Between the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean
Located in the north-east of the Iberian Peninsula, Catalonia covers an area of around 32,000 km², almost the size of Brittany. To the north, on the Pyrenees side, it borders France and Andorra (from east to west), and to the west, the autonomous community of Aragon. To the east, it borders the Mediterranean, and to the south, it is linked to the Valencian Autonomous Community, province of Castelló. Despite its relatively small size, the region boasts a wide variety of landscapes, from the beaches of the Costa Brava to the ski slopes of the province of Girona, lakes, mountains and volcanoes. The region is blessed with 580 km of Mediterranean coastline and half of the Pyrenean mountain range. Broadly speaking, Catalonia's geography is structured by three major units: the Pyrenean mountain range, the coastal system that alternates low and medium mountains with hills and plains, and the central depression that forms the eastern sector of the lower Ebro valley. As far as rivers are concerned, almost all of Catalonia belongs to the Mediterranean basin. With two major river systems descending towards the Mediterranean Sea: the western slope (or Ebro slope), fed by numerous tributaries such as the Segre and its sub-tributaries and covering almost 50% of Catalonia's territory, and the eastern slope (Catalonia's internal basin), made up of several small coastal rivers such as the Ter. Catalonia has few lakes, most of which are located in the Catalan Pyrenees and originate from former glacial cirques. The largest of all is Lake Banyoles, of karstic origin. Over 2 km long and almost 1 km wide, it hosted the rowing competition at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. The Catalan coast, on the other hand, follows an almost rectilinear course, with Cap de Creus and the Gulf of Roses to the north and the Ebro delta to the south.
Creeks, cliffs and long beaches
From Portbou to Blanes, the Costa Brava crosses three "comarques": from north to south, haut Empordà, bas Empordà and la Selva. To the north, the Pyrenees separate France from the upper Empordà, with the Col du Perthus (283 m) as the most popular stage for crossing them, and the Roche du Comptador (1,451 m) as the Empordà's highest peak. The Pyrenees continue south-eastwards with the Serra de Rodes and the whole of the Cap de Creus peninsula. Throughout this part of the region, the coastline is characterized by steep, jagged cliffs and small pine-fringed coves. Further south, the coastline changes to offer superb fine-sand beaches, bordered by large dunes, from the Bay of Roses onwards. Throughout the Empordà, the central part of the region is higher than the coast, but rarely rises above 300 meters, and is home to vast plains. The "comarca" has two main rivers, the Muga and the Fluvia, which flow into the Bay of Roses and have helped shape the great alluvial plains. Further south, the lower Empordan is essentially flat country with small hills. Exceptions on the small mountain side are the Gavarres massif, which rises to 531 m at Puig d'Arques, the highest point in the lower Empordà, and those of Montgrí and Begur. The coastline of this central part of the Costa Brava is full of contrasts. There are long sandy beaches, but also breathtaking cliffs and pine-studded coves at the northern and southern ends. The main rivers are the Ter, Daró and Rissec (a tributary of the former), and today white pine, rosemary and winter heather have largely replaced the holm oaks of yesteryear. The last "comarca" of this Costa Brava, the Selva has only a small seafront around three well-known destinations, Tossa de Mar, Lloret de Mar and Blanes, also marked by a few sandy beaches and steep coves.
Lakes, volcanoes and high mountains
Apart from the above-mentioned comarques, mentioned in the Costa Brava section, the province of Girona includes six other comarques: Gironès, around the city and in the center of the province; Pla de L'Estany, to the north of Gironès and Osona to the south. To these are added, from west to east, the Pyrenean comarques proper: Cerdagne, Ripollès and Garrotxa, the latter adjoining the Haut Empordà. Sandwiched between two mountain systems, the Gironès is de facto a territory of passage. To the south lies the Girona plain, which marks the end of the depression that characterizes the comarca of La Selva. The Pla de l'Estany is one of Catalonia's most privileged and diverse natural environments, characterized mainly by its system of lagoons and lakes. Foremost among these is Lake Banyoles, home to storks, herons, green-necked ducks and gulls... With the exception of the towns of Espinelves, Vidrà and Viladrau, Osona belongs to the province of Barcelona. This is a green region par excellence, where the countryside is surrounded by small mountains and dotted with meadows. Framed by the Serra del Cadí mountain range to the west, and the Serra del Moixeró to the east, Cerdagne can be likened to a gigantic valley, one of the largest in Europe. It is home to two ski resorts, La Molina and Masella, as well as a wealth of high-mountain wildlife: marmots, wildcats, golden eagles... The Ripollès is a semi-mountainous region, especially in its southern part. The northern part, on the other hand, boasts a host of peaks approaching 3,000 m in altitude (Puigmal, Pic d'Eina, Pic de l'Infern, etc.). And the small winter sports resort of Vallter 2000 can be reached from the Camprodon valley. Finally, La Garrotxa is famous for its forty volcanoes, hidden beneath thick layers of vegetation, in stark contrast to its southern part, which is mainly covered by the broad agricultural plains of the Vall d'en Bas.
