The Xops mountain range and the site of Font de la Canya
Landscape and origin of the vineyard
Circular route that, leaving the jewel of Sant Sebastià dels Gorgs, takes us to retrace the agroforestry and vineyard landscape of the Penedès plain right at the first reliefs of the coastal ranges, through the discreet the Xops mountain range to Cantallops. On the way back, from Avinyó Nou, we can take a look at the interesting Iberian site of La Font de la Canya, and Sant Pere d'Avinyó, the ancient spiritual center of the region.
We recommend the Natura Local App to take this guided and interpreted route. Download it for free here: Apple store Google play
We will leave the small town of Sant Sebastià dels Gorgs, brushing the old walls of the monastery, where we can comfortably leave the vehicle in the public car park that is right at the entrance to the town coming from Vilafranca.
We will go to find, crossing the small town, the old Cantallops road, while climbing, always very moderately, following the ridge of the Xops mountain range. Before that we will have discreetly crossed the torrents of Baix and Gendret, interesting exponents of one of the elements that make up the landscape of the Penedès plain.
We will follow the ridge to Cantallops, one of the small towns that, together with Avinyó Nou, the largest, form the municipality of Avinyonet del Penedès. Leaving the houses of the village at our feet, we will climb slightly towards the path of Cap del Grill through an area where the woods and bushes already predominate. The comfortable ridge path will leave us in the middle of the center of Avinyó Nou, a suitable place for a short rest.
From Avinyó Nou, we will now head towards the Font de la Canya stream area, a beautiful corner furrowed by vineyards and small streams that offers us the jewel of the Iberian site where some of the oldest remains associated with in the cultivation of the vine in the Penedès area. Therefore, the vineyard here has been part of the landscape since very, very remote times.Seen like this, it is respectful. What constancy!
Very close by, once we are on the Camí d'Avinyó, which will take us back decidedly to Sant Sebastià dels Gorgs, we find another little jewel, although this one from the 17th century: the church of Sant Pere d'Avinyó, baroque style, old parish of the district and which already replaces another existing at least since the 10th century linked to the disappeared castle of Avinyó.
From here, and to finish, we will only have to follow the comfortable path from Avinyó to our starting point, sharing a short section of the path we will have taken on the way.
