christ on the Cross was of course interpreted as a divine sign and the villagers built the Église Sainte-Marie on the spot. The village of Cosprons grew up around the church. The painted wooden statue of Christ on the cross, called ‘Christ marin’ because of the legend of its discovery can still be seen in the church.
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Descend to left of water tower and continue left, below the church, to emerge on main street in hamlet of Cosprons.(Alt 39m) A waymarker indicates a route to the Vinaigrerie of La Guineille, for those who may be interested.
Vinegar… naturallySurrounded as they are by some of the most renowned vineyards in the region, it seems only natural that the vinegar produced at the Vinaigrerie de la Guinelle should be based on sweet and aromatic grapes from local vineyards. Aged outdoors beneath the Mediterranean sun, the Vinaigrerie de la Guinelle is the only vinaigrerie in France producing its vinegars with traditional wine based methods, organic and natural, without additives. The vinegar is only good if the wine is good. Try before you buy….Vinaigre de Banyuls Rouge, Vinaigre de Banyuls Blanc, fruity vinegars, nutty vinegars…. but remember you have to carry it back!
Check out Hilary Cacchio’s tasty recipe: chicken baked in vinegar. |
Otherwise turn left to follow the D86a out of Cosprons. After half km pass a large canon at a road junction. The history of the period 1792-5, and the role which Cosprons played in the reconquest of the territory is set out in a display. The troops were led by General Dugommier, whose name is given to a fort above Collioure.
Soon pass a ruined cabin on left. After a further half km, just after a zig zag in road, turn left onto double track which descends between cut out rock into vineyards. (A path opposite, on right, continues down to Paulilles and Banyuls).
Have you heard about the ‘traginers’?These ‘muletiers’ (muleteers) were former Catalan traders who travelled from village to village selling coal, wood, fabric and food, carried on the back of mules. Many of the tracks we walk today were originally forged by these sturdy beasts. Find out more at the « Maison de l’Histoire » in Le Boulou, a small, free museum documenting the history of Le Boulou from prehistory to present day.
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After 20 metres step up onto single track in vineyard and soon bend right behind large ruined Mas. At a large pine tree the path drops down into valley, across dry stream bed, past vines and over a wooden bridge to cross another stream bed.
Walk left a few metres in the stream bed before going up into vineyard and following the chemin muletier over rock and up to a cabin near a road.
Follow your AssThere are ‘chemins muletiers’ or mule tracks throughout the Pyrenees as hardy mules and donkeys were used for transporting people and goods in the mountainous terrain. They brought ice down the mountains from the ice wells, delivered food to isolated dwellings and helping out with the vendange. Distinguishable by their height of 1,45m – 1,60m, the Catalan donkey is typically black or brown, with a white circle around the eyes.
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Cross the road to follow footpath to Col del Mitg (Alt 101m).
At the Col cross the road to descend the slope behind the houses of the lotissement (signed Port Vendres). After the houses, look out for path on left which takes you the few metres up to the approach road into the lotissement le Pont de l’Amour, near a bench. Descend the road to return to parking area.
