Europe-World

The route of the 10 chapels

Ideal for discovering the Selva Interior area, some of its hidden chapels, and the different landscapes that comprise it

The Route of the 10 Chapels is located in an area of La Selva county where small examples of religious Romanesque remains abound, most of them restored. The route is suitable for everyone, as it can be done in stretches, depending on what each individual can manage. The complete route requires good preparation, even if it is done over two or three days, because it involves quite a steep climb, reaching two thousand metres.

It is located in the northwestern part of the county and includes the municipal areas of Sant Hilari Sacalm, Riudarenes, Anglès, Santa Coloma de Farners and Osor. There are two clearly differentiated zones regarding the landscape. One that passes through the municipal areas of Santa Coloma de Farners and Riudarenes, with the chapels of Farners, Argimon, Sant Pere Cercada, Santa Victòria de Sauleda and Sant Miquel de Cladells, a dry area that has has pines, cork trees and holm oaks, and where the mountain landscape is softer and more rounded. The other zone also features cork trees and holm oaks, as well as deciduous trees, such as chestnuts, oaks and even alpine “Douglas” (Oregon pine) fir trees, and with a greater abundance of water.

The Route of the Chapels is some 66 km in length and links together the 10 chapels around the capital of La Selva. The itinerary connects the old paths that run from chapel to chapel. The idea to turn it into a route arose in 1995 when a group of members of the Farners Excursionist Centre began rediscovering the paths, many of which had been lost, that connected the chapels with one another and with Santa Coloma. Initially, the route comprised nine chapels: Virgen de Farners, Cercada Sant Pere, Sant Iscle and Santa Victòria de Sauleda, Sant Miquel de Cladells and Sant Andreu de Casanyet in the municipal district of Santa Coloma de Farners; Santa Margarida de Vallors and Mare de Déu del Padró in the municipal district of Sant Hilari Sacalm; Mare de Déu d’Argimon in the municipal district of Riudarenes and Santa Barbara in the municipal district of Anglès. The chapel of Santa Creu d’Horta in the Osor district was added later on.

The centre decided to organise a walk along one stretch of the route in September or early October each year, a tradition it continues to this day.

Suitable for all

The Route of the 10 Chapels has been designed for three days of walking, with the itineraries marked out. It can be done on foot, by bike or on horseback. However, morning excursions from chapel to chapel are also an option, after driving by car to the chapel where the route starts. There is no partial route but it does pass through several municipal districts. The difficulty of the route is low despite its length.

Sign in. Sign in if you are already a verified reader. I want to become verified reader. To leave comments on the website you must be a verified reader.
Note: To leave comments on the website you must be a verified reader and accept the conditions of use.