Ajuntament de Sant Hilari Sacalm
Tel: 972 868 101
Sant Hilari Sacalm Turism Office
Pl. del Dr. Robert. s/n. “Can Rovira”
Tel: 972 869 686
The municipal area of Sant Hilari Sacalm, to the west of
the province of Girona, has a surface area of 83.56 km2 and
is known as the capital of the Guilleries. The town is located
at over 800 metres in height and is surrounded by the massif
of the Guilleries, with the summit of Sant Miquel de Solterra
or “Les Formigues” at 1,204 metres as its highest
point.
The municipality is elongated in shape at the northernmost
point and reaches to the other side of the River Ter, at the
reservoir of Susqueda. It comprises the old municipality of
Querós and the parishes of Santa Margarida de Vallors
and Montsolís. Its waters run to the Ter, along the
rivers of the Riera Major and the Riera d’Osor while
those which run to Tordera are fed by the rivers of Santa
Margarida and Riudecòs.
Font Picant
FAUNA:
There are large animals such as wild boar, foxes, badgers
and genets, and other smaller animals such as hares, squirrels,
rabbits, weasels and moles. The rivers are currently being
repopulated with native trout and there are also barbels,
catfish, frogs, water snakes and more in the reservoirs, with
carp, grey herons, moorhens, mallard ducks and other species.
There are birds such as jays, owls, sparrow hawks, Tengmalm’s
owls, tawny owls, woodpigeons, partridges, pheasants, woodcocks,
hoopoes, woodpecker, blackbird, magpies, crows, kestrels,
and smaller birds such as the robin, redpoll, tit, goldfinch
and bullfinch, sparrow, and chaffinch. On land there are many
reptiles such as the rat or Aesculapian snake, viper, salamander
and other smaller reptiles.
FLORA
Throughout the massif of the Guilleries the forestry
features and climatic conditions mean that there is a wide
variety of plant life with Mediterranean, Atlantic and Pre-Pyrenean
characteristics. Common oaks and Spanish oaks are the natural
inhabitants of the area. In the shaded areas the chestnut
tree, in the valley bottoms poplars, elms and ash trees with
alders close to the rivers. In the lower, sunnier areas, cork
oaks thrive. The beech is also found on many areas higher
up. There is a wide range of conifers, from the stone pine
through to firs and cedars and the Scots pine and the Spanish
black pine. The plantations of fir trees for Christmas take
up a fifth of the area of the old farmland as well as nursery
plants. With respect to bushes there is boxwood, heather,
common hazel, holly, juniper, broom, strawberry tree and other
species which lend the Guilleries the distinctive green colour
which characterises the area and which makes it a paradise
for mushroom gatherers. Distinctive trees in the area are
the pine and the cherry tree of Soler, the oak of Masduell,
and the cedars of La Placeta. The beech wood of Les Valls
and the oak forest of Ribot are well worth a visit.
PATRIMONI
The Guilleries Museum
Plaça del Dr. Robert, s/n
Tel: 972 869 447
The museum focuses on aspects of the ecosystem and the environment
which are related to the verdant massif of the Guilleries.
The fauna, flora, and the physical and aquatic environment
are all displayed in an easily accessible and detailed exhibition.
The inner patio area contains a garden with varieties of plants
used in the making of the local alcoholic drink “Ratafia”.
“Can Rovira”
Plaça del Dr. Robert, s/n
Tel: 972 869 447
“Can Rovira” is an emblematic building in the
town of Sant Hilari where the tourism office is located. There
are also exhibitions annexed from the Guilleries Museum with
a wide variety of themes which are above all ethnographic
and related to water. Examples of work and trades related
to woods and the countryside are also on display. As Sant
Hilari has been described as the “Town of the Hundred
Springs”, there is an exhibition related to the health
resort “La Font Picant” and the application of
medicine in the area of hydrotherapy. There is also an exhibition
of a personality known as “Jaumet del Flabiol”,
a travelling seller and supplier of water with cart and pitcher.
An exhibition of Nativity scenes is also on display.