Canigou (2,784 metres) is the sacred mountain of the Catalans — on either side of the border between France and Spain, it is visible from a vast area of the plain and is deeply embedded in Catalan national identity. On the night of the Fête de la Saint-Jean (midsummer), fires lit on the summit by a team of relay runners send a chain of bonfires cascading down across Catalonia to the sea.
From Prades, the usual ascent routes begin at Vernet-les-Bains or from the Cortalets refuge higher up, accessible by four-wheel drive in summer. The summit ascent from Cortalets takes about two hours. The views from the top encompass the Mediterranean, the Pyrenean peaks, and on exceptional days, the Spanish coast near Barcelona.