50km Easy Banyoles Cafe Ride
This is probably the most common coffee ride for pro riders in Girona. You’ll find yourself on some bigger roads along the way, but they always have a large shoulder and often are downhill - so they pass in no time. Tiny roads, especially on the way back and beautiful views of the lake and mountains make this a crowd favourite.
Heading north out of Girona on the N2 you have 6km of flat roads before hitting a small climb to wake up your legs, a mere kilometer long. Over the top you swoop down the other side before hitting a slight spaghetti junction 9km into the ride - at the junction stay on the N2 following signs for Figueras and then after going under a bridge turn left towards Banyoles on the GI-514.
The next 7 kilometers meander through fields before the town of Cornella del Terri where you take the second road to your right (before the curve in the main road starts - it initially looks like a really small road but widens out as you go through a placa). Out of town you have some small lumps which open up and give you some of the best views of Rocacorba and the radio towers. On top of the hill an obvious left hand turn leads you towards the outskirts of Banyoles - and if you’re paying attention you might even spot the Haribo factory…
You spend at least 3km in Banyoles but it is well worth it to get to the lake where a stop is pretty much compulsory. Chose any cafe by the lakeside - I am not particularly partial to any of them. Yet. The route does not include a lap around the lake but if you are keen on a few more kilometers I can highly recommend doing so. Picturesque - and even though you might spend some time in town, it is easy to keep the lake on your left hand side and ride anti-clockwise around it.
From Banyoles, the road home runs along the base of the mountains, very often on small roads that barely ever have traffic. Two things to take note of on the road home - just after 36km I prefer to take a right hand turn into the small village of Palol de Revardit. Many people miss this turn as it is on a downhill. It is just as easy to get home if you miss this turn off but you spend some more time on the dual carriageway road. If you do make the correct turn you will be rewarded with a tiny little road - and one super short, super sharp kicker of a climb. Not always the most fun on a rest day - but it’s length of approx 200 meters means it’s over quickly.
You pop out briefly onto the dual carriageway road but it’s downhill as you get on to it - which really helps to make that part of the ride pass in no time. Which sadly means that you are at the end of your ride, coming back into Girona on a side road that connects back to the N2 - the road you started the day on.
Just with a bigger smile than at the start.
