Sightseeing and Spas in Font Romeu
Thermal baths, Romanesque churches, the Spanish enclave of Llívia and a plateau that moves at its own pace.
Font Romeu is known as a ski and hiking destination, which means its other dimensions go largely unexplored. The Cerdagne plateau is one of the most historically layered landscapes in the Pyrenees — a borderland that has been French, Spanish, and Catalan in different proportions at different points in its history. The thermal baths, the Romanesque churches, and the village of Llívia tell a story that has very little to do with snow.
The Caldarium at Llo
Photo: Les Bains de Llo / Google Maps
Twenty minutes from Font Romeu, the village of Llo has thermal springs that have been used since Roman times. Les Bains de Llo is the current incarnation — outdoor thermal pools cut into a cliff above a gorge, with water at 36°C and views of the Cerdagne plateau below. Open year-round. In winter, soaking in outdoor thermal water while snow falls on the surrounding mountains is the specific experience that makes this region worth knowing about. Book ahead for weekend visits.
Insider Tip
The Bains de Llo are at their best at sunset in autumn — the light on the cliff face turns red, the valley below goes dark, and the water temperature becomes genuinely restorative. Book the last entry slot of the day.
“Very relaxing. The pricing is quite high but it is well worth it. Inside the resort there are many options, such as indoor and outdoor swimming pools, plenty of jacuzzis, two heat rooms and other great options for relaxing. It really is incredible to be in this secluded location in the middle of the mountains (which provide great views), so it's a magical experience.”
Romanesque Churches of the Cerdagne
Photo: Abbaye Saint-Michel de Cuxa / Google Maps
The plateau holds an extraordinary concentration of 11th and 12th century Romanesque churches — small, austere stone buildings whose quality of craftsmanship was not equalled elsewhere in France at the time. Sant Miquel de Cuixà, 30 minutes north of Font Romeu, is the most significant: a Benedictine monastery founded in 879 whose pink marble cloisters were partially dismantled in the 19th century and partly reassembled at the Cloisters Museum in New York. What remains is still extraordinary. Sant Martí del Canigó, further east, requires a 45-minute uphill walk and is worth every step.
Insider Tip
Sant Martí del Canigó opens Tuesday to Sunday. The walk up takes 45 minutes and the views from the summit monastery are the best in the Cerdagne. Go on a weekday morning — you may have the cloisters entirely to yourself.
“Amazing and interesting abbey. Highly suggested.”
Llívia: The Spanish Enclave
Photo: Llívia / Google Maps
A treaty signed in 1659 transferred thirty-three Catalan villages to France — but Llívia was declared a villa, not a village, and remained Spanish. It has been a piece of Spain entirely surrounded by France ever since. The old town has a 15th century church, a pharmacy that operated continuously from 1415 to 1942 (now a museum), and Can Ventura restaurant serving some of the finest Catalan cooking in the Pyrenees. The peculiarity of crossing from France into Spain without crossing a border — driving through French fields on a road that is technically Spanish — never quite loses its strangeness.
Insider Tip
Can Ventura in Llívia is one of the best restaurants in the Cerdagne. Reserve for lunch on a Saturday — they serve wild boar in autumn and spring lamb in April. Tell them Paloma sent you.
“People come for the mountain and find an entire civilization that grew up here over a thousand years. The skiing is wonderful. The history is extraordinary. Most guests don't know the history is there.”
— Paloma, ANANA Font Romeu Concierge
Paloma can arrange thermal spa bookings at Llo, guided visits to the Romanesque churches, and the best route through Llívia for an afternoon.
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