Refuge de Pla Guillem

The Refuge de Pla Guillem is located at 2,261 m on the northern edge of the small Pla Guillem plateau in the Canigou massif, in the municipality of Casteil and within the Réserve naturelle de Py. The simple refuge belongs to the Fédération Française des Clubs Alpins et de Montagne (FFCAM) and is a freely accessible base that is open all year round but not manned. It is located just below the plateau, behind the pastureland of La Lipodère in the direction of Col des Boucacers, and offers a sheltered place to rest and spend the night on long crossings between Mantet, Mariailles and Vallespir. No catering is provided, all food and fuel must be brought; the hut depends on a nearby spring which often runs dry in summer, so water reserves should be carefully planned. The usual approach begins at the Le Randé parking lot (Mariailles) at around 1,520 m above Casteil; from there, a marked trail leads along a forest track and mountain path to the hut just below the plateau in around 2 hours and around 570 vertical meters. Other approaches and crossings are via Mantet or from the high pastures above Prats-de-Mollo, so that the hut can be easily integrated into multi-day crossings of the Canigou massif. In winter, the region is popular terrain for ski and snowshoe tours, but is also tricky in fog, storms and heavy snow; the small building can then be difficult to find or partially covered by snow. Current conditions, possible closures in the nature conservation zone and the weather forecast should be carefully checked before every tour. The current building dates back to a hut built at the beginning of the 20th century by the Haut-Vallespir Tourist Association and more recently extensively renovated by the CAF Prades Canigou with the help of volunteers and equipped with a wood-burning stove in 2022.