Falgons

Falgons is a small hamlet in the municipality of Sant Miquel de Campmajor, in the comarca of Pla de l'Estany, Girona province, Catalonia. It has no proper village centre — instead it's made up of scattered farmhouses (masies) spread across the countryside, a common pattern for rural settlements tucked away from Catalonia's main tourist routes. Falgons sits on the eastern slope of the mountain range that shares its name, itself a northern spur of the Finestres and Rocacorba ranges within the Serralada Transversal, southwest of the Vall de Campmajor.

How do you get to Falgons?

The hamlet lies well inland, away from the Costa Brava coastline, in a quiet, hilly stretch of the Pla de l'Estany comarca. The nearby town of Banyoles makes the best starting point — from there, local roads lead to Sant Miquel de Campmajor and on to the scattered buildings that make up Falgons. Given the dispersed layout and hilly terrain, a car is really the only practical way in: the route winds through hills, woodland and isolated farmsteads. This is a destination for travelers after quiet and genuine rural Catalonia, not organized tourist infrastructure.

What will you see there?

The main draw is the Castell de Falgons, a castle dating from the 12th–13th centuries built on a square floor plan with a tower at each corner, three of which have been restored. The castle once served as the seat of the barony of Falgons, held by the Cartellà family. In the 13th century it was ruled by Guillem Galceran de Cartellà, married to Blanca de Creixell — a couple whose reputation extended across the whole region. During the 15th-century Remença peasant wars, the castle served as a meeting place for the rebelling peasantry, a fact confirmed by a 1467 letter from Queen Joana Enríquez.

The second key site is the parish church of Sant Vicenç de Falgons, an 11th-century Romanesque building historically dependent on the monastery of Banyoles. Records of the site go back as far as 947, making it one of the older traces of settlement in the region. The surrounding landscape keeps the character typical of inland Catalan countryside — stone farmhouses, terraced fields, and views over the mountain ranges enclosing the valley.

When is the best time to visit?

The standout date on the calendar is the Aplec de Sant Ferriol, a traditional gathering held every year on September 18th at the Sant Vicenç church. It's a chance to see local community life in action — part religious observance, part social occasion, drawing people from the surrounding villages. Outside that date, spring and early autumn are the best times to visit, when temperatures in the hilly interior of Pla de l'Estany are mild and the paths around Falgons are pleasant for a quiet walk through the hills.

Frequently asked questions

Does Falgons have a village centre with shops and restaurants? No — Falgons is a scattered hamlet made up of individual farmhouses, with no dense village core or commercial infrastructure. It's a place to see historic sites and landscape, not to shop or dine out.

Can you visit the inside of Castell de Falgons? The castle is partially restored, with three of its four towers rebuilt, but access to the interior depends on the site's current condition and any ongoing conservation work — it's worth checking local tourist information in Banyoles or Sant Miquel de Campmajor before visiting.

How many people live in Falgons? The hamlet has around fifty residents, reflecting its character as a small, dispersed farming community set among the hills.

What is the Sant Ferriol gathering about? Sant Ferriol is a local patron saint, honoured every year on September 18th with an aplec — a traditional Catalan gathering that blends religious observance with community festivity, typical of villages in this region.