Autumn in Finestres: The Puigsallança Viewpoint

A perfect circular route to bid farewell to the intense autumn colours in the Garrotxa region. Starting our walk from the heart of Santa Pau, we quickly left behind the materials of the Volcanic Zone to enter the harder conglomerate, sandstone, and marl terrain of the Serra de Finestres (Finestres Range).

The ascent to Puigsallança (1,027 m), the highest point of the range, rewarded us with one of the most remarkable viewpoints in the region. From the geodesic vertex, we could trace with our eyes the wide Empordà Plain, the Bay of Roses, and the Montgrí Massif. Although clouds covered the Pyrenees, we could sense the season's first snowfalls on the Canigó.

The descent led us to the unique complex of the Santuari de Finestres (Sanctuary), nestled on the rock and offering views of Rocacorba, Montseny, and El Far. The itinerary traversed an impressive contrast of landscapes, from the beech woods with boxwood on the shady slopes to the dense holm oak forests on the sunny slopes, highlighting the rich geological and vegetative transition of this area of the Catalan Transversal Range.