Pereje

Pereje is a small hamlet in the province of León, on the Camino Frances in the Valcarce river gorge between Villafranca del Bierzo and Trabadelo. The settlement occupies the narrow valley floor, the steep forested walls of the gorge rising on each side.

The Valcarce river runs fast and clear through the gorge, flanked by alder and willow on the river margins. The enclosed wooded gorge character of this section contrasts with the open Bierzo valley above and anticipates the humid enclosed character of Galicia ahead.

For pilgrims, the Valcarce gorge is one of the more dramatically enclosed sections of the Camino Frances, the steep walls and the river creating a channelled experience distinct from the open plain or mountain stages.