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Home Go out Hiking All hikes The Madeloc Tower

La Tour Madeloc

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Description, col de banyuls-sur-mer, pass of banyuls-sur-mer.

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Randonnée de la tour de Madeloc — Sur les hauteurs de la Côte Vermeille

La randonnée de la tour de Madeloc est accessible à tous et vous permettra d’avoir une superbe vue sur toute la Côte Vermeille. Retrouvez dans cet article toutes les infos pratiques pour réaliser cette randonnée.

Randonnée réalisée en mai 2020.

La tour Madeloc est l’autre tour de guet la plus célèbre du département après celle de la tour de la Massane. Ces deux tours permettent d’avoir des points de vus grandioses sur une partie de la côte et de découvrir des paysages de la région. Dans cet article nous vous parlerons de la randonnée de la tour de Madeloc que nous avons pu réaliser il y a quelques jours. Elle est perchée à environ 650m de hauteur dans la chaîne des Albères . Elle domine la Côte Vermeille (détail des activités et paysages à y voir dans l’article dédié) et permet d’avoir un point de vue intéressant sur celle-ci avec peu de peine.

Si jamais vous êtes à la recherche d’une randonnée un peu plus longue (autour de 3h) et se passant davantage en zone ombragée, nous vous conseillons de lire l’article sur la randonnée de la tour de la Massane afin d’opter pour la randonnée qui vous attirera le plus.

Où dormir pour faire la randonnée de la tour de la Madeloc ? Vous pouvez séjourner dans l’une des villes de la Côte Vermeille comme Collioure , Port-Vendres ou Banyuls-sur-Mer . Vous avez également la solution d’Argelès-sur-Mer qui offrira sans doute un choix d’hébergement plus conséquent. Quoiqu’il en soit nous vous conseillons toujours de réserver votre hébergement en avance afin de profiter de prix attractifs surtout durant la haute saison.

Bon Plan Voyageurs : Pour ceux qui ont l’habitude de réserver leur hébergement en avance sur internet le site de cashback iGraal vous permettra d’économiser 4% sur Booking ou 3,5% sur la plateforme Hostelworld et jusqu’à 9% sur Hotels.com et bien d’autres sites comme Amazon, la Fnac, Boulanger, Darty, La Redoute etc. Comment ça marche ? Pour en profiter rien de plus simple, il vous suffit de créer un compte sur la plateforme iGraal et de choisir la boutique marchande de votre choix. Vous serez alors redirigé sur le site en question et pourrez profiter d’un cashback (voir les conditions suivant les sites) une fois le paiement effectué. A partir de 20€ de cagnotte vous pourrez demander un virement sur votre compte bancaire. Pas mal pour faire des économies tout préparant son voyage ou en faisant des achats en ligne. Si vous voulez essayer iGraal, vous pourrez avoir 3€ dans votre cagnotte en passant par notre lien de parrainage !

Vue depuis la randonnée de la tour de Madeloc

Les différents accès pour la Tour de Madeloc

• Depuis la D86 – le chemin le plus facile et celui qui sera abordé dans cette randonnée, comptez un peu plus de 3,50 km A/R.
• Depuis Banyuls-sur-Mer – depuis le col de Banyuls et via le pic de Sailfort, boucle difficile de 20km environ ou boucle de 16km de niveau moyen via le col de la Serre et Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette.
• Depuis Collioure – Via le Coll de Taillefer une randonnée de 5km plutôt difficile (A/R) ou via une boucle également plutôt difficile de 15km via le Col de la Serre, le Fort St Elme et le Moulin de Collioure.

Il existe bien des chemins qui mènent à la tour de Madeloc. Dans cet article nous allons vous parler de la randonnée la plus facile, celle qui permet de rejoindre la tour de Madeloc avec le moins d’effort. Depuis Banyuls-sur-Mer ou encore Collioure, il est possible de partir sur des randonnées beaucoup plus longues qui vous permettront de découvrir d’autres merveilles de la Côte Vermeille. N’hésitez pas à vous renseigner dans les différents offices du tourisme des villes de départ pour en savoir plus.

Vous trouverez ici le lien Wikiloc de l’itinéraire de la randonnée de la tour de Madeloc.

Au croisement de la batterie 500

Tout le long de la randonnée on peut apercevoir la tour de Madeloc qui s’amuse à cache-cache au  fil des tournants de la route…

Randonnée de la tour de Madeloc depuis la route D86

L’itinéraire de randonnée le plus court pour rejoindre la tour Madeloc est réellement sans grande difficulté. Pour vous garer il existe plusieurs alternatives : soit le long de la D86 avant les panneaux de sens interdit (en laissant tout de même de la place pour que des véhicules de secours puissent passer, ne bloquez pas la route !!! ) soit un peu plus haut sur la route D86 au niveau de la table d’orientation des Hauts de Port-Vendres. Une fois garés vous n’aurez qu’à suivre la petite route goudronnée qui grimpe (celle avec les panneaux sens interdit) et qui se nomme « route de la Madeloc ».

La seule difficulté de cette randonnée est que nous sommes face à une ascension permanente mais de faible dénivelé. Les moments plats sont plutôt rares mais c’est réellement une randonnée qui est à la portée de tous, même des enfants. Comptez 20 à 40min suivant votre niveau et votre rythme pour rejoindre la tour de Madeloc .

Après plusieurs minutes de montée vous passerez devant la Batterie 500 un ancien édifice militaire aujourd’hui à l’abandon. On trouve de nombreuses batteries dans ce coin là. Un peu plus loin se trouvera l’unique arbre de la randonnée qui vous offrira un peu de répit à l’ombre. Nous vous recommandons de faire cette randonnée au petit matin ou en fin de journée pour ne pas souffrir de la chaleur. Il n’y a pas (ou alors très très peu) d’ombres. Pensez donc bien à vous couvrir, chapeau / casquette, lunettes de soleil et crème solaire sont indispensables !

Avant d’arriver à la tour de Madeloc, un petit chemin en terre partira sur la gauche, on vous conseille d’y faire un rapide détour vous aurez alors un point de vue différent sur la tour et la vallée qui se trouve de l’autre côté de la route. N’hésitez pas d’ailleurs à vous arrêter le long de la randonnée pour admirer la vue des deux côtés de la route, que ce soit côté mer ou côté terre, elles sont magnifiques !

Pour le retour vous devrez emprunter le même chemin pour retourner à votre véhicule.

Infos pratiques randonnée tour de Madeloc

— Durée : 1h à 1h30 aller-retour suivant votre niveau et votre rythme.

— Distance : Environ 3,5 km aller-retour.

— Difficulté : Plutôt d’un niveau facile . Cette randonnée est à la portée de tous et permet de se rendre le plus rapidement à la tour de Madeloc. Pour ceux qui voudraient ajouter un peu de challenge à cette randonnée vous pourrez partir depuis Collioure ou encore depuis Banyuls-sur-Mer.

— Dénivelé :   195m

— Où se garer : Vous devrez vous garer le long de la D86 , soit en serrant bien le bas côté avant les panneaux de sens interdit devant la route de la tour de Madeloc, ou un peu plus haut au niveau de la table d’orientation du Haut Port-Vendres et des anciennes installations militaires. En arrivant tôt (de tout façon avec le soleil en pleine journée on ne vous recommande pas cette randonnée) vous aurez forcément de la place pour vous garer.

— Les indispensables : Bouteille d’eau, casquette / chapeau, de bonnes baskets ici suffisent si vous empruntez l’itinéraire le plus court au départ de la D86, crème solaire, lunettes de soleil, collation, appareil photo (la vue sur la Côte Vermeille mérite quelques clichés souvenirs).

— Exposition : Randonnée la majorité du temps exposée, il n’y a que très très peu voir pas du tout d’ombres à moins de raser les rares murs rencontrés. Une protection contre le soleil est donc indispensable ainsi que de l’eau en quantité suffisante. Cette randonnée de la tour de Madeloc ne comporte aucun point d’eau. Si vous l’effectuée en été, avec le soleil et la réverbération sur le goudron vous vous déshydratez rapidement, prenez donc une bonne quantité d’eau avec vous.

Opter pour la randonnée de la tour Madeloc ou de la tour de la Massane ?

Même si ces deux randonnées offrent des points de vue sur la côte Méditerranéenne, elles sont totalement différentes et n’ont rien à voir ! La randonnée de Madeloc est beaucoup plus courte que celle de la Massane, elle se passe sur une route goudronnée alors qu’avec la Massane on évolue principalement en foret. La randonnée de la tour Madeloc est également plus facile de par son dénivelé beaucoup plus faible. Voici un petit tableau comparatif des deux randonnées afin que vous ayez tous les éléments en mains pour décider vers laquelle vous tourner.

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Merci beaucoup Julie, contente que cela te plaise 🙂

Superbes photos. Très pratique le petit comparatif Madeloc / Massane à la fin de l’article 😉

Merci pour cette découverte ! Je ne connaissais pas du tout et ça a l’air magnifique ! La balade a l’air vraiment sympas à faire 🙂

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Tour Madeloc

Hiking Highlight

Recommended by 115 out of 116 hikers

Location: Collioure , Céret , Occitania , France

The Madeloc tower is one of the places you shouldn't miss when you're in the area. Spectacular view.

July 3, 2021

The Tour de Madeloc or Tour Madeloc is a medieval watchtower in the hinterland of the Côte Vermeille in the Pyrénées-Orientales in the ancient cultural landscape of Roussillon. contents The Tour Madeloc is located on a 670 m high mountain peak in the hinterland of Banyuls-sur-Mer; From here you have a clear view of much of the coastline of the Gulf of Lion to Narbonne. Only about four kilometers further northwest is another watchtower from the same period - the Tour de la Massane. The tower was built in the late 13th century by the Majorcan King Jaume II as a watchtower and to secure the coast. With the Pyrenees peace of the year 1659 he lost any strategic importance. Already in the first half of the 20th century it was used as the location of a radio relay station. architecture The round tower, which is built of only a few hewn quarry stones, is windowless; The staircases and rooms in its interior are illuminated only by loopholike slits. Its upper edge is surrounded by numerous projecting consoles, which formerly carried a wooden battlements. Source de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tour_de_Madeloc put together: a great hiking destination

May 22, 2018

a beautiful place with views of the flat region and the predominantly flat coastal region in the north of the Tour de Madaloc

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Tour de Madeloc

This tour takes us on a journey back to the 17th century and even further. On the just under 9 km impresses not only the magnificent landscape and the breathtaking view of the Vermaille coast with the vastness of the Mediterranean Sea, but also the walls of historical ruins and fortresses. The highlight is the medieval watchtower Tour de Madeloc 10 km north of the Spanish border.

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Walk: tour de madeloc & military installations.

WALK THE REGION WITH TED AND KATE HISCOCK

Tour de Madeloc & Military Installations

  (21.5km [13.5 miles]) 6 hours

This walk crystallises the reasons why we love this region and is the crowning glory to the walks around Port Vendres.

It is the longest, possibly the most challenging of the ones we have done, and offers some of the most sensational views over the region. The going at times is tough and rugged but the rewards well worth the extra effort.

It embraces a walk to Cosprons then up to the Fortress Galline, on to Batterie 500 and to the crown of Tour de Madeloc at 656m, continuing to Batterie Taillefer and then sharply down to tarmac roads for a short while, then sharply back to rugged rocky terrain past Fort Dugommier & Fort St Elme before dropping back to Port Vendres.

If it is wet, very windy, low cloud or a hint that the weather is going to change for the worse, do not do the part of this walk between Tour de Madeloc and Batterie de Taillefer as this part of the walk is dangerous in these conditions. Another precaution is to bear in mind that the walk is about 6 hours long, (including stops totalling about 1 hour), no shops, toilets and therefore adequate water & food supplies are essentia l .

Starting from the Place de l’Obélisque , drop down to the port, along rue Pierre Forgas past all the shops and restaurants, turn left along the back of the marina (Quai Francis Joly) and by the Douane (Customs House) proceed up the steps to the main road into Port Vendres (route de Banyuls).

Continue to the junction by the Hotel Les Jardins du Cedre and turn right down the hill for about 100m, crossing to the other side, [WATCH THE TRAFFIC ON THIS BUSY ROAD] where you will find a ditch behind the retaining wall for the road. Take the simple rough path down into this ditch, which instantly rises up a rocky face by about 2 to 3 metres.

An obvious rocky footpath rises then up through the wild thicket; passing the modern housing estate high on the right and continues steeply until the narrow D86a road is reached. Turn right onto the road and continue a gentle climb for about 1km, when a sharp bend to the right (a clearing and some tanks on the left) signals the point to leave the tarmac and head left along a bridleway.

The track gently descends to the right between old vineyards with dry-stone retaining walls and as it turns sharply to the right, continue straight ahead, ignoring the one it crosses and descend into a small valley. As it veers to the left, it runs parallel to a track (lower on the left) which opens to more tracks by a small garden.

Continue straight ahead, descending past a holiday home on the left where the path steadily drops between vines to a point just before the bridleway veers sharply to the right. You will see a narrow ditch path falls away to the left, partially obscured by long grass and very little to mark its track. Head down to this path, keeping the Cosprons water tower in front.

Cross the lane, keeping slightly to the right, where immediately the narrow path continues down to a small brook in a ditch and up again passing the water tower and emerging in the hamlet of Cosprons where the chapel of yellow orange stone and low single belfry brings immediate charm to this prosperous but sleepy little community.

As the Route de la Chapelle joins the D86a running through the village, turn right and down the hill to the outskirts of Cosprons.

At this point the mountains tower above and with no effort at all, it is possible to see 5 of our seven military installations at once: la Batterie 500, Tour de Madeloc, les Casurnes du Centre, la Batterie de Taillefer and in the eminent central position and closest is  La Batterie de la Galline.

Take the right fork in the road, (also signed to the Vinaigrerie de Guineille), which runs parallel to a verdant  V shaped valley with ancient gnarled vines (‘vielles vignes’) falling like something from Lord of the Rings on to the road; follow it to a bend which at this point crosses the charming brook Cosprons.

Immediately take the right fork (DO NOT FOLLOW TO THE VINAIGRERIE) and start climbing the narrow cork-oak wooded slope. Although this is still a road for traffic, it is very quiet and only travelled by local residents and vignerons.

With Mother Nature, proudly showing off her colours all around, the road steadily climbs to the seemingly forgotten and charming hamlet of La Guineille at 100m.

Beyond this collection of houses and their well-kept gardens, the metalled surface stops and a dirt track continues. It is rugged but not difficult and the gradient is not severe, as lavender and wild sweet pea predominate this open slope.

La Galline is ever dominant on this climb and towards the top at each hairpin bend, the question is inevitably asked; “Is it not around this next corner?” The views from this track are magnificent as far as the coast out to Cap Béar with its lighthouse; the three beaches at Paulilles and Cap d’Ullastrell are all clearly visible.

To the South-East Banyuls-sur-Mer comes into view with the Laboratoire Arago , (Paris University Marine Biology department’s large aquarium) is clearly visible at the far end of the promenade. The mountainside here is deeply hewn by steep ravines; they are raging torrents in winter but double as dried ditches and walking tracks during the arid summer months. This is particularly true of the valley of the Callels, which joins the Cosprons at the village by the same name.

Batterie de la Galline along with Batteries 500 and Taillefer seem a paradox of construction. On the  gateposts of Galline’s very impressive drawbridge entry is displayed  ‘built between 1885-6’ and one understands it was based on earlier plans of 1846 –  but why?

Was it a training ground for French sappers during a boring piece of peacetime, or was there another purpose? No, it was as a lesson learned from the 1870 Franco-Prussian War, when the Spanish opportunistically invaded the Cote Vermeille whilst attention turned on the conflict in the North. Their walls never saw conflict and they have gradually slipped into decline and dereliction.

The climb from Galline to the D86 ‘route de Crete’ is really very gentle, and the surface of this important access track for vignerons is in good condition, (if not with tarmac). When the D86 is reached on a sharp corner, turn right but now start being aware that cars do travel along this narrow strip of tarmac and frequently in the summer months, drivers are tourists admiring the views and not particularly concentrating on the possibility of meeting walkers on hairpin bends.

After about 1km a junction appears where a narrow road ascends to the left with road signs for ‘No Entry’ whilst the D86 continues winding around the hillside towards the ruined Les Casernes (barracks). The ‘No Entry’ applies only to vehicles and it is up this track for another 1.5km that our path takes us.

This is the point where the real climb commences and although tarmac, no cars will annoy the walker. The first corner reveals Batterie 500 dating once more from 1885/6, but the climb establishes true panoramic views across the whole coast and inland.

It is not difficult to see why military engineers across many centuries have used this stupendous countryside for deployment of troops and constructed fortresses and beacons, nor is the importance of these mountains diminished as a natural defence to protect the very vulnerable plain of Roussillon.

Tour de Madeloc stands at 656m (in English terms about 2000 ft) and is perched on a sharp ridge of schistous rock that falls dramatically on two sides. In the days when cars were permitted to ascend to a pathetically inadequate car park near the summit and accessed by an alarmingly narrow and tortuous single track, passing could be a nerve-racking experience. The tower is used as a transmitter and there is little else apart from breath-taking views and the splendour of unimpeded wild life. The wealth of butterflies and birds at this extreme height tells of the richness of the surroundings.

To descend is an option of three ways….. 1. By continuing beyond, where yellow flashes on the walls indicate the track continuing to Batterie de Taillefer. 2. Retracing exactly the footsteps that brought us up, 3. Retracing the last 1.5km to the D86, turning left and following the vehicular road along the 2km to the crossroads of Col de Mollo, where option 1 ends up. In terms of distance there is little in any of them. The whole walk is between 20 and 21.5km. For the benefit of this description, the route taken is option 1 but in dubious weather conditions, please do take one of the other options.

The first part of the path down from Tour de Madeloc crosses to another transmitter station and then beyond. It is far safer than it may seem at first glance, as it makes rapid and regular twists and turns over shale and rocks. One is tempted to think that it is impossible for a route to exist but it does! There are no handrails (this is France) but sensible behaviour makes this a magnificent experience as the track descends quite swiftly and straightens out pointing towards the next military installation; Batterie de Taillefer at 508m (1500ft).

Just before Taillefer is reached, there seems to be a crossroads of paths and confusing signs. A track comes in from the left – IGNORE and then a bridleway comes up from the right – IGNORE also.

In front, there are two bridleways: one that descends to the right in front whilst the other one hugs the rock at the base of Batterie Taillefer. This latter one is the correct route, however if tiredness is approaching it could be prudent to follow the bridleway as indicated by the signs as this will ultimately drop down more directly on to the D86 with a right turn being only about 0.5km from Col de Mollo.

The stoical will continue on the correct route climbing gently towards the gates of the occupied Batterie Taillefer but on the last corner of the track turning sharply to the left, a yellow flash on a rock indicates this is the way of descent. It is here that the journey becomes slow and care taken as the path in places consists of loose rocks underfoot dropping quite steeply down over what feels like broken teeth to join the D86 where a sharp right turn is taken.

Follow the D86 for about 2km to reach Col de Mollo, which is a junction with four possibilities to take. Follow the sign for Port Vendres, i.e. proceed directly in front for about 1km. As the road opens out into a clearing and sits over a saddle on the hill edge with views to the right to Tour de Madeloc and down to Port Vendres to the left, take a sharp left turn on to a rocky track that climbs up and round to the right, (past a dozen beehives, on the right).

Quite soon, a bifurcation appears in the track, take the right and lower one, which winds around the hillside, initially with a modest ascent but then drops steadily past the shrine to a dead fire fighter who was killed in the line of duty fighting forest fires.    Eventually this rocky track joins another simple crossroads of possibilities. Ignore the bridleway that falls sharply away to the right to Mackintosh’s ‘Enchanted Valley’ but take the left tarmac option road, passing Fort Dugommier, Fort St Elme and descend into the higher reaches of Port Vendres.

As the road reaches habitation, keep to the tarmac as it winds around the hillside, and keep the initial houses and gardens on your left until after the straight downhill run passes in front of some duplex properties. At this point a narrow rugged concrete track descends at right angles by a wall on the left after the gardens; follow this down and join the more normal steps in front down to the street and once again continue straight.

Eventually, take one of the set of steps on the right down to the port, turn left and back along the final path to the Place de l’Obelisque .

SEE ALSO……

ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER . Find out about other watchtowers in the region.

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Baguettes and Bicyclettes

A Travel, Culture, and Language Learning Blog with a French Focus

La Tour Madeloc: A Coastal Hike in the South of France

I was named after a town where the mountains meet the sea, so naturally I am enamored by hilly places along the coast. When I first moved to France however, I thought I was a Paris girl through and through. When I was offered a job in a small Mediterranean city, I was sad to leave the city of lights, but excited to see more of France. I did not think a small city close to the border with Spain was my vibe, but it wasn’t until I discovered the nature of the Pyrenées-Orientales that I started to really appreciate the region.

Like many during the spring of 2021, I was not able to socialize or travel, so I turned to nature and fell in love with hiking again. After Hiking Port-Vendres to Banyuls Along the Sentier Littoral and La Tour de la Massane trail, I was determined to make the trek to another remarkable summit in the area: La tour de Madeloc .

For those who do not drive, this coastal hike in the South of France is accessible by train. From the Collioure train station, it’s about a 30-minute walk to the trailhead. Even though I had visited Collioure several times before, walking through a different part of town allowed me to see idyllic landscapes and more of the vineyards.

The French hiking website Visorando has a variety of itineraries for hikes around this monument ranging from medium to difficult. The tower is located 650 m (2132.55 ft) above sea level and it took me and my partner about 2 hours with a few breaks in between to reach.

The ascent can be difficult because some of the sections of the trail are steep to climb and there is not much shade, so it can get hot rather quickly. The challenging parts of the trail are worth it however, because of the panoramic views of the sea, the coastal towns, and surrounding mountains.

Once named the Devil’s Tower, La tour de la Madeloc was built in the 13th century under James II, King of Majorca. Along with la tour de Massane , it was one of many beacons in the region to watch for attacks coming from Spain or by the sea. At the summit of the hike, you can admire the tower up close, but it is impossible to climb up, as it is currently used as a television satellite relay.

For the descent, we chose a winding path that led us through vineyards back to the Collioure beach. We hiked in late May so the trail was blooming with Spanish Lavender, Forsythia, and pink Cistus. I’m glad we brought our raincoats with us because even though the morning was quite sunny, storm clouds soon rolled in. Luckily we didn’t get rained on!

My advice for this hike would be to go as early as possible to avoid the heat from the sun in the spring/summer, bring plenty of water, and leave no trace behind to help preserve this beautiful area! The Mediterranean Sea is unfortunately the most polluted sea in the world , so it’s important to be mindful as a tourist.

Now that I live in Paris again, I dearly miss this little corner of France. However, I’m very thankful to have a job with school vacations that allow me to escape the city and enjoy nature in different parts of the country.

Thank you so much for reading about this coastal hike in the South of France and stay tuned for more adventures in France and beyond!

À la prochaine,

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Fabulous views

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Lovely photos. I used to go on holidays in that area when I was a teenager.

Oh I bet you have some wonderful memories there then!

Gorgeous! La Tour Madeloc, as well as this part of the France, is an area I’ve yet to head to in the country, and I’m always up for a hike for beautiful views! Thanks for sharing your time there, Camden. 🙂

There are so many beautiful hikes in this area, but this one is for sure a favorite.

Beautiful area!

Camden, this is an exceptional posting. Thanks to you!

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Tour Madeloc

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TOUR MADELOC: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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Tour de Madeloc - Col de la Serre    

2.3 km 619 m 286 am 12.1%.

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Tour de Madeloc cycling

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Tour Madeloc

Top ways to experience Tour Madeloc and nearby attractions

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

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Tour Madeloc - Things You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

• Sun - Sat 12:00 a.m. - 11:59 p.m.
• (4.25 km) Madeloc Hotel
• (4.02 km) Hôtel Restaurant La Frégate Collioure
• (4.88 km) Hôtel & Spa Les Mouettes
• (3.92 km) Relais des Trois Mas et Restaurant La Balette
• (3.97 km) Hotel la Casa Pairal
• (3.89 km) Restaurant Le Neptune
• (3.81 km) Côté Faubourg
• (4.11 km) La Bodeguita
• (4.14 km) Le 5eme Pechè
• (4.14 km) La Casa Linga

The Cycling Culture

Tour Madeloc – Trip to Collioure

Since I moved to Girona a lot of my friends told me about the Tour de Madeloc and the Collioure area, we planned rides there several times but we always had something else to do so it was a pending destination.

I was attracted for the area, good climb, beautiful views and plenty of vineyards that make a perfect picture for a cycling and wine lover.

The area’s not so far so we head from Girona to spend a day there before our ride the SaCostaBrava gravel race . To be honest, we planned via Komoot two rides there, one heading north following all the coast, and the other to attempt the T our Madeloc . First one, it was cancelled due to a problem with the hotel owner, so we just did the last one planned, but I need to say, it was worth it.

We start early on the morning for a secondary road leaving Collioure and crossing all the vinyards, before starting the road to climb Madeloc, we did climb the Coll de Mollo , short one bad with a steep hill on the middle, crossing all the valley until the top.

The second part was easy and with amazing views all climb long on our left, looking at the vineyards and the coast at the bottom.

I couldn’t resist to stop and do some pictures, the image there was so perfect to stop, breathe and shoot.

We arrived at the last two km heading to a really small road, and the climb changes it, tarmac in really bad conditions and the gradient start heading up, cycling there start beeing no a joke but the views in each corner….what a view! so incredible. Images talk for itself, so have a look!

After climbing we did all the downhill via Port-Vendres and following the coast to ride back to Collioure , the sun was with us all day, so we enjoy a short but so beautiful ride.

The Madeloc it is one of the most beautiful climbs I did, it’s true tarmac it’s a disaster and climbing with a road bike requires to be careful, but the mixing views of mountains and sea at the end makes this climb unforgettable. If you are planning to visit the area, don’t miss it! The view makes worthy the effort.

Komoot ride info

Collioure is a super cosy town on the coast surrounded by a lot of vineyards, a perfect stop to enjoy a nice local wine after ride.

Hotel: Casa Païral Restaurant/Wine: Le Jardin de Saint Sébastien

Tour Madeloc from Collioure via D86

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Tour Madeloc from Collioure via D86 is a climb in the region French Pyrenees . It is 9.5km long and bridges 605 vertical meters with an average gradient of 6.4%, resulting in a difficulty score of 540. The top of the ascent is located at 606 meters above sea level. Climbfinder users shared 4 reviews of this climb and uploaded 10 photos.

Road names: D86 & Tour de Madeloc

3.0 by Mickel This is an automatic translation, the original language is: Dutch. Climb from Collioure started. Beautiful route via narrow quiet road. Hardly any traffic. Very doable until the last few km. That is the real climb to the Madeloc. Very narrow, bad road surface with lots of gravel on the road and last 2 km really steep.... read more

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Classification

Road surface condition, climbing times.

Col du Tourmalet from Luz Saint Sauveur via Voie Laurent Fignon

Hautacam / Col de Tramassel

Col du Tourmalet from Sainte-Marie de Campan

Col d'Aubisque from Argelès Gazost via Col du Soulor

Reviews (4)

For a change, I had decided to do the climb in the evening, with sunset when I reached the top. That was a good idea, not only because of the beautiful view, but also because it was 37 degrees during the day and below 30 in the evening and I could cycle in the shadow of the mountain. I first wanted to do the steepest variant from Collioure, between the vineyards, but during the descent on this road, I decided not to do it. This road was of very poor quality and very steep in parts. So we decided to do this one. I think the first part of the climb goes to Col de Serra, and then you descend a bit to the Col de Mollo to climb to the Madeloc. From here, it is also difficult, regularly as much as 9 percent. It surprised me how narrow the road is. The Col de Serra is in comparison easy. At about 1.5 km from the top, you go up the path to the tower. Here are prohibition signs, but maybe this is only for cars. The first part of the path is actually not so bad, only after the first right turn it becomes steep. This is also capricious, there are always very steep parts and then a small part to catch your breath. The hairpin bends that turn back are often just a bit flatter. Once at the top, you have an incredible view. Seems very cool to me if they would do a Vuelta arrival here, but even for that it is probably too limited in terms of finish space.

Voor de afwisseling had ik eens gekozen om de klim te doen in de avond, met zonsondergang als ik bij de top was. Dat was zeker een goed idee, niet alleen vanwege het mooie uitzicht, maar ook omdat het overdag 37 graden was en in de avond onder de 30 maar ik ook kon fietsen in de schaduw van de berg. Ik wilde eerste de steilste variant doen vanuit Collioure, tussen de wijngaarden, maar tijdens het afdalen over deze weg besloten dit maar niet te doen. Deze weg was namelijk van zeer slechte kwaliteit en erg steil op stukken. Dus toen maar deze variant gekozen. Volgens mij gaat het eerste deel van de klim naar Col de Serra, en daal je dan een stukje af naar de Col de Mollo om daar naar de Madeloc te klimmen. Vanaf hier is het ook lastig, regelmatig al 9 procent. Mij verbaasde het hoe smal de weg is. De Col de Serra is in vergelijking met makkelijk. Op zo'n 1,5 km van de top ga je het pad op naar de toren. Hier staan verbodsborden, maar misschien geld dit alleen voor auto's. Het eerste stuk van het pad valt eigenlijk nog wel mee, pas na de eerste bocht naar rechts wordt het steil. Dit is ook grillig, er zijn steeds erg steile stukken en dan een klein stuk om op adem te komen. De terugdraaiende haarspeldbochten zijn hierbij vaak net even wat vlakker. Eenmaal boven heb je een onwijs mooi uitzicht. Lijkt me erg gaaf als ze hier een Vuelta aankomst op zouden doen, maar zelfs daarvoor is het waarschijnlijk bovenop te beperkt qua finish ruimte.

Nice climb with good road surface (until last km). Some parts around 10％ with some less steep parts in between. For people who are not race climbers (like me), this mountain is a nice challenge. Nice view as well.

Mooie beklimming met goed wegdek (tot laatste km). Aantal stukken rond de 10％ met wat minder stijle delen er tussen. Voor mensen die geen rasklimmer zijn (zoals) ik is deze berg een mooi uitdaging. Tevens mooi uitzicht.

Done this climb in 2019. Heavy parts are in it and the surprise is at the end when you go up the Last km " perpendicular " up. You really should start this trek in the early morning. It can get so hot locally that you are almost toasted. But it is a very nice climb with views towards the coast which makes you long for a cool dive.

Deze beklimming gedaan in 2019. Zware stukken zitten er in en de verrassing zit aan het einde als je de Laatste km “ loodrecht” omhoog gaat. Deze tocht moet je echt beginnen in de vroege ochtend. Het kan lokaal zo warm worden dat je bijkans geroosterd wordt. Wel een hele mooie klim met vergezichten richting de kust waardoor het verlangen naar een koele duik tamelijk toeneemt.

Climb from Collioure started. Beautiful route via narrow quiet road. Hardly any traffic. Very doable until the last few km. That is the real climb to the Madeloc. Very narrow, bad road surface with lots of gravel on the road and last 2 km really steep.

Klim vanuit Collioure gestart. Mooie route via smalle stille weg. Nauwelijks verkeer. Heel goed te doen tot de laatste paar km. Dat is het echte klimmetje naar de Madeloc. Heel smal, slecht wegdek met veel gravel op de weg en laatste 2 km echt heel steil.

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Tour de Madeloc