I live not far from this mountain pass. It is not paved near its summit (called Coll de Manrella, 711m high) because it has only been opened to public traffic in 2011. It is much easier to reach from the Spanish side because it is paved all the way to the top and is well maintained. From the southern side of La Jonquera, you need to take the GI-505 road through Agullana and La Vajol villages and it goes right up to the summit. The partially unpaved French side is much steeper but any car can still drive it fine if it's not too wet. It descends to the Las Illas hamlet, from which you will get to Maureillas-Las Illas proper in about 25 minutes following the road. At the top of the pass there is a small, unpaved parking area and the Lluis Companys Monument (Companys was the president of the Generalitat de Catalunya when Franco took power in Spain. He exiled to France through this pass in 1940, though he was eventually arrested about a year and a half later and, sadly, sentenced to death by firing squad and executed in Barcelona).
Amazing
I live not far from this mountain pass. It is not paved near its summit (called Coll de Manrella, 711m high) because it has only been opened to public traffic in 2011.
It is much easier to reach from the Spanish side because it is paved all the way to the top and is well maintained. From the southern side of La Jonquera, you need to take the GI-505 road through Agullana and La Vajol villages and it goes right up to the summit.
The partially unpaved French side is much steeper but any car can still drive it fine if it's not too wet. It descends to the Las Illas hamlet, from which you will get to Maureillas-Las Illas proper in about 25 minutes following the road.
At the top of the pass there is a small, unpaved parking area and the Lluis Companys Monument (Companys was the president of the Generalitat de Catalunya when Franco took power in Spain. He exiled to France through this pass in 1940, though he was eventually arrested about a year and a half later and, sadly, sentenced to death by firing squad and executed in Barcelona).
Thank you very much for the additional information.
Lluís companys se exilio en 1939 arrestado y fusilado en 1940