CampusSightsRânca CottagePresentation

Rânca Lake Cottage and the Mountain Botanical Garden

The Rânca resort dating from 1930, is located in Gorj, 17.9 km from Novaci on DN 67C (Transalpina). Transalpina – a road through the clouds, for nearly 2.000 years, formerly known as “the Devil’s trail” and now as Transalpina, the highest road in Romania, having the highest point in the Urdele Pass (2.145 m), is the main access way to the Sebeş Mountains linking the localities from the Gilort Basin, crossing the Parâng mountains, through Rânca, Obârşia Lotrului and Oaşa with the ones in the Sebeş Basin, and being about 108 km long. 

Rânca resort (altitude 1.650 m) located on the southern slopes of Parâng, has a particular touristic and sport potential, being considered the hiking center of Parâng: hiking, recreation, leisure and winter sports.

Ski slopes are located on the Corneşu Mare and Păpuşa Peaks with different degrees of difficulty. The heavy snow throughout the year as well as the natural beauty of the place, made this resort an important landmark of regional tourism. Rânca has four slopes with lift facility and one chairlift installation.

The Parâng shelters glacial lakes with crystal clear water: Roşiile, Gâlcescu, Mija, Lacul Verde, etc. On the blessed Parâng area, the rich and crystal clear waters of the Lotru, Gilort and Eastern Jiu are also formed, as well as endless forests, meadows and mountain gaps vegetation while the animals represent other riches of the mountain.

The resort is a starting point for many tourist routes as follows: Novaci-Gilort Valley; Novaci- Cerbu Mountain; Baia de Fier-Peştera Muierii Cottage; Câmpa-Voievodu Cottage; Urdele Mountain-Iezer Valley-Obârşia Lotrului Cottage; Gâlcescu Lake-Piatra Tăiată-Mohorul Peak- Păpuşa Mountain; Crasna Monastery or Polovragi Monastery, etc.

The Rânca Lake Cottage and the Mountain Botanical Garden were founded by Professor Doctor Doc. Marin Păun, disciple and close associate of Professor Al. Buia. On the 7 hectares land obtained in the area, which was later terraced and leveled, Professor M. Păun began placing the sectors of a mountain botanical garden, after a project drawn up after consultations with specialists in the country. It is located in the Parâng Mountains, on the road Novaci - Şuşag, at 1.560 meters altitude, having a didactic and scientific research purpose.

In this sense, it was conceived as a satellite botanical garden of the Botanical Garden of the University of Craiova, which aimed to achieve the following objectives: the conservation of rare and endemic species from the Parâng Mountains; the study of the natural dynamics of the herbaceous and woody vegetation and the attempt to cultivate vegetable, medicinal and aromatic plants, shrubs, herbaceous and woody rare vulnerable species, etc.

In front of the cottage a lake with the water surface of about 400 m², an island, a gazebo, benches and a walkway access, which creates a special environment for all activities, are located.

The Rânca Mountain Botanical Garden is an ideal practice place for students from the Faculties of Agriculture and Horticulture and The Department of Geography.

Completely renovated, the Rânca Lake Cottage has 7 rooms and has a capacity of 29 seats. Of all the accommodation spaces, 2 rooms are located on the ground floor and they have 5 seats each, while upstairs 5 rooms are located: a room with 3 seats and 4 rooms with 4 seats each.
The ground floor also houses a dining room with 30 seats, kitchen, laundry, drying room and toilets. 
For information on renting, please contact us by e-mail ramonagiotoiu@yahoo.com or tel. no. 0251/411746