Les Llosses has no urban centre; houses and farmsteads are spread across the municipality in eight villages that correspond to the former parishes. Nature, architecture and historic paths offer a variety of reasons to explore this dispersed municipality.

Waterways and trails through the landscape

The Riera del Merlès is a protected natural area with clear water, as well as numerous pools and waterfalls along its entire course. Access has been restricted since 2017. Check the current conditions before visiting, especially if you are making this place a main focus of your trip. The headwaters of the Riera del Merlès lie between Sant Jaume de Frontanyà and Les Llosses.

The Route de la riera de les Llosses connects Santa Maria de Matamala with Ripoll. For much of its length, it follows the course of the Riera de les Llosses and passes through mountain landscapes, pastures and dense forests. On the “Matamala i les Llosses per antics camins de ferradura” route, you can leave your car at the entrance to Santa Maria de Matamala, in a large unpaved area; road and parking conditions may change. The “Entre antigues parròquies de Gombrèn, Campdevànol i les Llosses” route follows a path once used by shepherds and farmers.

For cyclists, the challenging Puig-Cornador Route 18 loops around the Serra de Puig Cornador and climbs to 1,232 m. Its starting point is at the junction with the C-26, near Les Llosses Town Hall. The routes therefore each have a distinct character: one follows a river course for much of its length, another passes through mountain landscapes, while the cycling route focuses on the climb to the ridge.

Churches and industrial history

La Farga de Bebié is a textile colony founded in 1895 in Les Llosses and Montesquiu. The area’s churches also feature distinctive architectural details: Santa Maria de les Llosses has a single nave with a pointed barrel vault and Lombard arcades on the exterior. Santa Maria de Matamala also originally had a single nave with a barrel vault, as well as an apse. In Matamala’s case, the description refers specifically to the original building.

The Santa Margarida de Vinyoles sanctuary lies in the southern part of the municipality, east of Puig Cornador, on a hill in the Serra de Vinyoles at an elevation of 1,206 m. It is considered the chapel of the former Castell de la Guàrdia de Ripoll castle; the castle site lies below the sanctuary complex. The remains of Castell de la Guàrdia are located near Mas del Castell, on a small hill in the Serra de Santa Margarida, on the south side of the valley below the sanctuary. These details link the sanctuary’s location with traces of the former castle complex.

Festa Major and cheese tasting

The Festa Major de Matamala programme includes a festive pyrotechnic announcement, performances and children’s activities, dancing and a concert, a solemn mass, a football match and an omelette-making competition. The programme may change; check the dates if you would like to coordinate your trip with the festival. For a cheese tasting, Formatges del Pujol-Orra offers a farm visit at Mas El Pujol de Dachs in Les Llosses. Reservations and advance payment are required, so be sure to plan your visit well ahead.

Discover more destinations: Vallfogona de Ripollès, L'armentera, Maçanet De La Selva, La Vall D'en Bas, Mollet de Peralada, Pau, Castelló D’empúries, Cadaqués.

For the broader travel overview: Girona.