The Crafts and Industry Getaway in the Gironès offers a journey through the living heritage of trades that have shaped the character of the region. From the wisdom of the land to the ingenuity of the first factories, this route reveals how cork, clay, wicker and the power of water, among others, have woven the identity and landscape of our towns.
The route begins in Campllong, where the Museum of Farming Tools pays tribute to rural life. An exceptional collection that explains the agricultural past of the plain and displays the tools that, for generations, worked the land and ensured the region’s subsistence. The museum is currently closed and opens by prior reservation only.
The itinerary continues to Cassà de la Selva, the nerve centre of the cork industry in the area. A stroll through its streets allows visitors to admire the modernist houses of former industrialists and forest landowners. The bark of the cork oaks from Les Gavarres was transformed into stoppers exported to France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States and even Australia.
A few kilometres away we reach Quart, a town closely linked to clay. Home to potters and brickworks, the municipality preserves the tradition of black pottery, a unique craft that can still be experienced today in its workshops and local museum, where the potter’s wheel and fire remain the protagonists.
The route continues to Fornells de la Selva, where the memory of the railway industry takes centre stage. The arrival of the train transformed communications in the Gironès, and here visitors can explore this legacy through spaces dedicated to the railway world, evoking the time when the “little train” connected people and goods.
In Salt, tradition is expressed through basketry, a craft that makes use of the resources from the banks of the River Ter. The town, also known for its textile past, keeps alive the craftsmanship of wicker and cane — a manual technique of remarkable precision that transforms plant fibres into beautiful everyday objects.
Next, we approach the Nativity Scene of Can Rosseta, in Cartellà (Sant Gregori), where hand-worked cork reaches a unique artistic and landscape dimension. A display of patience and skill that recreates scenes of rural life using a raw material so deeply rooted in the area as cork.
The getaway ends in Flaçà, where industrial heritage becomes monumental in the form of modernist hydroelectric power plants, such as the Vinyals plant, designed by Rafael Masó. These infrastructures, which harness the force of the River Ter, represent the leap into modernity and the legacy of an industrial architecture that combines functionality and aesthetics.
An ideal proposal to understand the Gironès through the hands and ingenuity of its people over two or three days — a tribute to the trades of yesterday that still beat in the everyday life of our historic centres.
Below you can consult the proposed itinerary for the Crafts and Industry Getaway:
Exploring the Gironès from an artisanal and industrial perspective means discovering a territory shaped by work, ingenuity and landscape transformation. The Cork Route in Cassà de la Selva is an urban itinerary that allows visitors to learn about the cork-making past and the workers’ movement, strolling among heritage elements and magnificent modernist-influenced houses built by cork factory owners and major forest landowners.
The Crafts and Industry Getaway can also be savoured at the table, with gastronomy rooted in the land and local produce. Restaurants and establishments in the Gironès offer cuisine that combines tradition and quality — ideal for taking a break between visits and completing the experience with the flavours of the region.
To delve deeper into the industrial and popular heritage of the Gironès, the getaway can be complemented with activities for all audiences.
The Tren Petit of Fornells offers a fun and different way to discover the surroundings. It is located next to the train station, where the Town Council built a ride-on railway circuit with 5- and 7-inch gauge tracks. Its maintenance and operation are managed by ASAFEGI, the Association of Friends of the Railway of the Girona Regions. The train runs for the public on the second and fourth Sundays of each month from 10 am to 1 pm, except in August. They also have several model layouts, one of which is located in a room at the station.
The Nativity Scene of Can Rosseta offers a detailed and artisanal view of a deeply rooted tradition, turning the visit into a unique cultural experience. Visitors can admire a total of 200 representations of Catalan monuments, depictions of traditional trades and central scenes of a classic nativity scene. Everything has been handmade with cork, stones and other elements.
To fully enjoy the Crafts and Industry Getaway, the Gironès offers a wide range of charming accommodation, both in rural settings and urban centres, allowing visitors to relax in comfort and continue discovering the region at their own pace.
Throughout the year, the Gironès hosts fairs and festivals that showcase its rich industrial, artisanal and rural heritage.
In April, the Campllong County Spring Fair highlights the rural world with a wide display of local products, livestock and traditional trades.
In May, the Clay Festival of Quart pays tribute to the town’s pottery tradition with workshops, exhibitions and participatory activities.
In June, the Cork and Stopper Fair of Cassà de la Selva celebrates the cork-making legacy with cultural and informative activities explaining the historical importance of this industry.
And in October, the International Basket Fair of Salt — a reference event for basket makers from across Europe — turns the town into a meeting point for exchange and promotion of basketry art, while the Locomotion and Crafts Fair of Fornells de la Selva combines tradition and antique machinery related to the world of locomotion.
Five essential events to understand the industrial and artisanal soul of the Gironès.
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