The Église Sainte-Marie in Costoja (Coustouges) was consecrated in December 1142. According to the 1840 list, it is classified as a historic monument and has a large Romanesque baptismal font.
Finding a holiday apartment in Coustouges can be part of planning your own trip.
Culture and History
Coustouges hosts an annual commemoration of the Retirada, the exodus of Spanish Republicans to France in 1939. The event takes place at a memorial stele at the Col de Coustouges. There is also a memorial site on the southern edge of the village.
The Comité d’Animation Coustouges-Villeroge organises the municipality’s Festa Major. Coustouges En Musiques offers festive concerts in the village once or twice a year. The spring fair of Costoja had already reached its tenth edition and featured stalls selling local produce, handicrafts, food and drinks.
The route known as “la carrerade” was used for seasonal transhumance, meaning the seasonal relocation of livestock to pastures at higher or lower elevations. A Roman road that passed through Coustouges is still preserved. The Chapelle de Can Damon is a Romanesque chapel in the Vallespir mountains. The bridge over the Riu Major was inaugurated on 5 July 1995.
Trails and Hiking
Le Roc is the cliff located north of the village and can be reached via the path towards Pilon de Belmatx. The annual ascent to Le Roc for the Rogation processions included the blessing of small loaves known as “berènes”.
The old path from Coustouges to Maçanet de Cabrenys leads on foot from the church square to the bridge over the Riu Major. The Cami de la Retirada trail is signposted via Couloumer to Coustouges.
Hiking brochures are available at Coustouges Town Hall. Hiking brochures for trails in Costoja (Coustouges) are also available there.
Le Puig Petit is an easy 4.6 km circular hike that begins at the car park in the village of Coustouges. The hike takes around 1 hour and 40 minutes and offers panoramic views of the Pyrenees.
Nature and Landscape
Can Damon lies at an altitude of just under 800 metres and offers views across the Coustouges Valley. The border with Southern Catalonia runs along the Riu Major.
The Via Vallespiris leads to Coustouges, where a Roman border post called Custodia once stood.
Other local pages include Canohès, Felluns, Prunet-Et-Belpuig, Torreilles, Millas, Prats-De-Mollo-La-Preste, Pézilla-La-Rivière and Maury.
