Three hikes explore Clara on different scales: the trail to the Dolmen de la Lloseta passes through the village, the Boucle du bicentenaire starts there, and the Ronde du Canigó GR®P also passes through Clara. The route type, length, and difficulty help you choose between an easy hike with a specific destination, a loop, and a multi-day trek. In the village, the parish church of Saint-Martin is a cultural landmark.

Easy hikes from and through Clara

The trail to the Dolmen de la Lloseta is 5.2 kilometres long and follows an out-and-back route. It leads to the dolmen and passes through Clara; the hike is rated easy and suitable for families. With this route type, the return journey is included in the stated distance. The dolmen is the specific destination, while Clara is also part of the route.

The Boucle du bicentenaire follows a different route: this easy, 7.5-kilometre circular hike starts in Clara. It follows historic paths used by schoolchildren in the previous century, along the foothills of the Canigó. It is marked with yellow PR trail markers and yellow-and-red GR® Pays markers. These two marker colours belong to this loop and provide practical guidance alongside its history.

The two easy hikes can be distinguished by their length and format: the dolmen trail is shorter at 5.2 kilometres and is described as an out-and-back route; the Boucle is 7.5 kilometres and forms a loop. Both are rated easy. Family suitability is explicitly stated for the hike to the dolmen. If you prefer a circular hike, the Boucle offers that format; if you want to make the dolmen your destination, choose the out-and-back route.

The Ronde du Canigó as a multi-day trek

The Ronde du Canigó GR®P calls for a much longer time commitment: it is a very difficult, eight-day circular trek covering 157.1 kilometres and passing through Clara. This clearly sets it apart from the two easy hikes, both in duration and difficulty rating. The Ronde is part of the department of Pyrénées-Orientales’ 1,000-kilometre network of GR® and GR®P trails. When planning this trek, it is advisable to check current mountain conditions and regulations, as they may change.

The three options represent different hiking choices and do not form one combined route: a dolmen as a destination, an easy loop starting in Clara, or a very difficult circular trek lasting eight days. Their length, route type, and difficulty provide a concrete basis for comparison. In particular, it is important not to confuse the eight-day Ronde with the shorter local hikes.

Saint-Martin in the village centre

The parish church of Saint-Martin is at the heart of the village of Clara and is still dedicated to Catholic worship. It is mentioned as early as 879 under the name “basilica S Martini Clarinianum”. Alongside the hiking trails, it offers a historic and present-day point of reference in the village: its first recorded name dates back to the 9th century, while its religious dedication continues to this day.

For a stay centred on hiking, Clara can therefore be explored from two different perspectives: through trails that pass through or start in the village, and through Saint-Martin as the village’s focal point. The short hikes differ in their loop format and distance; the Ronde du Canigó adds a long, very difficult trek to the options. Which one suits your trip depends above all on how much time you have and what level of difficulty you want to take on.

Discover more destinations: Rodes, Felluns, Estoher, Los Masos, Font-Romeu-Odeillo-Via, Banyuls-Dels-Aspres, Valcebollère, Canet-En-Roussillon.

For the broader travel overview: Pyrénées-Orientales.