The French Alpine Club Refuge des Cortalets

• Department of Pyrénées-Orientales – Canigó Massif (“Grand Site de ” label)

• Warden: Thomas Dulac – Owner: Club Alpin Français (French Alpine Club)

• Open and closed period:

o Summer: open from Saturday 25th May to Thursday 10th October 2019 (104 beds, refuge and annex) • Telephone number when open: +33 (0)4 68 96 36 19

o Winter: closed from 11th October 2019 to 30th May 2020; only the "Jean Coderch annex" is open (19 beds). Information on the Facebook page of the Refuge des Cortalets • Contact for advance booking when the refuge is still closed:

o From 15th March, by e-mail: [email protected] o Throughout the year on the website: http://refugedescortalets.ffcam.fr/reservation.html

Mountain Weather Forecast

Pyrénées-Orientales +33 (0)8 99 71 02 66 website: meteociel.fr

Website of the refuge: cortalets.com

Prices, the information provided is non-binding. As required by the Offices de Tourisme, a tax of €0.22 per night is to be added to the prices given below (except for under 18s).

Type of stay u HALF-BOARD NIGHT HALF-BOARD Guest q + PACKED LUNCH

Individuals 19.22 45 54

Groups (minimum 9 persons)/ STD 15,44 41.22 50.22 members Youths aged between 8 and 18 accompanied 10.67 34.45 43.45 by an adult Children under 8 Free 12 21 Limited headroom or winter refuge 9.72 35.50 44.50 Guide/AMM/Be Escalade/Warden

Members of CAF / 8 to 99 year old 9.72 35.50 44.50 reciprocal associations Youths from 8 to 25 4.97 30.75 39.75 Guide / AMM / BE escalade / Cadre 0.22 26 35 Fédéral / Warden Under 8s and reciprocal associations for free 12 21 under 8s

YOUTHS (aged CHILDREN (aged 4 CATERING ADULTS 8 to 18) to 8) Evening meal 18,60 16,60 8 Breakfast 7.18 4 Packed lunch 9 Snack at any hour of the day From 2.50 to 9 Menu and à la carte meals from 12.30 pm From 6 to 18 to 3 pm Hot and cold drinks From 1.50 to 6 Shower ( 4 minutes) 2.50

Deposit You will have a firm booking once we have received your deposit (€10 per person).

Via the internet: http://refugedescortalets.ffcam.fr/reservation.html

If you do not have internet, contact the warden on 00 33 4 68 96 36 19 to pay by cheque (26 May to 13 October) Cheque made out to Thomas DULAC, 42, rue San Juan de Porto Rico 66500 PRADES Write the service, name and date on the back of the cheque.

To join the Club Alpin Français and obtain discounts on overnight stays: FFCAM Prades Canigou - Allée de la plaine Saint-Martin - BP 65 - 66502 PRADES-CEDEX +33 (0)4 68 96 18 90 http://prades.ffcam.fr/

Useful information

We serve the evening meal at 7.30 pm. Your reservation is valid until 6 pm, after which time it may be given to someone else. Please phone us if you're going to be late.

When the Refuge des Cortalets is staffed, there are mattresses and blankets at your disposal. You only need a sleeping bag liner or a light sleeping bag. You can rent sheets and sleeping bags for €6 or buy them for €15.

You can have a (sometimes hot) shower in the refuge (€2.50 token for 4.30 minutes).

Dogs are not allowed inside the refuge except for the dining room if they are on a lead. They may stay in the annex, but you need to contact the warden in advance.

If you want to have breakfast very early in the morning in order to leave the refuge before sunrise, please let us know as soon as possible.

A book to inform you on: • How to get to the Massif du Canigó, by air, by rail, by car or on foot. Hiking to the refuge or above it to reach the peak of the Canigou, or hiking around the refuge. • Rock climbing on the new routes on the East face of the Canigou. • Canyoning down the Llech and finding out about other canyons. • Mountain biking. • Local festivals, including the Troubade.

We have written a book which provides answers to recurring questions asked by guests since we have been working at the Refuge des Cortalets. The book contains drawings, photos and texts that will enable you to go on nice hikes or rock climbing outings.

To order the book: http://www.thomasdulac.com/spip.php?rubrique5

You can also find it in sports shops in and Prades and in "Au Vieux Campeurs" shops in France. 144 pages, format 148X210, double-sided four-colour printing. ISBN 978-2-9 523 566-2-6

How to come to the refuge

1. By train and then on foot 2. On foot 3. By car 4. With donkeys or horses 5. On mountain bike 6. Other

1. By train and then on foot:

From the Prades train station, head for the village of by the GRT83 (red and white markings). The trail passes by the Abbey of Saint Michel de Cuxa (90 min walk). From Taurinya, you need to pass by Llasseras, Roc Mosquit, the Soucarrade, the Ras des Cortalets and then the Refuge des Cortalets. It is a 5 hour walk approximately (1,780 metres of ascent). From Prades, it takes about 6½ hours to get to the refuge, and the walk back down to Prades takes about 4 hrs 45 minutes.

2. On foot:

3. By car:

• From Prades, go towards Los Masos (third exit at the first Prades roundabout when you come from Perpignan). The track (called "la piste du Llech") begins after passing through the village of Villerach. An all-terrain vehicle is strongly recommended as the track is 11 km long and in poor condition until l’Esquined’Aze, from there 2 hours on foot to the Refuge des Cortalets: o From Perpignan: 2¾ hours o From Prades: 1½

• The Col de Millères track (called "la piste du Balatg") is only accessible to professionals. • You can also book four-wheeled transport (4X4). Please check with the following companies: § Villaceque 04 68 05 51 14 - 06 03 49 10 31 § Colas 04 68 05 27 08 - 06 14 35 70 64 § La Caravelle du 06 11 22 48 79 § Montagne et transport 04 68 30 02 89 § Vincent Lecoq 06 82 04 17 81 § Bouzan 04 68 05 99 89

4. Hiking with donkeys or horses

Fabien Boyer: +33 (0)6 02 29 34 54 [email protected] http://www.caravanigou.fr/

5. Electric mountain bike: Vtelec’66 – Vernet-les-bains: +33 (0)782 01 70 07 Naturoland66 – : +33 (0)619 63 67 20

6. Other:

• For safety reasons, this track is closed during the winter from 31st December to 15th May (in the event of exceptional weather conditions, the track may be closed earlier and open later).

• Due to the large crowds coming for a traditional event called La Trobada, the track will be closed at Mas Malet from Friday 15th June at 2 pm to Sunday 17th June in the morning, or midday at the latest. Likewise, from 22nd June at 2 pm to 23rd June in the morning. It takes about 2½ hours to walk from Mas Malet to Roc Mosquit and another 90 minutes to reach the refuge.

Neighbouring refuges located within one day’s walk from the Cortalets:

Staffed refuge of Mariailles +33(0)4 68 05 57 99 Non-staffed refuge of Bonne Aigue Staffed refuge of Batère +33(0)4 68 39 12 01

Summits accessible from the refuge within one day's walk (name, height):

Canigó (Canigou) 2,784 m +634m Barbet 2,733 m +583 m

One-day hiking trails around the refuge:

The Canigó (round-trip) Loop trail: Col des Voltes – Bonne-Aigue – la Perdrix Loop trail: Barbet – Canigou

Other itineraries (loop trails, crossing trails, etc.):

The Trans-Pyrenean Hiking Trail From Sea to Mountain: Banyuls-sur-Mer – Pic du Canigou (Refuge des Cortalets) in 4 days Vernet les Bains – Refuge de Mariailles – Canigou - Refuge des Cortalets – Vernet les Bains The Rondes du Canigó (trails created in 2010 by the Conseil Général 66, etc.

What makes this site so unique (geography, fishing, rock climbing, etc.)

A listed site: Canigou Grand Site (pond, fauna, flora and mountain pine forest) Accessible during the summer to people of all ages, on foot, with donkeys, on horseback, or on mountain bikes Ski touring, nordic skiing and snowshoeing possible during the winter Many multi-pitch rock climbing routes are accessible within 45 min. of the refuge Winter mountaineering in gullies, on snow-covered slopes and on mixed routes.

Canigou Tour Refuge des Cortalets 33 4 68 96 36 19 / www.refugedescortalets.ffcam Refuge de Marialles 33 4 68 05 57 99 / www.refugedemariailles.fr Refuge de Batera 33 4 68 39 12 01 / www.gite-refuge-batere.com Refuge de Les Conques 00 34 6 96 29 86 31 / www.refugi-lesconques.com Refuge de Sant Guillem 33 7 77 94 79 45 / [email protected]