Carme brings together waterways in the landscape and traces of local working and cultural history. Three signposted Les Rutes de l’Aigua de Carme routes pass through its natural and landscape heritage. The cultural centre, paper mill and church offer further insight into the history of the town, along with the Santuari de Collbàs on the Serra de Collbàs. When planning your visit, consider a simple question: should your stay focus mainly on the routes along the Riera, or would you like to set aside more time for the history of the paraires and the historic buildings?

Water and landscape around Carme

The Riera de Carme, also known as the Riera de Miralles, runs from Miralles to the Anoia River, passing through Carme. It is part of the protected area PEIN Sistema Prelitoral Central (PRC 107). Waterfalls and pools lie along the Riera and can be discovered via various suggested walking routes. The Itinerari del Rec follows the Rec de Carme through natural areas and provides access to the Riera de Carme. The Rec is also part of the town’s history: it is documented as early as 1214.

Three water routes, different route details

The three water routes start in the old town, at the former abattoir, which has been converted into an interpretation centre. Specific details on distance, duration and difficulty are available for two of the routes. The Itinerari de la Riera cap al Molí Major is about 4 km long, takes 1 to 2 hours and is classed as easy. The Itinerari de Collbàs is 4.6 km long; here too, the stated duration is 1 to 2 hours, and the difficulty is moderate.

Both routes take the same amount of time. Distance and stated difficulty therefore provide the main points of comparison when choosing between them. Consider both details rather than basing your decision on distance alone. The routes also offer different ways to explore Carme: the Itinerari del Rec follows the Rec through natural areas, while the other two routes are described in more detail through their stated distances and difficulty levels.

Guild history, paper mill and church

The Centre d’Interpretació dels Paraires de Carme “L’Escorxador” is located in the old town. Through visual material and historical information, it presents the history of the guild brotherhood that existed there between 1733 and 1860. The Casa de Sant Roc was the seat of the brotherhood of Carme’s paraires, founded in 1733. The two dates can thus be understood as the beginning and end of the period covered by the cultural centre. Check the current visiting arrangements before visiting the centre.

The Molí Major is a distinctive paper mill and a reminder of Carme’s industrial past; it is currently unused. The parish church of Sant Martí has two distinct features to discover: inside, a Romanesque baptismal font has been preserved, while above the portal is a coat of arms featuring a relief depicting the legend of Saint Martin dividing his cloak. The coat of arms is dated 1748.

Another historical highlight is the Santuari de Collbàs, a sanctuary built in the 18th century on the Serra de Collbàs. Along with the guild history, the paper mill and the details at Sant Martí, it offers a different perspective on Carme from the water routes. When planning your visit, you can therefore give more weight to either the landscape and routes or the different cultural and historical themes.

Discover more destinations: La Llagosta, Gironella, Cardedeu, Castellgalí, Martorell, Alpens, Rubió, Canyelles.

For the broader travel overview: Barcelona.