Meranges offers different highlights for a trip: mountain hikes with specified durations, glacial landscapes and Romanesque architecture. The Puigpedrós route is listed as taking three and a half hours in total, and the hike to Estany de Malniu as one hour. Other highlights include the Mirador de Meranges and the Museu de l’Esclop.
Hikes by duration and destination
On the Puigpedrós route, forest tracks lead from Meranges to the Refugi de Malniu mountain refuge. The total duration is 3 hours and 30 minutes: 2 hours for the outward journey and 1 hour 30 minutes for the return. From the summit, the panorama stretches across large parts of the Pyrenees, from the Canigó massif to the Maladeta massif; Pica d’Estats is also visible. This makes it possible to plan a longer mountain hike with a clearly specified time commitment.
The route to Estany de Malniu follows an uphill forest track from Meranges to the mountain refuge. The hike to the lake is listed as taking one hour in total, split into 35 minutes for the outward journey and 25 minutes for the return. The Pla de Tarterès forest park, also called Pla de la Tartera, lies on the route to the refuge; from there, you can climb to Estany. The time required is shorter than for the Puigpedrós route.
The hike to Estany de Malniu is possible year-round and can be done on snowshoes in winter. However, the access road to the mountain refuge is often closed in winter. If you are planning a visit during this season, check the current status of the road beforehand. Another nature route passes through the Circ d’Engorgs, a protected natural area of particular conservation interest within the municipality of Meranges.
Valley views and glacial landscapes
From the Mirador de Meranges, you can look out over the valley of Meranges, shaped by glaciers. In the valley, the Duran River is joined by streams flowing down the steep mountain slopes. The village, pastures and individual deciduous trees are visible. Higher up in the valley, black pines are the main trees; the highest elevations are covered by alpine meadows.
The viewpoint can be reached via a path connecting Éller and Meranges, which is suitable for 4×4 vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians. In the protected Tossa Plana de Lles-Puigpedrós area, the glacial lakes of Meranges shape the landscape above a granite subsoil. The viewpoint and lakes thus offer different perspectives on the valley: one taking in the village, vegetation and altitudinal zones, the other the surrounding landscape shaped by glacial activity.
Romanesque architecture and local crafts
Sant Sadurní, also called Sant Serni, is an 11th-century Romanesque church. The single-nave building has granite walls. At the entrance, five granite archivolts form a semicircular arch; the sandstone capitals from Isòvol are decorated with zoomorphic and floral motifs. A polychrome image of Christ Pantocrator has been preserved inside. The details combine the building’s construction with a distinctive visual language of animal and plant motifs.
The Museu de l’Esclop explores the history and manufacture of wooden clogs. Topics include selecting suitable wood, the tools used, the working process and sales. Wooden clogs are among the items most deeply rooted in everyday life in Meranges; these distinctive shoes were exported from Meranges throughout the country. The subject takes visitors from the material and the craftwork through to the sale of the finished clog.
When choosing a hotel in Meranges, you can weigh up these different interests: the shorter hike to the lake, the longer time commitment of the Puigpedrós route, or a stay focused on views and local history. The stated walking times make the difference between the two hikes clear; the mountain refuge’s frequently closed access road is especially relevant when planning a winter trip.
Discover more destinations: Setcases, Urús, Ordis, El Cros, Santa Pau, Sant Martí Del Clot, Ultramort, Beuda.
Back to the main travel overview: Girona.
