The village of Casa de Canadell, on the banks of the Fluvià: three stacked lava flows, a Romanesque monastery, a medieval fortified house and, on the hilltop, the Canadell Tower. It has more than 250 springs, which is where its name comes from.
At the Molí Fondo, right by the village, the river has exposed three stacked lava flows from different volcanoes, which ran down the valley one after another. The oldest is more than half a million years old.
The Three Lava Flows trail, Natural Park route 16, takes you past them: an easy loop of about 5.7 km, best started from the main square. Mountain bikes and horses are not allowed, and it is impassable after heavy rain.
The trail is currently closed at Fontfreda: according to the Natural Park (1 April 2026), the water washed away the stepping stones across the river. The Boscarró quarry and the Molí Fondo viewpoint can still be visited. Check the current status on the park website before you go.
Recommended starting point.
Volcanic stone, four arches, over the Fluvià.
A former basalt quarry, closed in the early 20th century.
The three stacked lava flows and the waterfall.
A former quarry restored in 1993. This section is currently closed.
The Medieval Route links the fortified house of Juvinyà, the monastery and the bridge, in the village centre.
Romanesque, with three naves and three apses; the church survives, with carved capitals and a 12th-century baptismal font. In 1079 it came under the abbey of Saint-Victor in Marseille, which founded a priory here. It is a listed national heritage site.
Known as Juvinyà Castle, it was the medieval residence of the Juvinyà knights and was declared a monument in 1972. It is owned by the town council and open to visitors, with a permanent exhibition on the building and the family.
Once an 18th-century paper mill, it is now an industrial heritage site beside the lava flow that served as its weir. It is the highlight of the Three Lava Flows trail.
On top of the Puig de Canadell, 500 metres from the farmhouse, stands the Canadell Tower: a square, four-storey tower with arrow slits and walls more than a metre and a half thick. It dates from the 19th century and the Carlist Wars, and it was a station on the short-lived military optical telegraph line between Olot and Figueres. The town council bought it in 2018 to preserve it.
On the same ridge stands the Canadell farmstead, the house that is Casa de Canadell. The first document to mention it dates from 11 January 1398, when Pere de Canadell acknowledged a debt to Gabriel de Prat, lord of Castellfollit.
Park route 16, an easy 5.7 km or so. It is currently closed at Fontfreda, but the Boscarró quarry and the Molí Fondo viewpoint are open.
An easy waymarked walk of 1 h 15 min that passes the La Canya volcano.
A short walk around the centre: the Juvinyà fortified house, the monastery and the medieval bridge over the Fluvià.
The three lava flows at the Molí Fondo, the Romanesque monastery, the Juvinyà fortified house, the medieval bridge over the Fluvià and, on top of the Puig de Canadell, the Canadell Tower.
It is currently closed at Fontfreda: according to the Natural Park, the water washed away the stepping stones across the river. The Boscarró quarry and the Molí Fondo viewpoint can be visited. Check the trail status on the park website before you go.
The full route is about 5.7 km, an easy loop that takes around two hours. It is impassable after heavy rain, and mountain bikes and horses are not allowed.
Yes. The Juvinyà fortified house is owned by the town council and has a permanent exhibition on the building and the Juvinyà family. For opening times, check with Sant Joan les Fonts town council or Garrotxa Tourism.
Sant Joan les Fonts, La Canya and Begudà. Until the mid-20th century the municipality was called Begudà, which was its main village.
Casa de Canadell is the Canadell farmstead, on the Canadell ridge 500 metres from the tower and inside the Natural Park, rented whole to one group at a time. It has a pool and two fireplaces, and is 15 minutes from Castellfollit de la Roca and 20 from Olot.
Sources, checked on 31/10/2026: Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park, Garrotxa Tourism, Patrimoni Garrotxa, Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana and Wikipedia (Catalan). Opening hours and trail conditions may change, so check the official websites before you go.