A coastal path of 250 uninterrupted kilometers that connects Argelers, on the French Côte Vermeille, with the first municipality on the Maresme coast, Malgrat de Mar, passing through the Costa Brava. It is the ambitious proposal that the road, canal and port engineer Eduard Bonmatí and the geographer and historian Josep Lluís Martínez presented a few days ago to around twenty mayors and institutions with the aim of making it a reality in 2039. A unique trail with a view of the sea with which its promoters want to contribute to deseasonalizing tourism.
The model to follow is the Camí de Cavalls de Menorca where, according to Bonmatí, the GDP on the island has risen by 15% since the creation of this tourist resource that allows you to tour the island in stages from ‘an ancestral trail of 186 km that traces the Menorcan coast. Another point of reference on which its promoters are inspired is O Camiño dos Faros, in Galicia, a hiking route that connects Malpica with Finisterre by the sea and that takes in the lighthouses and main points of interest of the Costa da Morte. “We want to create a cross-border path that joins the Costa Brava and the Côte Vermeille, that respects the environment and can compete with other paths to attract sea walkers”, points out Bonmatí. A profile – they say – that values ??walking the patrol paths without interruptions and without the need for a vehicle.
The Camí de Mar, the name they have given the initiative, would take advantage of the sections of walking paths that already exist on the Costa Brava and on the French side. Along this route there are currently 156 kilometers of coastal paths in good condition, which represents 62% of the 250 km route that this Camí de Mar would have. In 60 km some intervention is necessary due to deficiencies and 33 km are discontinuous sections where the coastal path has ceased to exist. There are 85 discontinuities on the Costa Brava alone, a fact that currently makes it impossible to retrace the entire coastal path from Blanes to Portbou. The path would start at the Racó d’Argelers beach and end at the church of Sant Nicolau in Malgrat de Mar, and would be divided into 18 stages – 16 on the Costa Brava and 2 on the Côte Vermeille – of about 14 km average each
This idea was presented by its two leaders in September 2023 at a congress on public works heritage held in Toledo and right now it is in the phase of studies, collaborations and the search for funding. In seven months they have obtained the support of 35 sponsors and they also rely on public aid. A proposal that, if fully realized, will not be cheap. Bonmatí estimates that 470 euros are required for each linear meter of road in poor condition. Just repairing the damaged sections would cost around 30 million euros.
The president of the Diputació de Girona, Miquel Noguer, described the idea as “brilliant”, but acknowledged that for it to be a success it must count on the involvement of all the councils and institutions. Noguer added that one of the keys to this proposal “is not to do the initial work, but to ensure its conservation and maintenance once executed”. An idea shared by its promoters. “Management and construction will be global, otherwise it will not be done”, they say.
An idea that, apparently, has the support of the town councils. The mayor of Portbou, Gael Rodríguez, has been “enthusiastic” about the initiative and indicates that “they will do everything possible to make it go ahead”. The section of Portbou is basic as it is the one that would connect the Costa Brava with the Côte Vermeille. The mayor of Calonge, Jordi Soler, also welcomes the proposal, which will create a flow of visitors throughout the year and increase hotel occupancy in the low season. The municipality has started work on the adaptation of the cycle path and is ready to establish public-private collaboration systems to rehabilitate the path.
