Around the Sanctuary of Montgarri

Located at the eastern end of the Val d'Aran, the Montgarri sanctuary is one of the most popular destinations for hikers who visit the area. On this mountain bike route, which starts from Pla de Beret, you follow the southern bank of the Noguera Pallaresa river from almost its source to the sanctuary. From there, return to Pla de Beret along the north bank of the river. It is an ideal Route to do from late spring to autumn, when the temperatures are milder and the snow has disappeared. The Route runs through forest tracks that are usually in good condition, although you can find some sections complicated by the rains and also some hard ramp that can force you to push the bike momentarily. A mountain bike is the best option to fully enjoy the experience.

You leave Pla de Beret, next to the ski lifts, to take a track that descends to Montgarri, following the course of the river. You pedal surrounded by peaks that exceed 2000 meters in length, the ones on your left mark the border with France, while the ones you leave on your right mark the limit with the Pallars Sobirà region. They are landscapes of glacial origin, in which you can see the contrast between the pastures on the sunny slopes and the dense pine forests in the shade. You experience this contrast in first person, as you descend and leave the meadows of Pla de Beret and enter the forest as you descend towards Montgarri.

In Montgarri, a stop is obligatory at the sanctuary and the adjacent refuge. There you can have a drink in its bar-restaurant and rest on the wooden benches on its terrace before resuming your march and beginning the ascent back to Pla de Beret. Here you come across some hard ramps but luckily they are not very long. If you do this Route in summer, this stretch, more open, allows you to see cows and mares graze peacefully in the meadows next to the path.