Costabona, Mountain summit between Prats-de-Mollo-la-Preste, France and Setcases, Spain.
Costabona is a mountain summit in the Pyrenees located on the border between France and Spain, reaching approximately 2,465 meters in height. The peak forms a natural divide between two valley systems and sits within a forested landscape.
The name comes from the Latin term 'costa bona' meaning good slope, reflecting its role as grazing land for mountain communities. Both regions surrounding this peak have depended on pastoral activities for centuries as their primary livelihood.
The peak marks a meeting point where hikers from both the French and Spanish sides share their mountain traditions. Local people from the valleys below have long crossed this ridge to connect their communities on either side.
Hikers begin their climb from parking areas near La Preste and follow marked trails through forests and mountain paths toward the summit. The route typically takes between three to four hours depending on pace and weather conditions.
The massif contains garnet mineral deposits that were extracted until the 19th century for jewelry production in nearby towns. This mining heritage is now barely visible, yet traces of this early industrial activity remain scattered across the remote landscape.
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