San Facundo, 18 inhabitants and a great future
To the west of the province of León is El Bierzo, a region of abrupt mountainous relief, with rivers of fresh and crystalline waters that run between its mountain ranges and a gastronomy for demanding paddlers. In the heart of this valley, and a few kilometers from Ponferrada (its capital), we find San Facundo, a small town of only 18 inhabitants , the ideal place to get lost when you don't want anyone to find you or even to set up your virtual office.
This idea is not a simple occurrence: San Facundo has recently been chosen as one of the possible world destinations to locate the office of the future (of the companies Open Office and Tecnômica) that it is a mobile, multifunctional and eco-sustainable structure. It would be a building that seeks energy efficiency, savings and business activity in a rural environment. And this town of Berciano has received the visit of large technology companies interested in hosting their offices here , looking for a self-sufficient building integrated with the environment . What if this Bercian oasis becomes a motor for innovation and the future?
The cosmopolitan town (with 18 inhabitants) that you will fall in love with
THE WALK TO SAN FACUNDO
We arrive at Torre del Bierzo (Exit 350 of the A6), a town where coal mines were the mainstay of its economy, and just 10 km further on we cross a tunnel where we are blinded by a dazzling light in the distance. We have arrived at San Facundo : This is indicated by a large sign on the mountain in the style of Hollywood in which you can read I ♥ San Facundo.
This is also the land of great stars: those anonymous miners with a great capacity for work and inexhaustible perseverance. San Facundo is a hidden town, away, fortunately, from mass tourism and the usual routes . At the entrance, we find a sign advising you to leave your car in its large car park.
We were stunned by an enclave that exudes tranquility and silence , surrounded by an extraordinary landscape of turquoise waters of its rivers, picturesque stone houses with slate roofs and breathtaking views of the valley through which the Argutorio River flows.
It is a very special town that not only has resisted rural abandonment but has managed to evolve becoming a vanguard village , with a river beach with crystal-clear waters, free Wi-Fi, a doctor's office, paved streets, its own car wash, burying cables and even UV treatment for drinking water disinfection . All this with only 18 inhabitants and few resources!
I Love San Facundo
STOP AND FONDA IN SAN FACUNDO
We walked across the entrance bridge and found the Vila Brothers Bar, the only restaurant where they offer meals . here in autumn smells like roasted chestnuts , in winter to comforting spoon dishes , and fresh trout throughout the year. Before the stoves are Marga Villa , who guards with suspicion the secret of her stews and recipes from her ancestors, those that make her kitchen smell like home.
We recommend booking to make sure you don't miss out on the privilege of savoring traditional Bercian cuisine in this setting. The menu is varied: from Potato omelette made with free-range eggs and freshly harvested tubers , to her specialty, fresh grilled golden trout or the fried eel with a crispy texture.
Similar quality have the chickpeas with prawns, cabbage broth with beans and chestnuts , the magnificent pepper cake or cod with pepper jam . We lick our fingers while we enjoy privileged views of the mountain and listen to the sound of the river that goes down with a strong flow while the final feast arrives: apple pie, chestnut panna cotta.
Marga is an excellent cook who tells us that here every summer the Trout Gastronomic Meeting that has managed to gather up to 700 diners . She tells, with great pride, how San Facundo has been named one of the most beautiful towns in León (the second in the entire Community) and we would not be surprised if it soon manages to enter the list of the Association of the most beautiful towns in Spain.
Vila Brothers Bar
A SAN FACUNDO OF CINEMA AND WITH A FUTURE
It is time to discover the urban center of San Facundo , a space without cars, with picturesque details in every corner, an enclave destined for a sustainable tourism . Its mining past is present in various infrastructures such as the old galleries and farms, some from Roman times . We take a walk through this town that looks like the set of a movie shoot with every detail taken care of to the millimeter and in which you want to take a picture at every step.
San Facundo hosts this year the meeting of several national film production companies after being selected by the production company OCO Lifes is Talent as the perfect place to unleash creativity and be able to carry out future film shoots.
We relax lying on its river beach, one of its great attractions, with access ramps to the Argutorio River and rustic stone tables (also a barbecue area). An exceptional environment and the tenacity of its inhabitants are the result of its success story.
One of the marked hiking trails in the houses of San Facundo
And for perseverance that of Ricardo Villa , known as the wonderful mayor because he has turned this small town from “emptied Spain” into a “desired Spain” in which, today, many people would like to live. “Last year we received around 18,000 visits and we want to exceed that number. This is my hometown, where I grew up and to which I have dedicated my whole life, more than 35 years, so that it not only does not disappear from the map but also so that it becomes a tourist attraction . I am in talks to make it the step of a route 66 inspired biker trail , and also the space for Chinese foreign students come here to spend a few months ", he tells us. Ricardo's eyes shine when he talks about San Fancundo and, perhaps, that is the key to his triumph.
REST
Sunset on the banks of the Argutorio River. There is no accommodation in San Facundo although they hope to have several rural houses very soon. We stayed in the town of Santa Cruz de Montes, 11 kilometers (10 minutes by car) and we chose Casa Rural Sol y Luna. A 3-storey stone house with 5 bedrooms, slate roofs and wooden corridors in the purest Berciano style. Located in a privileged environment we have our own garden with mountain views , a corner with a haven of peace to enjoy rest and life. Lauri receives us, with pasta, honey, lemonade and a big smile that makes us feel at home.
The next day we return to San Facundo to discover its surroundings, from which several hiking trails . The best known is the one that takes you to the ecovillage of Matavenero and Poibueno , two surviving populations of the hippy experience. There is also another route that takes you to the d Gorge carved by the Argutorio River that was dug more than 2,000 years ago by Roman miners looking for gold ; here are archaeological remains such as a votive altar dedicated to Jupiter and some indications of an important Roman population settlement.
Well of Las Ollas, in San Facundo
We choose its most famous route that leads us to this ecovillage: The Route of San Facundo and Poza de Las Hoyas . This is perfectly explained with colorful drawings on the facade of one of their houses. It is a circular route of 11km of medium/low difficulty, marked with rainbow drawings, a characteristic signaling of the inhabitants of Matavenero.
In the first kilometers we ascend a slope from where we admire the mountain momentum to then enter a dense forest that plunges us into a exuberant vegetation of chestnut, birch, hazel, holm or oak trees . a curious craft bridge or a set of canyoned pools and joined by a waterfall are some of the attractions of this area, which is currently the habitat of foxes, wolves, various birds and the occasional brown bear.
We pass through the abandoned town of Poibueno to then get to Matavenero , a curious hippie ecovillage that we will return to another time to explore with more time. On the way back we meet Miguel and José, two brothers who spend long periods of time in San Facundo. They tell us that they are the creators of the famous Benicassim International Festival . Now, away from the crowds, San Facundo, his hometown, is his favorite place on the planet: “ we come here to disconnect and meet our lifelong friends and family, something very necessary”.
We say goodbye to this little treasure of mining origin. San Facundo is a benchmark in the fight against depopulation . An avant-garde town that knows how to reinvent itself and is constantly evolving. And who knows, if it will also be the future dream virtual office of many workers who are looking for a rural environment connected to natural spaces. What is certain is that he has a promising future on his horizon.