Aplec del Canigó
The great Catalan gathering at the summit of the sacred mountain of Canigou
2026
About Aplec del Canigó
Aplec del Canigó — edition 2026
The Aplec del Canigó 2026 (Trobada del Canigó) will take place on Saturday, June 13 and Sunday, June 14, 2026, the weekend before Saint John's Day, for the traditional Catalan gathering at the summit of Canigou. This edition will be accessible entirely on foot, as motorized vehicles will not be able to access the massif during the festivities.
The Trobada del Canigó 2026 — June 13 and 14
The 2026 edition of the Aplec del Canigó will bring together Catalans from both sides of the Pyrenees on Saturday, June 13 and Sunday, June 14, around the Cortalets refuge (2,150 m), just below the Canigou peak (2,784 m). The weekend before Saint John's Day, as every year since 1955, delegations from Catalan villages will climb to deposit their bundles of vine shoots at the foot of the iron cross at the summit.
2026 Special Feature: Foot access only
For this edition, the Syndicat Mixte Canigó Grand Site has confirmed that festivities on the massif will be accessible entirely on foot. No motorized vehicles will be allowed on the massif's tracks during the Trobada. Several starting points are organized: Casteil (the most frequented, from Saint-Martin-du-Canigou Abbey), Fillols, and Valmanya.
The Weekend Ritual
Saturday, June 13 — Morning departures (from 8 a.m.) from the access villages. 5 to 6-hour ascent on foot (approximately 1,400 m of positive elevation gain) towards the Cortalets refuge. Arrival at the refuge in the afternoon, settling in, Catalan activities. In the evening, Catalan meal at the refuge (19.50 € indoors, 15 € outdoors, by reservation) followed by a fraternal vigil around shared fires, Catalan songs, sardanes, and preparation of the crémât — a traditional hot drink made from rum, sugar, cinnamon, lemon zest, and roasted coffee beans. Overnight at the refuge or bivouac nearby (the refuge is full for 2026).
Sunday, June 14 — Early in the morning, final ascent to the Canigó peak (2,784 m) for the depositing of bundles at the foot of the iron cross at the summit. Each Catalan village, from both North and South, symbolically deposits a bundle marked with the name of its commune, accompanied by messages, wishes, and poems for peace and Catalan unity. Gradual descent until 6 p.m.
What's next: the Regeneration and Sant Joan
The bundles deposited at the peak on June 14 will await the Regeneració de la Flama del Canigó on June 22: a flame maintained since 1960 will be brought up from the Castillet of Perpignan to the summit of Canigou to be rekindled. This regenerated flame will then be brought back down on June 23 (Nit de Sant Joan) to light the Saint John's fires in each Catalan village, on both sides of the border.
Highlights Aplec del Canigó 2026
- Major identity gathering of Northern Catalonia, perpetuated without interruption since 1955
- Ascent of Canigou (2,784 m), sacred mountain of Catalonia, with symbolic depositing of bundles at the summit
- Vigil at the Cortalets refuge (2,150 m): Catalan meal, songs, sardanes, traditional crémât
- 2026 edition 100% on foot — no vehicle access to the massif during the Trobada
- Prefigures the Flama del Canigó and the Saint John's fires throughout Catalonia
Programme Aplec del Canigó 2026
Saturday, June 13, 2026 — Ascent and Vigil
- 8:00 AM — Departures from gathering points (Casteil, Fillols, Valmanya). Prior registration required (capacity limited to 60 people per organized group).
- Morning — Ascent on foot towards the Cortalets refuge (5 to 6 hours, approx. 1,400 m positive elevation gain).
- Afternoon — Arrival at the Cortalets refuge (2,150 m), settling in, Catalan activities.
- Evening — Catalan meal at the refuge (by reservation, 19.50 € indoors / 15 € outdoors).
- Night — Vigil around shared fires: Catalan songs, sardanes, storytelling, preparation of the crémât. Overnight at the refuge or bivouac.
Sunday, June 14, 2026 — Depositing bundles at the summit
- Early morning — Wake up and departure from the Cortalets refuge towards the Canigou peak (2,784 m).
- Morning — Ceremony of depositing bundles at the foot of the iron cross at the summit by each village delegation.
- Afternoon — Gradual descent towards the starting villages.
- 6:00 PM — Official end of the Trobada.
Related festivities (outside the Trobada stricto sensu)
- Monday, June 22, 2026 — Regeneració de la Flama del Canigó: the flame maintained since 1960 is brought back up to the peak to be rekindled at dusk.
- Tuesday, June 23, 2026 — Nit de Sant Joan: the regenerated flame is brought back down and entrusted to the mountaineers of Vernet-les-Bains. Lighting of Saint John's fires in each Catalan village at nightfall.
Prices Aplec del Canigó 2026
Bicycle: free access.
Catalan meal on Saturday evening at the Cortalets refuge: 19.50 € indoors, 15 € outdoors (by reservation).
Overnight stay at the Cortalets refuge: by reservation (refuge full for 2026 — bivouac possible nearby).
Mandatory registration for the organized ascent with the refuge: https://refugedescortalets.ffcam.fr/
Aplec del Canigó — 2027 edition
The 2026 edition was held from 13 June to 14 June 2026. The dates for the 2027 edition have not been announced yet. This page will be updated as soon as the official programme is published.
Practical information — Aplec del Canigó
Practical Information
⚠️ 2026 Edition — Access entirely on foot. For this 2026 edition, the festivities on the massif will be accessed entirely on foot (no motorized vehicles allowed on the massif's tracks during the Trobada).
Starting points for the ascent
- Casteil (near Saint-Martin-du-Canigou Abbey) — the most frequented traditional starting point
- Fillols — access via the D27
- Valmanya (Els Masos de Valmanya) — north face
Mandatory registration (organized ascent)
Registration is mandatory with the Refuge des Cortalets (capacity limited to 60 people per group).
- On-foot ascent fee: €10 per person, €1 for children under 12
- Bicycle: free access
- Registration: refugedescortalets.ffcam.fr
Access and parking
Casteil is accessible via the D116 from Vernet-les-Bains (2 km). Parking in the village of Casteil. The trail then ascends towards the Refuge des Cortalets (2,150 m), a 5 to 6-hour walk with approximately 1,400 m of positive elevation gain.
Accommodation and catering
The Refuge des Cortalets (2,150 m) offers accommodation and catering, strictly by reservation. Please note: for 2026, the refuge is already fully booked — it is still possible to bivouac nearby. Saturday evening Catalan meal at the refuge: €19.50 (indoors) or €15 (outdoors, by reservation).
Physical condition
The ascent of Canigou requires good physical condition. Bring warm clothing (even in June, temperatures can drop at the summit), good mountain shoes, and sufficient water.
Contact
- Syndicat Mixte Canigó Grand Site (main organizer): 04 68 96 45 86
- Refuge des Cortalets (reservations, access info): 04 68 96 36 19
- Conflent Canigó Tourist Office: 04 68 05 41 02
The Aplec del Canigó: A Catalan Identity Pilgrimage
Each year, the weekend before Saint-Jean (June 23rd), hundreds of Catalans converge on the summit of Canigou, the sacred mountain of North Catalonia. This Aplec (gathering) is the strongest expression of Catalan identity, a ritual passed down through generations since 1955.
The Ascent and the Deposit of the Bundles
Delegations depart from different starting points — Fillols, Valmanya, Casteil — on foot, sometimes accompanied by mules carrying provisions and bundles of wood. Each Catalan village, from North and South, sends its delegation to deposit a bundle at the foot of the iron cross on the summit, accompanied by messages, wishes, and poems symbolizing Catalan peace and unity.
The Vigil at the Cortalets Refuge
On Saturday evening, participants gather at the Cortalets refuge (2,150 m) for a fraternal vigil. Around a bonfire, a communal meal prepared by the refuge is shared, Catalan songs are sung to the guitar, and the crémât is prepared, a traditional drink made from rum, sugar, cinnamon, lemon zest, and roasted coffee beans, inherited from 19th-century Cuban trade.
The Ascent to the Peak
In the early hours of Sunday morning, participants begin the ascent to the Canigou peak at 2,784 meters to deposit their bundles, which will fuel the flame of the Flama del Canigó, then carried from village to village to light the Saint-Jean bonfires throughout Catalonia.
Where does it take place — Aplec del Canigó
Aplec del Canigó in brief
History of Aplec del Canigó
Edition 2025 Jun 2025Other festivals near Casteil
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