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Banyuls-sur-Mer to L'Estartit over the Col de Banyuls

96 km mixed-surface cycling route568 m climbing6–8 hoursGPX

Banyuls-sur-Mer, Languedoc, France · Mixed

A rolling 96 km mixed-surface cycling route from Banyuls-sur-Mer, Languedoc to L'Estartit over the Col de Banyuls through Mas Reig, Espolla and Cabanes, with 568 m of climbing. Mixed surface: 84% is mapped as paved and 16% as gravel or unpaved.

Route contributed by Marcus · Created from a ride on Friday 19th September 2025

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At a glance

Best for
Rolling day rides for fit, experienced riders
Distance
96 km
Point to point
Elevation gain
568 m
6 m per km
Riding time
6–8 hours
moving time, estimated
Difficulty
Hard
Bike
Road bike with sturdy tyres, or gravel bike
from the mapped surface
Surface
Mixed surface
84% paved · 16% unpaved
Traffic
Mostly minor roads
6.8 km on main roads without a cycle lane · 14.8 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more · 3.2 km on cycle paths or lanes
Food & water
Longest gap 17 km
342 cafés and restaurants · 55 shops · 45 water points · 11 petrol stations · 24 public toilets · 14 bike shops
Best months
Apr to Oct
Banyuls-sur-Mer climate, 10 years
Navigation
GPX download
free, no sign-in
Start → finish
Banyuls-sur-Mer → L'Estartit over the Col de Banyuls

Map and elevation profile

On the road: Banyuls-sur-Mer to L'Estartit over the Col de Banyuls, Banyuls-sur-Mer

Elevation profile

Total ascent
568 m
Distance
96 km
0100200300400m0 km2040608096 km331 m · highest, at 10.0 kmStartFinish

Route description

  1. Banyuls-sur-Mer
  2. Mas Reigkm 2
  3. Espollakm 19
  4. Cabaneskm 30
  5. l'Olivakm 44
  6. Siuranakm 56
  7. Palaukm 61
  8. els Masos de Ventallókm 67
  9. Albonskm 76
  10. L'Estartit over the Col de Banyulskm 96

Starting near Banyuls-sur-Mer at 0.5 km, the route climbs the Col de Banyuls from 4.7 km, rising 290 m over 4.6 km at an average gradient of 6.3%, reaching 337 m at 9.3 km. The surface is mostly paved (84%), but 16% is gravel or unpaved. Roads include 59% minor roads and 16% tracks, with some quiet streets, main roads, and cycle paths. There are 6.8 km on main roads without cycle lanes and nearly 15 km on roads with speed limits over 80 km/h. The climb followed by a 4.1 km descent from 10.3 km drops 132 m. The highest point lies beneath Puig del Migdia (377 m) at 11.8 km.

Why ride this route?

  • Tops out at 337 m, 9.3 km in.
  • Crosses a border: France and Spain.

Highlights

  • Col de Banyuls climb, 290 m gain
  • Puig del Migdia nearby at 377 m
  • Longest descent 4.1 km dropping 132 m
  • Crosses border from France to Spain

Along the route

Measured from the route line, the Copernicus elevation model and OpenStreetMap.

Places passed· crosses into Spain

  1. Mas Perotet 4 km
  2. Mas Parer 4.9 km
  3. Mas Atxer 5 km
  4. Mas de Vallàuria 5 km
  5. els Vilars 17 km
  6. Espolla 19 km
  7. Mollet de Peralada 22.6 km
  8. el Priorat 24.3 km
  9. Ullastre 24.7 km
  10. Masarac 24.9 km
  11. el Pla 28.3 km
  12. Cabanes 29.6 km
  13. els Hostalets 33.2 km
  14. Figueres 36.5 km
  15. Sant Pau de la Calçada 38.8 km
  16. Vilabertran 41.1 km
  17. el Far d'Empordà 44.3 km
  18. l'Oliva 44.3 km
  19. Vila-sacra 46.1 km
  20. Palol 46.1 km
  21. Fortià 48.7 km
  22. Vinya Gran 49.9 km
  23. el Pont del Príncep 54.4 km
  24. Vilamalla 54.6 km
  25. Siurana 55.7 km
  26. Tonyà 55.9 km
  27. Estanyet 56.5 km
  28. Garrigàs 58.4 km
  29. Ermedàs 58.5 km
  30. Santa Eulàlia 60.1 km
  31. Palau 60.5 km
  32. Sant Miquel de Fluvià 62.2 km
  33. Sant Mori 63.1 km
  34. Vila-robau 64.7 km
  35. Palol de Fluvià 64.9 km
  36. Valveralla 66.6 km
  37. els Masos de Ventalló 66.6 km
  38. Ventalló 67.3 km
  39. Palauborrell 69 km
  40. Pelacalç 70.3 km
  41. Can Puig 71.2 km
  42. Viladamat 71.6 km
  43. Albons 75.8 km
  44. Bellcaire d'Empordà 78.8 km
  45. la Bolleria 79.1 km
  46. Ullà 82.6 km
  47. Torroella de Montgrí 84.3 km
  48. el Traient 88.6 km
  49. l'Estartit 90.3 km

Climbs

Climbs in ride order: where each starts, what this ride climbs, and the full named ascent
ClimbStarts atOn this rideTop on this ride
Unnamed climb4.7 km4.6 km · 290 m · 6.3 % · steepest 500 m 10.3 %337 m
Unnamed climb56.6 km1.8 km · 57 m · 3.1 % · max 5.5 %114 m

High point 337 m at 9.3 km; low point 1 m. Passes beneath els Culers, Puig de Rabus, Martal.

A point maximum far steeper than the climb’s average is usually an elevation-data spike, so the steepest 500 m of the profile is shown instead (or nothing, where the profile is too coarse).

Traffic, surface and gradient

Measured from OpenStreetMap along the track and the elevation profile.

Mostly minor roads and streets on the map; 6.8 km is on main roads without a cycle lane.

Roads
59% minor road · 16% track · 12% quiet street · 7% main road · 6% other roads and tracks
Main roads
6.8 km on main roads without a cycle lane — likely busier
Fast roads
14.8 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more
Cycle paths
3.2 km on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane
Main roads used
Carretera del Coll de Banyuls (9 km), Route du Col de Banyuls (6 km), GIV-6024 (5 km), GI-641 (4 km)
Surface
Mixed surface: 84% is mapped as paved and 16% as gravel or unpaved.
Gradient
12% climbing · 14% descending · 74% flat
Steep sections
1.8 km over 5% · 1.3 km over 8% · 1.1 km over 10% · steepest 500 m averages 16% at 9.1 km
Longest descent
4.1 km from 10.3 km, dropping 132 m

Food, water and services

Within a few hundred metres of the track, from OpenStreetMap. Opening hours change — treat this as where to look, not a promise.

The longest stretch without a café, shop or water is 17 km, from km 2 to 19. Along the route: 342 cafés and restaurants, 55 shops, 45 water points, 11 petrol stations, 24 public toilets and 14 bike shops.

Food, water and shops in ride order

  1. 0.2 kmToilets · 30 m off route
  2. 0.4 kmDrinking water · 40 m off route
  3. 0.5 kmCarrefour Express · supermarket · 70 m off route
  4. 29.7 kmCan Keda · restaurant · 120 m off route
  5. 36.6 kmCafeteria Fàbrega · café · 30 m off route
  6. 36.8 kmOlympia 2 · bike shop · 70 m off route
  7. 37.2 kmFarmàcia Rodeja Roca, Adela · pharmacy · on the route
  8. 41.7 kmRestaurant El Pa Volador · restaurant · 60 m off route
  9. 42.2 kmToilets · 240 m off route
  10. 67.4 kmDrinking water · 50 m off route
  11. 74.8 kmDrinking water · 40 m off route
  12. 78.7 kmRepair stand · 90 m off route
  13. 82.5 kmDrinking water · 140 m off route
  14. 84.4 kmCasa Moner · bakery · 240 m off route
  15. 84.5 kmRepair stand · 200 m off route
  16. 88.7 kmRestroom · toilets · 140 m off route
  17. 90 kmBike shop · 160 m off route
  18. 90.6 kmPastisseria Brugués · bakery · 130 m off route

Need to bail out?

  • 0.4 km — Banyuls-sur-Mer (station), 410 m off route
  • 37.1 km — Figueres (station), 40 m off route
  • 54.3 km — Vilamalla (station), 190 m off route
  • 62.3 km — Sant Miquel de Fluvià (halt), 170 m off route

Whether bikes are carried depends on the service — check before relying on it.

Worth a stop

  • 2 km — Square Jean Ferrer (picnic site)
  • 9.5 km — Coll de Banyuls. (viewpoint)
  • 16.5 km — Sant Pere dels Vilars (ruins, 145 m)
  • 36.5 km — A Narcís Monturiol 1819-1885 (monument)
  • 75.9 km — Castell d'Albons (castle)
  • 78.9 km — Antigua Església preromànica de Sant Joan de Bellcaire (monument)

Stay after this ride

  • Santa Anna · hotel · 20 m from the finish
  • Marcona · hotel · 40 m from the finish
  • Hotel Coral · hotel · 70 m from the finish
  • Hotel Cal Tet · hotel · 90 m from the finish
  • Hostel Costa Brava · hotel · 160 m from the finish

Start and access

Starts at Banyuls-sur-Mer. Mapped within a short walk of the start and finish, from OpenStreetMap.

At the start

Food and coffee
Le Jardin de St Sébastien (20 m), Le Banyulenc (380 m), Cave l'étoile (60 m)
Shops
Carrefour Express (370 m)

At the finish

Food and coffee
Blau Marí (80 m), Pastisseria Brugués (150 m), Pa amb vi & sucre (110 m)
Shops
Spar (140 m)

Know before you go

  • Longest stretch without café/shop/water 16.7 km from 2 to 18.7 km
  • 6.8 km on main roads without a cycle lane
  • 14.8 km on roads with speed limits 80 km/h or more
  • 1.8 km gravel or unpaved road sections

Routes are for inspiration. Roads, surfaces and conditions change — check locally and ride within your limits.

11 photographs from the road

Stage of

About this route

Ridden by
Marcus
Date ridden
Route line
Built from a GPS recording of the ride.
Elevation
Recalculated from the Copernicus GLO-90 terrain model every 50 m, not the device’s barometer.
Roads, surface, services
Measured along the line from OpenStreetMap extracts.
Best months
Ten years of ERA5 weather for Banyuls-sur-Mer (Open-Meteo).
GPX
Generated from the route line: track points only, no timestamps or personal data.
Page added
Page last updated

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