Via Domitia St James way Alt Empordà: Coll de Banyuls-Peralada

St James way is famous all over the world for the thousands of pilgrims who venture to complete it every year. But where does this path begin? In the north of Catalonia we identify three starts: from Jonquera-Coll de Panissars (Camí Català), from Port de la Selva or Sant Pere de Rodes (Camí Gironí) and from Coll de Banyuls (Via Domitia and Via Marina).

The section we propose is the Via Domitia section of the Gironí way and also the first section of the Via Marina.

Section Coll de Banyuls-Peralada

The section comes from Banyuls in France. In addition to the yellow arrows on the Way of Sant Jaume, it is also a path marked by the Itinerànnia trail network (horizontal markings in yellow).

From Coll de Banyuls, it goes towards Mas Pils, where in addition to the yellow signs we now find the white and red ones of the GR11, down Coll de Plaja to Sant Quirze de Colera.
The monastery of Sant Quirze de Colera is a Benedictine abbey in the old county of Empúries. It is an architectural complex made up of the Basilica of Sant Quirze, several monastic outbuildings organized around the cloister courtyard, a defense tower and the remains of a wall lock, the Church of Santa Maria and the remains of the old hospital .

Still following the GR11 markings and the yellow ones, the path continues to the Casa de Baix pass, leave the GR11 and take a stretch of road until you reach Rabós.

From Rabós, the path continues towards Delfià, passing through the Boterós plain and the Helena plain.

The last stretch between Delfià and Peralada passes through Les Costes, Sant Joan Degollací and Mas Mir until entering the center of Peralada.

If you want to continue the St James way from this point, you can follow the Gironí way from Port de la Selva and Sant Pere de Rodes towards Vilabertran.