Guide · Gravel in Girona
Gravel routes near Girona from the door
Four rides from Can Freu, between Les Guilleries and the Costa Brava.
Where to ride gravel around Girona: four GPS routes that start and finish at Can Freu, in Vilobí d’Onyar (La Selva), from an easy 40 km loop to a 109 km mountain day in Les Guilleries.
In short
The countryside south of Girona is one of the best places in Catalonia to ride gravel. From Can Freu Cycling House, in Vilobí d’Onyar (La Selva, Girona), four routes leave straight from the door: Brunyola (40 km, +500 m, easy), Les Guilleries (109 km, +2,400 m, hard), the Costa Brava (90 km, +500 m, moderate) and the Argimon sanctuary (40 km, +600 m, intermediate). Together they add up to 279 km and 4,000 m of climbing. The best season is September to June.
Why ride gravel here
Between the mountains and the sea.
Can Freu sits in the heart of La Selva, half an hour from Girona, one of Europe’s cycling capitals. To the west rise the forests of Les Guilleries; to the east, country lanes and greenways run down to the Costa Brava. In between lies the La Selva plain, with farm tracks, woods and small Romanesque churches.
That mix means very different gravel riding within a few kilometres: fast flat tracks, long forest climbs, technical sections and coastal views. The climate is mild, so you can ride comfortably from autumn to late spring.
The routes
Four gravel routes from Can Freu.
All four routes start and finish at Can Freu, so you never need to load the bikes onto a car. They are listed from the first day of a stay to the last, mixing easy and hard days.
Brunyola · 40 km · +500 m · easy
A relaxed loop across the La Selva plain, through fields, woods and Romanesque churches. Ideal to warm up the legs and test the bike on the first day.
- Vallcanera church
- Santa Margarida hermitage
- Salitja church
- Sant Fruitós de Brunyola
- Serrallonga hermitage
Terrain: dirt tracks and country lanes with short stretches of tarmac. No long climbs.
Les Guilleries · 109 km · +2,400 m · hard
The queen stage. Mountain forest tracks into Les Guilleries up to Sant Hilari Sacalm, at almost 1,000 m, and back via Osor. Lush forests and springs less than an hour from the house.
- Anglès
- Les Guilleries
- Sant Hilari Sacalm (highest point, ~970 m)
- Osor
Terrain: mountain forest tracks with long climbs and a few steep sections, then a fast descent. For riders with good endurance.
Costa Brava · 90 km · +500 m · moderate
From La Selva to the sea on country lanes and greenway sections, reaching Platja d’Aro and Sant Feliu de Guíxols before heading back.
- Vilobí d’Onyar
- Country lanes and greenway
- Platja d’Aro
- Sant Feliu de Guíxols
Terrain: mostly flat: fast tracks, lanes and greenway. Lots of kilometres, little climbing.
Argimon · 40 km · +600 m · intermediate
Short, with a solid final climb to the Argimon sanctuary, on a hilltop overlooking La Selva. A few steps lead up to the sanctuary for the views. Descent via l’Esparra towards Riudarenes.
- Riudarenes
- Climb to the Argimon sanctuary
- Descent via l’Esparra
Terrain: tracks with a steep final climb, 100% rideable.
Total: 279 km and 4,000 m of elevation gain. Guests receive the GPS track of each route, ready to load onto a bike computer or phone.
More riding nearby
Other spots around Can Freu.
- Can Freu private circuit (0 min): technical MTB and gravel circuit on 2 ha of oak and cork forest, for guests only.
- Santa Coloma de Farners (20 min): technical descents and enduro.
- Arbúcies · Montseny (30 min): enduro and long descents.
- Girona city trails (35 min): gravel and mixed MTB.
- Costa Brava, Lloret and Tossa (40 min): easy coastal gravel.
Times are by van from Can Freu. The house has an 8-seat van with an approved bike trailer to take the group to these spots.
Tips
Before you ride.
- When to go: September to June. Summer days are hot; start early if you ride then.
- Bike: any gravel bike works on the Brunyola, Costa Brava and Argimon routes. For Les Guilleries, bring low gears and enough water and food for a long day.
- Navigation: load the GPS track onto your device before leaving the house.
- Respect the land: stay on existing tracks and leave gates as you find them. Les Guilleries is a natural space we want to keep that way.
Book
Ride them with the Gravel pack.
The Gravel pack puts these four routes into a 3-night / 4-day stay for groups of 10: GPS tracks, support van on the route, 3 breakfasts and 2 dinners at Can Freu, from €450 per person, VAT included.