The Pyrenean Haute Route - A Trekker's Guidebook

The Pyrenean Haute Route (HRP) is one of Europe’s most beautiful and challenging walks. Taking the highest practical line through the Pyrenees on both French and Spanish sides of the main ridge, the route is 800km long. The guide breaks it into 42 stages, and adds 10 major peak ascents along the way. Full village and facility details.

You’ll need the following maps to complete the entire Pyrenean Haute Route:

• IGN Carte de Randonnées, 1:50,000, no 1: Pays Basque Ouest
• Editorial Alpina, 1:40,000, Alduides Baztan
• IGN Carte, 1:25,000, 1346 OT: St Jean-Pied-de-Port
• IGN Carte de Randonnées, 1:50,000, no 2: Pays Basque Est
• IGN Carte de Randonnées, 1:50,000, no 3: Béarn
• Mapa Excursionista/Carte de Randonnées, 1:50,000, no 24: Gavarnie–Ordesa
• Mapa Excursionista/Carte de Randonnées, 1:50,000, no 23: Aneto–Posets
• Mapa Excursionista/Carte de Randonnées, 1:50,000, no 22: Pica d’Estats–Aneto
• IGN Carte de Randonnées, 1:50,000, no 7: Haute Ariège– Andorre
• IGN Carte de Randonnées, 1:50,000, no 8: Cerdagne–Capcir
• IGN Carte, 1:25,000, 2249 ET: Font-Romeu
• Mapa Excursionista/Carte de Randonnées, 1:50,000, no 20: Puigmal–Costabona
• IGN Carte de Randonnées, 1:50,000, no 10: Canigou
• IGN Carte de Randonnées, 1:50,000, no 11: Rousillon.

As you can see, the maps required are the IGN Carte de Randonnées, the Mapa Excursionista / Carte de Randonnées, two IGN maps at 1:25,000, and the Editorial Alpina map. (For further information, contact: Institut Cartografic de Catalunya: www.icc.es; Institut Géografique National: www.ign.fr.) In the UK, maps are available from Stanfords (www.stanfords.co.uk, tel: 020 7836 1321).

The relevant map is always given at the beginning of each day’s route description.

The French maps produced by the Institut Géografique National (IGN) have a reputation for being accurate and reliable. Although there are 1:25,000 maps (Serie Bleue) that show more detail, the 1:50,000 maps (Carte de Randonnées) should generally be sufficient for Haute Route walkers, at least for the French sections. On some 1:25,000 maps the Haute Route is not shown at all! The IGN Carte de Randonnées (11 maps) cover the entire French Pyrenees and some parts of the Spanish Pyrenees (both national parks) and Andorra.

A useful supplement to the French maps are the so-called Mapa Excursionista/Carte de Randonnées that are made by the Institut Cartografic de Catalunya. These 1:50,000 maps have recently been produced, and show not only the Spanish Pyrenees but also a significant part of the French mountains. The maps are beautiful and are as accurate as the French IGN maps. To date (2003) the Institut Cartografic de Catalunya has produced six (numbers 20–25) of these Mapa Excursionista/Carte de Randonnées (though they don’t cover the entire Pyrenees). These maps are sufficient for the High Pyrenees, however, so for this section you don’t have to use any other Spanish maps, such as the Editorial Alpina and the Spanish Military Survey maps. In my opinion both the latter sets of maps are of a relatively poor quality, and for walking the Haute Route you should only use the best maps available! There is also a fine map of the entire Pyrenees, produced by the IGN (1:400,000), which might be handy.

Note: Guidebook and maps by themselves will not always be sufficient to keep the walker on course. A compass or GPS can be a useful, as the Haute Route sometimes passes through isolated, untamed mountain areas where you won’t find a path (and only a few waymarks). A compass or GPS can also be useful in case of poor visibility (in France, especially in the Basque territory, mist will be your worst enemy). A GPS is certainly not strictly necessary, but always have a compass with you (and the skill to use it effectively).