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Guidebook detailing seven circular treks of 4-12 days in the beautiful Pyrenees. The varied routes cover both sides of the French-Spanish border and include both the High Pyrenees and the lower, more gentle mountains of the Basque Country and Catalonia. Variants are suggested for those wishing to shorten or extend the treks.
Seasons
July to September for the treks in the High Pyrenees, April to October for the trek in the Basque Country and May to October for the trek in Eastern Catalonia.
Centres
Basque Country, Catalonia, Parc National des Pyrénées, Gavarnie, Ordesa
Difficulty
The treks are on mountain paths, mostly well-waymarked. On several of the treks there is boulderfield to cross and some easy scrambling when crossing high alpine passes. In June experience of mountain walking in snow/ice conditions would be needed for the five treks in the High Pyrenees.
Must See
Basque Country, Pic du Midi d'Ossau, Vignemale, Ordesa Canyon, Cirque de Gavarnie, Réserve Naturelle de Néouvielle, Carros de Foc, Ariège, Cerdagne, Puigmal and Canigou.
A guidebook to seven circular treks exploring the Pyrenees of France and Spain. The treks are designed with accommodation in mountain refuges or mountain villages at the end of each stage, though there are plenty of options to camp for those who prefer to backpack. Detailed descriptions for each stage of the route are accompanied by sketch maps and elevation profiles.
Route 1: Tour of the Basque Country - This route takes you over the steep rolling hills (in both France and Spain) at the western end of the Pyrenees. Accommodation is mainly in Basque villages with steep climbs leading to long walks along easy grassy ridges.
Route 2: Pic du Midi d'Ossau - This route takes in the magnificent limestone scenery at the western end of the High Pyrenees by combining the popular Tour du Pic du Midi d'Ossau, in France, with the best sections of the quieter La Senda de Camille on the Spanish side of the border.
Route 3: Tour de Vignemale and La Alta Ruta de Los Perdidos - This is the most demanding trek in the guide with easy scrambling over steep passes. The magnificent trek through the alpine terrain around Vignemale and Monte Perdido includes six of the honeypots of the Pyrenees; Cauterets, Vignemale, Gavarnie, Pineta, Ordesa and the Picos del Infierno.
Route 4: Reserve Naturelle de Neouvielle - The shortest trek in this guide takes you through the popular Reserve Naturelle de Neouvielle and the surrounding mountains in the French Parc National des Pyrenees. It visits many lakes and tarns in magnificent granite scenery and there is the opportunity to climb several peaks, including Pic du Midi de Bigorre and Pic de Bastan. The trek is based around the GR10 and one of its variations, the GR10C.
Route 5: Carros de Foc - The Carros de Foc is an understandably popular trek in the magnificent Parc Nacional d'Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici, in the Spanish part of Catalonia. This is another granite massif dotted with hundreds of lakes and tarns. The huts are close together so there is a great deal of flexibility in planning, with most walkers taking 5-7 days for the trek.
Route 6: Tour des Montagnes d'Ax and the Tour des Perics - The Ariege is a relatively unknown area at the eastern end of the High Pyrenees. This tour combines the magnificent alpine mountains of the Tour des Montagnes d'Ax on either flank of the Vallee de l'Ariege with the Tour des Perics in the gentler scenic mountains of the Cerdagne in the French part of Catalonia.
Route 7: The icons of Catalonia: Puigmal and Canigou - Our final tour goes through both the Spanish and French parts of Catalonia at the eastern end of the Pyrenees, taking in ascents of the two most climbed peaks in the Pyrenees; Puigmal and Canigou. Despite rising to almost 3000m the mountain ridges are gentler than in the High Pyrenees, more reminiscent of the Scottish Highlands, although the valleys still have an alpine feel. Much of the time is spent on spectacular high-level traverses of steep mountain slopes.
Table of Contents
Contents Introduction Overview of the treks Weather and when to go Wildlife Access Accommodation Equipment Camping Water Swimming Fuel Culture and language Using this guide Route 1 Tour of the Basque Country Stage 1 St-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry Stage 2 Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry to Bidarray Stage 3 Bidarray to Ainhoa Stage 4 Ainhoa to Sare Stage 5 Sare to Bera (Vera de Bidasoa) Stage 6 Bera to Elizondo Stage 7 Elizondo to Aldudes Stage 8 Aldudes to Burguete (Auritz) Stage 9 Burguete to St-Jean-Pied-de-Port Route 2 Pic du Midi d’Ossau and the limestone peaks of the western Pyrenees Stage 1 Etsaut to Camping du Lauzart (Lescun) Stage 2 Camping du Lauzart (Lescun) to Refugio de Linza Stage 3 Refugio de Linza to Refugio de Gabardito Stage 4 Refugio de Gabardito to Refugio de Lizara Stage 5 Refugio de Lizara to Col du Somport Stage 6 Col du Somport to Refuge de Pombie Stage 7 Refuge de Pombie to Refuge d’Ayous Stage 8 Refuge d’Ayous to Etsaut Route 3 Tour de Vignemale and La Alta Ruta de Los Perdidos Stage 1 Cauterets to Refuge des Oulettes de Gaube Stage 2 Refuge des Oulettes de Gaube to Refuge des Granges de Holle (Gavarnie) Stage 3 Refuge des Granges de Holle to Refuge des Éspuguettes Stage 4 Refuge des Éspuguettes to Refugio de Pineta Stage 5 Refugio de Pineta to Refugio de Góriz Stage 6 Refugio de Góriz to Refuge de la Brèche de Roland Stage 7 Refuge de la Brèche de Roland to Refugio de Bujaruelo Stage 8 Refugio de Bujaruelo to Baños de Panticosa Stage 9 Baños de Panticosa to Refugio de Respomuso Stage 10 Refugio de Respomuso to Refuge Wallon Stage 11 Refuge Wallon to Cauterets Route 4 Réserve Naturelle de Néouvielle Stage 1 Barèges to Artigues Stage 2 Artigues to Refuge de Campana de Cloutou Stage 3 Refuge de Campana de Cloutou to Lac d’Orédon Stage 4 Lac d’Orédon to Barèges Route 5 Carros de Foc Stage 1 Refugi dera Restanca to Refugi Joan Ventosa i Calvell Stage 2 Refugi Joan Ventosa i Calvell to Refugi d’Estany Llong Stage 3 Refugi d’Estany Llong to Refugi de la Colomina Stage 4 Refugi de la Colomina to Refugi JM Blanc Stage 5 Refugi JM Blanc to Refugi Sant Maurici Ernest Mallafré Stage 6 Refugi Sant Maurici Ernest Mallafré to Refugi de Saboredo (via Refugi d’Amitges) Stage 7 Refugi de Saboredo to Refugi dera Restanca (via Refugi de Colomèrs) Route 6 Tour des Montagnes d’Ax and the Tour des Pérics Stage 1 Ax-les-Thermes to Orlu Stage 2 Orlu to Refuge d’en Beys Stage 3 Refuge d’en Beys to Refuge de Camporells Stage 4 Refuge de Camporells to Refuge des Bouillouses Stage 5 Refuge des Bouillouses to Refuge des Bésines Stage 6 Refuge des Bésines to Auberge du Nabre (Mérens-les-Vals) Stage 7 Auberge du Nabre (Mérens-les-Vals) to Refuge de Rulhe Stage 8 Refuge de Rulhe to Ax-les-Thermes Route 7 The icons of Catalonia: Puigmal and Canigou Stage 1 Eyne to Núria Stage 2 Traverse of Puigmal Stage 3 Núria to Refugi de Ull de Ter (via Refugi de Coma de Vaca) Stage 4 Refugi de Ull de Ter to Chalet de las Conques Stage 5 Chalet de las Conques to Refuge de Saint-Guillem Stage 6 Refuge de Saint-Guillem to Refuge de Batère Stage 7 Refuge de Batère to Refuge des Cortalets Stage 8 Traverse of Canigou Stage 9 Refuge des Cortalets to Refuge de Marailles Stage 10 Refuge de Marailles to Mantet Stage 11 Mantet to Refuge du Ras de la Carança Stage 12 Refuge du Ras de la Carança to Eyne
Appendix A Route summary tables Appendix B Sources of information Appendix C Bibliography
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Since taking early retirement from his career as a physics and sports teacher, Brian Johnson has found time for three thru-hikes of the Pacific Crest Trail, a 2700-mile round-Britain walk, three hikes across the Pyrenees from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean as well as a single summer compleation of the Munros and has climbed all the Corbetts in Scotland. He has also completed a 2200-mile cycle tour of Spain and France and done multi-week canoe tours in Sweden, France, Spain and Portugal. A keen climber and hiker, he has led school groups in Britain, the Alps, the Pyrenees and California and has completed ten traverses from Atlantic to Mediterranean on the Pyrenean High-Level Route, GR11 or GR10. As a fanatical sportsman and games player, he has competed to a high standard at cricket, hockey, bridge and chess. His crowning achievement was winning the 1995/96 World Amateur Chess Championships.
