Prat de Cadí

Prat de Cadí, an ancient lake of glacial origin filled with sediments, now converted into a majestic meadow at the foot of the north face of the Cadí mountain range. Access by the Estana - Prat de Cadí - Canal del Cristall route: The total length of the route is 12 km, with an elevation gain of 1,100 m, and the journey requires approximately 5 hours for the ascent and descent. The excursion begins in Martinet, an area where the granite base of the axial Pyrenees is visible, and continues upwards along the road to Estana. Along this path, the route traverses the entire sequence of pre-Hercynian Devonian rocks, which have been displaced southward during the movement of the Cadí mantle. Travelers must pass through the village of Estana and park their vehicle at the Pallers pass parking area, situated at the edge of the natural park. By car, part of the significant elevation difference between the Cerdanya plain and the Cadí ridge is already overcome; this topographical transition mainly results from the subsidence of Cerdanya roughly 10 million years ago during the Miocene, which was shaped by a complex fault system.