Hike the Cathar Trail (The way of Good Men)

One of Spain’s Great Pilgrim Trails

For a memorable Spanish walking holiday, a great alternative to the popular but busy Camino de Santiago is the Cathar Trail, a less well-known but equally inspiring pilgrim route that traverses the beautiful French-Catalan Pyrenees.

The Cathar Trail is the route taken by the religious group of the same name when they were trying to escape the Inquisition of 13th-century France and Spain. The Cathars were also known as the Good Men, giving the trail its Catalan name El Cami dels Bons Homes or Way of Good Men.

The route traverses some of the most beautiful scenery of the Pyrenees. Starting in Foix, France, it wends its way over mountain pastures and passes, through the spectacular Cadí-Moixeró Natural Park and the Mediterranean forests of northern Catalonia before arriving at the town of Berga.

There is plenty of Cathar history waiting in the ruined castles and Romanesque churches dotted along the trail and in the mountain towns and villages where you stay each night.

Some highlights of the trek include the Sanctuary of Queralt, built on an outcrop 1,200m up, on the site of a 12th-century castle; the medieval town of Bagà, home to the Medieval and Cathar Study Centre and the town of Gósol, where Picasso stayed and painted.

Our guided hiking tour starts with a transfer from Barcelona of Toulouse to Mérens in France and takes you on 6 carefully planned stages to Berga in Spain, finishing with a transfer to Barcelona.

At the end of each stage, you can relax and unwind in lovely surroundings at our comfortable hotels and hostels, all handpicked for their friendly service and great local food.

Your luggage is transported for you each day and is ready and waiting for you when you arrive in the evening.
The Cathar Trail is a great alternative to the better-known Camino de Santiago for those who want to experience a scenic, historic Spanish pilgrimage without seeing too many other people en route.

The route is of moderate to challenging difficulty and corresponds to UK walking grades 6-7.

Itinerary