R04 - Barbastro to Puig Reig
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RouteXpert Arno van Lochem - Advanced RX
Last edit: 17-12-2021
Route Summary A little more to the north are the Pyrenees, where it is of course also beautiful to drive. This route runs through the southern part of the Spanish Pyrenees. On beautiful roads where it is wonderful to drive you drive east, towards the Mediterranean.
The route starts in Barbasto. Via a number of nice colls, including the Pas de Finestres, the Coll de Faidella and the Coll de Bóixols you drive towards Puig-Reig, also located in the southern Pyrenees.
This route is part of a tour through Catalonia, Andorra and the Pyrenees. This tour is divided into seven routes, of which this is the fourth part.
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Animation
Verdict
Duration
7h 52m
Mode of travel
Car or motorcycle
Distance
266.30 km
Countries
RouteXpert Review The Pyrenees are a true paradise for motorcyclists: Beautiful views and magnificent winding roads between imposing mountains. Given the beautiful environment in which the roads are really formidable and provide a lot of driving pleasure, I rate this route with 5 stars.
The route starts in Barbasto and soon leaves the built-up area. The first kilometers you drive on the N-123, a beautiful wide asphalt road that winds through the hilly landscape. After about 15 kilometers, just before the exit to the town of Olvena, you will see an old bridge below, the Diablo bridge (devil's bridge).
The myth told about this bridge is that many years ago a farmer dedicated to growing maize lived in solitude. At one point he made the decision to try his luck on the other side of the river. That land was much closer to his home, but he had to cross the river for it. Problem: The river was way too deep to cross. One day, newly married, he said innocently, "I'd sell my soul to the devil if I had a bridge over this river."
Immediately a man in a suit and tie appeared and said to him, "I'll be happy to make the bridge you so badly need. If I finish it before the first cock crows, your soul will be mine, otherwise leave I without taking your soul. "
They closed the deal and the devil started to build the bridge. The man was very nervous that he would lose his soul, because building the bridge went pretty quickly. Every day he looked more and more concerned, and his wife began to notice. However, he didn't say anything not to worry her, but he got so desperate that he decided to tell her.
The woman then said to him, "Don't worry about anything, just lie down and leave it to me. The devil won't take your soul!"
From that moment on, the woman kept a close eye on the construction workers. When she realized that the bridge was almost complete, she started stomping her legs and crowing like a rooster. This woke up the 'real' rooster and started crowing. The devil disappeared and the bridge remained unfinished. The farmer's soul was saved.
Many people tried to finish the bridge, but every time they placed a stone or built something, it collapsed again. It is said that only the devil can finish it, but in exchange for someone's soul.
True or not, it's worth taking a look at the bridge and snapping a few photos. For the 'dare-devils': On the side of the road a steep path leads down towards the bridge.
You will continue the route on the N-123 to Torres del Obispo, where you will follow the N-123A. After a few kilometers you will pass the Abajo bridge. Located on the south side of Graus, and also known as Pontarrón, Magdalena or Cruz Bridge, Abajo Bridge represents the ingenuity, constructive strength and beauty of medieval engineering.
Although some wanted to see its Roman origins, the current bridge dates from the 16th century and has a late medieval structure: a characteristic 'donkey back' profile, sidings, both in the triangular shafts and on round tracks; a work of bluestone erected above the river Ésera, with three eyes in a semicircular arch.
A great time to stop and see how people could build something amazingly beautiful in those days.
After Graus, turn right onto the A1605. A few kilometers further on you can see another beautiful bridge, the Romanesque Románico bridge. This bridge over the river Isábena has eight 'eyes' with vaults ranging from deeply depressed arches at the ends to the three-central vault of the main span.
The pillars are reinforced on both sides with triangular shafts, these are raised up to the edge of the bridge, creating a wider deck at the places of the pillars. This made it easier to cross loaded animals.
It is also worth stopping for this bridge and admiring the architecture of several hundred years ago.
You leave the A1605 at Laguarres and turn onto the A1606. The first 3 kilometers nothing special, but then there is a piece of asphalt where it is great to steer. Great curves and views. There were places to stop for a photo or just enjoy what there is to see.
After more than 75 kilometers, it is time to pamper the inner man. This is possible at the Catalan Restaurant Montsec, where they serve a delicious cup of coffee.
After coffee, it is possible to follow the road past the restaurant to the Torre de Viacamp / Viacamp tower. On top, on a small plateau, you will find the unmistakable shape of the slender cylindrical tower Viacamp and the abandoned Romanesque church. The immediate surroundings are fantastic to see from the tower, which has a viewing point at the top. From here you can see the splendor of the Noguera Ribagorzana Valley, the slopes of the Montsec Mountains and the high peaks of the Pyrenees.
Once back on the route, you will drive over the first passes of this route, the Port de Sant Miquel (863 meters) and the Coll de Montllobar (963 meters). After the town of Isona, the Pas de Finestres (1045 meters), Coll de Faidella (1250 meters) and the Coll de Bóixols (1380 meters) are added. This last pass treats you in the descent to a great piece of asphalt on which steering is pleasant to say the least.
After lunch in Coll de Nargó at Hotel Betriu, just before you reach the last pass in this route, you will pass a viewpoint where it is also worth a stop. A nice view over the valley you just drove through. Simply turn off at the 'Mirador' sign, park your motorcycle and enjoy.
Then you reach, as mentioned, the last pass of this route, the Collada de Clarà with an altitude of 880 meters. Not spectacularly high, but a descent with a descent of 10% and signs with those winding arrows indicate that there is another nice piece of asphalt in front of you.
When you arrive in Solsona you drive past restaurant El Cobert, where you can stop for a cup of coffee or a refreshment. Within walking distance of El Cobert you will find Pou de Gel, an ice source. This is a circular structure covered with a dome, which was used to store ice obtained from the Black River or the Bofia hole. It was used from the 17th to the 19th century. During the colder months, the ice was stored and stored indoors and marketed from spring to All Saints' Day. Here you will discover how ice production, storage and marketing worked more than 200 years ago. Nice to see!
Further along the route, after you have driven a bit on the great C-26, you will pass the mushroom museum. Not to be missed because of the gigantic mushroom on the facade. The Mushroom Art Museum in Montmajor is located on the ground floor of the former town hall, which was abandoned in 1994 due to the construction of the new town hall. The left facade is decorated with a trompe-l'oeil mural (optical illusion) depicting a forest.
Inside you will find the visitor's reception, the toilets, a projection room for an audiovisual film about the history of Montmajor and its market, and a single exhibition room accessible through two glass panels. Under these glass panels (which you can walk over) you can see mushrooms growing on forest floor. The ceramic representations of mushrooms are housed in display cases decorated with moss, earth and branches, natural elements of forests.
The museum is a cultural institution of an eminently didactic nature, whose aim is to portray the world of mushrooms and their particularities to all its visitors, be they experts or newcomers.
After all this mushroom violence you gently swing towards the end of this route. The last part of the BV-4235 is a pleasure to drive with its tight asphalt, beautiful curves and views.
After Navàs you drive parallel to the C-16 to Puig-Reig, where Aparthotel Cal Marçal is located, a nice quiet hotel with a swimming pool where life is good.
Have fun driving this route!
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Use of this GPS route is at your own expense and risk. The route has been carefully composed and checked by a MyRoute-app accredited RouteXpert for use on TomTom, Garmin and MyRoute-app Navigation.
Changes may nevertheless have occurred due to changed circumstances, road diversions or seasonal closures. We therefore recommend checking each route before use.
Preferably use the route track in your navigation system. More information about the use of MyRoute-app can be found on the website under 'Community' or 'Academy'.
Changes may nevertheless have occurred due to changed circumstances, road diversions or seasonal closures. We therefore recommend checking each route before use.
Preferably use the route track in your navigation system. More information about the use of MyRoute-app can be found on the website under 'Community' or 'Academy'.
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Catalonia
About this region
Catalonia (; Catalan: Catalunya [kətəˈluɲə, kataˈluɲa]; Aranese Occitan: Catalonha [kataˈluɲa]; Spanish: Cataluña [kataˈluɲa]) is an autonomous community in the northeastern corner of Spain, designated as a nationality by its Statute of Autonomy.Catalonia consists of four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. The capital and largest city, Barcelona is the second-most populated municipality in Spain and the fifth-most populous urban area in the European Union. It comprises most of the former Principality of Catalonia (with the remainder Roussillon now part of France's Pyrénées-Orientales). It is bordered by France (Occitanie) and Andorra to the north, the Mediterranean Sea to the east, and the Spanish autonomous communities of Aragon to the west and Valencia to the south. The official languages are Catalan, Spanish, and the Aranese dialect of Occitan.In the late 8th century, various counties across the eastern Pyrenees were established by the Frankish kingdom as a defensive barrier against Muslim invasions. In the 10th century the County of Barcelona became progressively independent. In 1137, Barcelona and the Kingdom of Aragon were united by marriage under the Crown of Aragon. Within the Crown, the Catalan counties adopted a common polity, the Principality of Catalonia, developing its own institutional system, such as Courts, Generalitat and constitutions, becoming the base for the Crown's Mediterranean trade and expansionism. In the later Middle Ages, Catalan literature flourished. In 1469, the king of Aragon and the queen of Castile were married and ruled their realms together, retaining all of their distinct institutions and legislation.
During the Franco-Spanish War (1635–1659), Catalonia revolted (1640–1652) against a large and burdensome presence of the royal army, being briefly proclaimed a republic under French protection, until it was largely reconquered by the Spanish army. By the Treaty of the Pyrenees (1659), the northern parts of Catalonia, mostly the Roussillon, were ceded to France. During the War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714), the Crown of Aragon sided against the Bourbon Philip V of Spain; following Catalan defeat on 11 September 1714, Philip V imposed a unifying administration across Spain, enacting the Nueva Planta decrees which, like in the other realms of the Crown of Aragon, suppressed the Catalan institutions and rights. This led to the eclipse of Catalan as a language of government and literature, replaced by Spanish. Throughout the 18th century, Catalonia experienced economic growth.
In the 19th century, Catalonia was severely affected by the Napoleonic and Carlist Wars. In the second third of the century, it experienced industrialisation. As wealth from the industrial expansion grew, it saw a cultural renaissance coupled with incipient nationalism while several workers movements appeared. With the establishment of the Second Spanish Republic (1931–1939), the Generalitat was restored as a Catalan autonomous government. After the Spanish Civil War, the Francoist dictatorship enacted repressive measures, abolishing Catalan self-government and banning the official use of the Catalan language. After a period of autarky, from the late 1950s through to the 1970s Catalonia saw rapid economic growth, drawing many workers from across Spain, making Barcelona one of Europe's largest industrial metropolitan areas and turning Catalonia into a major tourist destination. During the Spanish transition to democracy (1975–1982), Catalonia regained self-government and is now one of the most economically dynamic communities of Spain.
Since the 2010s there has been growing support for Catalan independence. On 27 October 2017, the Catalan Parliament unilaterally declared independence following a disputed referendum. The Spanish Senate voted in favour of enforcing direct rule by removing the Catalan government and calling a snap regional election. The Spanish Supreme Court imprisoned seven former ministers of the Catalan government on charges of rebellion and misuse of public funds, while several others—including then-President Carles Puigdemont—fled to other European countries.
Read more on Wikipedia
During the Franco-Spanish War (1635–1659), Catalonia revolted (1640–1652) against a large and burdensome presence of the royal army, being briefly proclaimed a republic under French protection, until it was largely reconquered by the Spanish army. By the Treaty of the Pyrenees (1659), the northern parts of Catalonia, mostly the Roussillon, were ceded to France. During the War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714), the Crown of Aragon sided against the Bourbon Philip V of Spain; following Catalan defeat on 11 September 1714, Philip V imposed a unifying administration across Spain, enacting the Nueva Planta decrees which, like in the other realms of the Crown of Aragon, suppressed the Catalan institutions and rights. This led to the eclipse of Catalan as a language of government and literature, replaced by Spanish. Throughout the 18th century, Catalonia experienced economic growth.
In the 19th century, Catalonia was severely affected by the Napoleonic and Carlist Wars. In the second third of the century, it experienced industrialisation. As wealth from the industrial expansion grew, it saw a cultural renaissance coupled with incipient nationalism while several workers movements appeared. With the establishment of the Second Spanish Republic (1931–1939), the Generalitat was restored as a Catalan autonomous government. After the Spanish Civil War, the Francoist dictatorship enacted repressive measures, abolishing Catalan self-government and banning the official use of the Catalan language. After a period of autarky, from the late 1950s through to the 1970s Catalonia saw rapid economic growth, drawing many workers from across Spain, making Barcelona one of Europe's largest industrial metropolitan areas and turning Catalonia into a major tourist destination. During the Spanish transition to democracy (1975–1982), Catalonia regained self-government and is now one of the most economically dynamic communities of Spain.
Since the 2010s there has been growing support for Catalan independence. On 27 October 2017, the Catalan Parliament unilaterally declared independence following a disputed referendum. The Spanish Senate voted in favour of enforcing direct rule by removing the Catalan government and calling a snap regional election. The Spanish Supreme Court imprisoned seven former ministers of the Catalan government on charges of rebellion and misuse of public funds, while several others—including then-President Carles Puigdemont—fled to other European countries.
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Route Collections in this region 7 day roundtrip from Girona to Catalonia Andorra and the Pyrenees
The Pyrenees stretch for more than 450 kilometers from the Bay of Biscay in the west to the Cap de Creus on the Mediterranean. The mountain range, with peaks of more than 3000 meters, forms a natural barrier that cuts off the Iberian Peninsula from the rest of Europe. The main ridge of the mountain range also largely forms the state border between France and Spain, while the microstate Andorra lies between these two countries.
Bordering the Pyrenees is Catalonia, the hinterland of Barcelona. No wonder many new models of motorcycles are introduced to the press in Catalonia. There are many great ways to test the new models there. An additional advantage is that it is very quiet! You would almost say 'too quiet' because there is a danger that at some point you will use the entire width of the road, under the guise of 'you won't see oncoming traffic here'.... But let's keep it safe and stay on the right side of the center line.
These seven routes of this collection pass through these beautiful areas. Each and every one of these routes where especially the sides of the tires have a hard time. Whether on the gentle slopes in Catalonia or on the balcony roads in the Gorges in the French Pyrenees, make sure they're excited, because you can bet it's going to be exciting!
A few sights are discussed in the review for each route. These often tell something about the history of the area in which you drive. Fun facts, quite educational. There are also places where you can refuel and where you can drink coffee and/or have lunch. You are completely free to visit these places, you can of course also determine your own points of interest.
But the main thing you probably traveled to this area for is simply driving. And as mentioned above, you are in a true motorcycle paradise where the steering is fantastic!
Each route ends at a hotel. It is of course not an obligation to use these hotels, you can always find another place to stay in the area, that decision is up to you. My experience, however, is that they are all simple but good hotels for a very reasonable price. They are known and can be booked at booking.com.
The routes of these collections:
R01 - Girona to Sant Julia de Loria, 269km
R02 - Sant Julia de Loria to Pierrefitte Nestalas, 290km
R03 - Pierrefitte Nestalas to Barbastro, 291km
R04 - Barbastro to Puig Reig, 266km
R05 - Puig Reig to Figueres, 268km
R06 - Figueres to Quillan, 243km
R07 - Quillan to Gironam, 286km
Have fun driving these routes!
Bordering the Pyrenees is Catalonia, the hinterland of Barcelona. No wonder many new models of motorcycles are introduced to the press in Catalonia. There are many great ways to test the new models there. An additional advantage is that it is very quiet! You would almost say 'too quiet' because there is a danger that at some point you will use the entire width of the road, under the guise of 'you won't see oncoming traffic here'.... But let's keep it safe and stay on the right side of the center line.
These seven routes of this collection pass through these beautiful areas. Each and every one of these routes where especially the sides of the tires have a hard time. Whether on the gentle slopes in Catalonia or on the balcony roads in the Gorges in the French Pyrenees, make sure they're excited, because you can bet it's going to be exciting!
A few sights are discussed in the review for each route. These often tell something about the history of the area in which you drive. Fun facts, quite educational. There are also places where you can refuel and where you can drink coffee and/or have lunch. You are completely free to visit these places, you can of course also determine your own points of interest.
But the main thing you probably traveled to this area for is simply driving. And as mentioned above, you are in a true motorcycle paradise where the steering is fantastic!
Each route ends at a hotel. It is of course not an obligation to use these hotels, you can always find another place to stay in the area, that decision is up to you. My experience, however, is that they are all simple but good hotels for a very reasonable price. They are known and can be booked at booking.com.
The routes of these collections:
R01 - Girona to Sant Julia de Loria, 269km
R02 - Sant Julia de Loria to Pierrefitte Nestalas, 290km
R03 - Pierrefitte Nestalas to Barbastro, 291km
R04 - Barbastro to Puig Reig, 266km
R05 - Puig Reig to Figueres, 268km
R06 - Figueres to Quillan, 243km
R07 - Quillan to Gironam, 286km
Have fun driving these routes!
View Route Collection
Ten Day Roadtrip from Spain to Portugal
This route collection describes a 10-day Road trip in the north of Spain and Portugal, a true paradise for motorcycling.
You drive over beautiful mountain ridges and through beautiful valleys. Along the way you drive through beautiful villages and countless nature reserves, great passes with countless curves, tunnels cut out of the mountains and azure blue reservoirs. The roads are fair to good, sometimes unpaved.
What you get to see along the way;
Spanish Pyrenees
Parc Naturel del Cadi-Moixero
Serra del Cadí
Serra de Moixeró
Pedraforca
Serra del Monsec
Collada de Clarà
Parque Nacional de Ordesa y Monte Perdido
Collados del Asón Natural Park.
Parque natural Saja-Besaya
Parque natural de Fuentes Carrionas y Fuente Cobre
Parque natural de la Montana de Riano y Mampodre
Picos de Europa
El Parque regional Montaña de Riaño y Mampodre
El Parque natural de Redes
The Sierra de la Culebra
Parque natural Montesinho
Along the routes there are more than enough nice places to stop for a short or longer period, these are described in the review and with a waypoint and POI included in the routes.
Have fun reading and planning your next motorcycle vacation.
If you have ridden these routes I would like to hear your feedback.
You drive over beautiful mountain ridges and through beautiful valleys. Along the way you drive through beautiful villages and countless nature reserves, great passes with countless curves, tunnels cut out of the mountains and azure blue reservoirs. The roads are fair to good, sometimes unpaved.
What you get to see along the way;
Spanish Pyrenees
Parc Naturel del Cadi-Moixero
Serra del Cadí
Serra de Moixeró
Pedraforca
Serra del Monsec
Collada de Clarà
Parque Nacional de Ordesa y Monte Perdido
Collados del Asón Natural Park.
Parque natural Saja-Besaya
Parque natural de Fuentes Carrionas y Fuente Cobre
Parque natural de la Montana de Riano y Mampodre
Picos de Europa
El Parque regional Montaña de Riaño y Mampodre
El Parque natural de Redes
The Sierra de la Culebra
Parque natural Montesinho
Along the routes there are more than enough nice places to stop for a short or longer period, these are described in the review and with a waypoint and POI included in the routes.
Have fun reading and planning your next motorcycle vacation.
If you have ridden these routes I would like to hear your feedback.
View Route Collection