Saus: Romanesque church and historic center
Accommodation in Saus
In Saus, historic architecture and trails through the Alt Empordà landscape go hand in hand. The Church of Santa Eugènia de Saus is listed as a Cultural Asset of National Interest in Catalonia. The historic center also offers tangible points of interest for anyone interested in the town’s architectural history.
Church and historic center
Santa Eugènia de Saus dates back to a Romanesque church from the late 12th or early 13th century. It was raised and fortified in the 14th and 15th centuries. Its single-nave layout has a pointed barrel vault and ends in a semicircular apse. The church was built from carefully hewn, regularly coursed stone blocks. This building thus brings together an early Romanesque foundation and later structural changes.
Saus’s historic center largely retains the appearance it acquired in the 16th and 17th centuries. Its features include stone façades, well-preserved old doorways, windows framed in stone, and paved streets. The Portal de les Eres provides access to the former walled center from the north. To get your bearings, it helps to distinguish between the different periods: the church’s history goes back further than the appearance that defines the historic center.
Individual buildings also feature architectural details. Can SimĂłn has a large round-arched doorway with voussoirs and an upper-floor window topped with a pointed ogee arch. In Saus, Artland de Palmero includes an alley with paintings and artistic installations. Alongside religious and historic architecture, the town therefore also has artistic features.
Other historical references extend beyond the visible buildings. Around 1978, two Iberian silos were discovered about 200 meters west of the historic center. At the height of their production, Saus’s clog makers made about 80 dozen pairs of wooden clogs a year. Both details offer insight into different aspects of the town’s history: early archaeological finds and a historic craft.
Landscape and trails around Saus
Font del Mal del Ventre is one of two springs along the course of the local stream, before it flows into the Fluvià . From a hill in Saus, Pi de la Lluïsa overlooks the valley formed by the villages in this area. These two landscape features offer different perspectives: the spring is part of the stream’s course, while Pi de la Lluïsa provides views across the valley.
Two different trail options are relevant for walking. A Terraprim trail connects Camallera to Saus via the lake; it takes about an hour and a half on foot. Route 149 is a walking route through four villages in Alt EmpordĂ , including Saus. While the Terraprim trail has an approximate walking time, Route 149 focuses on connecting several villages. You can use these descriptions to assess each option according to its stated focus. Trail details and route conditions can change; check them before setting out.
Getting there and choosing a hotel
Saus is right next to the GE623/630 road, which runs from the A-7 at Orriols toward Empúries and L’Escala. If you are planning your journey, check current local traffic and road conditions. When looking for a hotel in Saus, you can also consider what you want to focus on during your stay: the Romanesque-style church and historic center, or the walking routes through the surrounding area. This lets you factor the town’s features described here into your choice of destination.
For the broader travel overview: Saus, Camallera i Llampaies:Camallera.
