Costabona

The Costabona (or Pic de Costabona), standing at 2,465 meters, is an emblematic peak located in the axial zone of the Pyrenees mountain range. It lies directly on the border between Spain (Setcases, Ripollès) and France (Prats de Molló i la Presta, Vallespir), acting as a watershed divide between the Ter and Tec river basins. The surrounding area is protected, forming part of the Natural Park of the Ter and Freser Headwaters (Parc Natural de les Capçaleres del Ter i del Freser) and the Prats de Molló Nature Reserve (Reserva Natural de Prats de Molló). Geologically, it is the last major granitic peak on this Pyrenean ridge towards the east, characterized by Hercynian granite intrusions (the Costabona Granite) and skarn phenomena that created valuable mineralizations such as garnets, molybdenum, and, notably, scheelite. These resources led to intense mining activity in the massif during the 1930s and 1940s.

Its high-altitude landscape changes dramatically with elevation, transitioning from black pine forests at mid-altitudes to an alpine stage with grassy meadows and rocky areas above 2,000 meters, where chamois and the elusive rock ptarmigan (which turns white in winter for camouflage) can be observed. Costabona is a classic hiking destination and is known as the "great lord of Vallespir." From its summit, marked by a geodesic vertex and an orientation table, the circular views are spectacular, encompassing the imposing Canigó massif and the Ulldeter cirque (with Gra de Fajol and Bastiments) to the west, extending eastward to the Roussillon plain, the Gulf of Roses, and the Mediterranean Sea.

On the south slope (Setcases municipality), at 2,168 meters, lies the free Costabona refuge. Historically, its paths and passes, such as the Setcases route and Collada Fonda, were frequently used by smugglers, exiles, and maquis, including the renowned guerrilla fighter Quico Sabaté.