Adventure & Sports
The Pyrenees Orientales is well know for all its adventure activities and sports.
Cycling
Mountain biking
The Pyrenees Orientales is a mountain biking paradise, one of the best kept secrets in the mountain bike world. There is an enormous amount of mountain biking potential. From the summits to the sea, you can ride to your heart’s content on trails suited to all abilities. Thousands of kilometres of marked- and non-waymarked trails. In France, as a mountain bike is not a motorised vehicle, you are free to ride your bike on any path, waymarked or not.
Here are some very good downhill bike parks. Les Angles ski station offers trails with lift access using its gondola from mid-June to mid-September. La Molina ski station, just across the border in Spain, offers the same gondola-accessed trails, and in Andorra there is the world famous Vallnord bike park and a second bike park at Soldeu.
Refer to https://anglophone-direct.com/mountain-biking-in-the-pyrenees-orientales/ for more information.
For the 'on road' enthusiasts and the connoisseurs - the Spanish version of the 'Tour de France' know as the "Volta d'Espanja" passed through Olette in 2017 on the way to Andorra.
For more information of routes https://www.outdooractive.com/en/road-bike-rides/languedoc-roussillon/road-bike-rides-in-languedoc-roussillon/2514656/
Bikers Welcome
For the motorbike riders - from Perpignan the 'twisties' starts just after Prades and will keep you busy for 60km all the way to the Spanish border or on to Andorra for another 60kms if you are not satisfied as yet.
Then off course there are still the coastal roads to explore to keep you busy for another few days.
And then the wine farms, and then .... You will need to stay for a week or two to see SOME of it, but better yet - come back again to head north to see more.
Hiking
The area is well known for its large variety of hiking trails. From an easy 5 km walk to the 3 days trek from mountain village to mountain village. Some are easy and others are for more experienced hikers.
Rafting, Canyoning
For the adventurers there are several activities in the rivers of the area - see
https://anglophone-direct.com/rafting-canyoning-tubing/
Skiing
For the snow lovers there are 3 ski areas in less than an hours' drive from Olette. And then off course there is Andorra, which is about 90 minutes from Olette.
The Beach
Swimming in the ocean is only 40 minutes away. Visitors are spoilt for choice of beaches north and south of Perpignan. Swimming, fishing, wind surfing, kite surfing all are catered for. And then the Spanish coast of Costa Brava is less than 90 minutes away for an easy seaside day trip.
