GironaNatura WalksLa Devesa and the Ribes del Ter Park

This route will take you through two of the most important green areas in Girona: the parks of La Devesa and Les Ribes del Ter, both located in the north-west of the city, on either side of the River Ter. La Devesa is one of the most iconic and characteristic places in the city. It is a large park covering over 40 hectares of land, three quarters of which are covered by plane trees arranged in wide avenues, forming a total of six blocks.On the other side of the river, the Ribes del Ter Park is a broad open space bordered by riverbank vegetation and located just in front of the Girona Fontajau Sports Hall. The park forms part of the natural area of Les Ribes del Ter, a wetland which includes the banks of the river as it flows through Girona. The fact that this well-preserved area forms part of the city centre makes it very important from an ecological and environmental point of view.

The route, which is about 3,5 km long, is relatively easy and is suitable for people with restricted mobility. The Natura Local applica-tion provides information on the routes included in this leaflet, with audio narration, subtitles and sign language.

ENG

Dip

òsit

Lega

l: G

I.149

9-20

15 /

Crè

dits

: Aju

ntam

ent d

e G

irona

. 3.’L

a fa

mília

’. JS

Car

rera

.

@turisme_gi

facebook.com/GironaTurisme

youtube.com/gironaturismetv

@turisme_gi

Oficina de TurismeRambla de la Llibertat, 117004 GironaTel. 972 010 001www.girona.cat/turisme

1. LA DEVESA PARKThe name of the park comes from a common term which has become a proper name. The word “devesa” designates an area of land covered by natural vegetation, used for grazing and providing timber. This was precisely the initial function of this place, which later became a popular place for walking. La Devesa joined the list of Assets of Cultural Interest in 1943.

2. BOTANICAL GARDENSThe Gardens of La Devesa date from the 19th century, when gardens became fashionable places for the wealthier classes to take their walks. They were inspired by French models and still retain a structure that recalls the original, ringed by a canal and with parterres separated by bushes clipped into geometric shapes. A number of different elements can be found in the gardens, such as the del brollador fountain, the peacock enclosure, the characte-ristic gardener’s shed, the greenhouse and several sculptures. There is a wide range of plant species, some of them native to the region, but most of them exotic, originally from other countries.

3. THE LONDON PLANEThe London Plane (Platanus hybrida) is the most commonly found tree in La Devesa, where over 2,600 specimens are to be found. It is a deciduous tree which normally grows as high as 40 metres. In La Devesa, however, they can reach considerably higher, up to 60 metres or more, because they were planted quite close together and have had to grow upwards in order to seek out the sunlight. Their large, wide leaves with five pointed lobes have become one of the symbols of the city.

Description of the route La Devesa and the Ribes del Ter Park

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!!

!

DOMENY

FONTAJAU

EIXAMPLE

la DevesaSant Lluc

CasaMasó

Sant Feliu

Pg. del Ter

Banys Àrabs

Pg. d

e l'Ony

ar

Pont dePedret

Pg. del Roserar

Pg. de la Barca

Pont d'enGómez

T

Pg. de la Devesa

Pont dela Barca

Pg. d

e la D

eves

a

Pont deFontajau

Palau de Justícia

Jutjats de Girona

Parc deLa Devesa

San

Punt deBenvinguda

Passera de Fontajau

Plaça de les Botxes

Rotonda deFontajau

Pont deSant Agustí

Rotonda delRellotge

Jardins dela Devesa

Riera dels Bullidors

Pont nou dela Barca

Estadi dela Joventut

Rbla. de Xavier Cugat

Capella de

Plaça de laIndependència

Rotonda delPont de la Barca

Auditori-Palau deCongressos

Av. de Josep Tarradellas i Joan

Pavelló municipalGirona-Fontajau

Monestir de Sant P

Església de Sant Lluc

1

2

4

5

6

7

8

9

3

10

River Ter

“La família”

Bird ObservatoryThe London

Plane

La Devesa Park

Botanical Gardens

Riverside woodland

Natura 2000 Network

The uses of the park

Les Ribes delTer Park

100

100

1000 100 200 300 400 500 metres1 cm = 75 m1:7.500Escala

l'Onyar

el Ter

1

!

!

!

Sortida 6BGirona Oest

Ribes de Ter

Olot,50 km

Palamós,45 km

Sant Feliu de Guíxols,33 km

França, 65 kmFigueres, 45 km

Barcelona, 100 kmAeroport, 10 km

Sortida 7Girona Sud

Sortida 6Girona Nord

SaltGirona

Sarrià de Ter

N-II

C-65

C-66

E-15AP-7

N-141

E-15

AP-7N-II

altit

ude

(m)

distance (m)3,0002,8002,6002,4002,2002,0001,8001,6001,4001,2001,0008006004002000

70

75

69

74

68

73

67

72

66

71

65

64

070

La DevesaPark

33070

BotanicalGardens 1060

70

The LondonPlane

139470

The usesof the park

207365

"La família"

249165

Natura 2000Network

270065

BirdObservatory

290065

Riversidewoodland

165670

River Ter

189465

Les Ribes delTer Park

Turisme actiu a Girona Ruta de Sant MiquelGirona Natura Walks La Devesa and the Ribes del Ter Park

More information about nature routesaround Girona www.girona.cat/turisme

La Devesa and the Ribes del Ter Park (one way)

Distance: 3,5 km Approximate time: 2 hDifficulty: Low Maximum Height: 70 m

4. THE USES OF THE PARKLa Devesa has multiple uses, combining nature activities, social and sporting events and economic initiatives which require suitable management to guarantee the conservation of the park’s natural and ecological values. As well as the six blocks of plane trees, there is a swimming pool, different sports facilities, children’s play areas, large open gravel areas and other buildings used for various purposes. La Devesa is also the home of a market every Tuesday and Saturday and the setting for the attractions of the Fair of Sant Narcís, held every October.

8. NATURA 2000 NETWORKThe Ribes del Ter Park forms part of the natural area known as Les Riberes del Baix Ter, which includes all the lower part of the river in the Girona region and enjoys the protection of the European ecological initiative called the Natura 2000 Network. The objective of the Natura 2000 Network is to create a legal framework to guarantee the protection of natural areas in Europe and to protect a representative sample of the main European habitats and species.

9. BIRD OBSERVATORYThe presence of water and food and the sheltered habitat provided by the vegeta-tion have made the banks of the river into areas of biodiversity, especially as far as birds are concerned. The Park of Les Ribes del Ter offers a magnificent opportunity to observe the wildlife from the north bank. It is an ideal place for observing and listening to many species of native and migratory birds, the latter's presence in the region determined by the seasons.

10. RIVERSIDE WOODLANDMany areas of woodland are to be found along the course of the river, populated by poplars, willows, alders and small-leaved ash trees. The riverbank woodland is one of the most productive and biologically diverse habitats in Catalonia, adapted to the instability of the river, which brings an abundant supply of water but also the ever-present risk of flooding.

5. RIVER TERThe Ter passes through five of the counties of Girona for a total of 208 kilometres until it reaches the Mediterranean. It is a typical river of the Mediterranean region, flowing strongly in the spring and autumn. The River Ter has a large number of tributaries, including the other three rivers in the city, which join the Ter in places very close to this sector.

7. ‘LA FAMILIA’The metal sculpture group called La família by Xavier Corberó represents a picnic scene. The basket close to the family and the setting in the open air help to identify the actions of the rather abstract human figures as that of a family taking part in a picnic.

6. THE RIBES DEL TER PARKThe Ribes del Ter Park was created in the mid-1990s as part of the urban planning affecting the Fontajau sector and the construction of the sports hall as a way of organizing the area on the left bank of the Ter. Besides the construction of the walkway, a small weir was built across the river to raise the level of the water just below the walkway. The objective was to create a much larger surface area of open water than was originally the case and, since its construction, reeds, bulrushes and other riverbank vegetation have grown around it.

App Natura Local

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

1 Interest points

Route

Punt de Benvinguda(guided visits)

Height above sea level(in meters)

Distance from starting point