There have been a few map changes and a number of changes concerning accommodation. Finally there's a word about Covid-19 measures for the 2021 season.
p39. Rando Éditions Mapa Excursionista maps nos. 23, 22 and 21 are no longer available. Hikers can buy Rando Éditions Carte de Randonnées nos. 13, 6 and 7 instead, they cover the Pyreanean Haute Route for that area too.
p92. Refugio de Belagua is open. The hut has 56 places and prices for overnight stays and halfboard are very reasonable. There is also a bar and restaurant. Make your reservation online on https://refugiobelagua.es or over the phone: 623 10 73 17.
p126-133 Refuge Wallon is closed for renovation until the end of 2021. Find the latest updates here: http://www.refuge-marcadau.csvss.fr/en/home. The whole site is closed, so the only option there is a bivouac (many good places). For those wishing to sleep inside the only alternative is to hike on the Pont d'Espagne (2h) and take a taxi to Cauterets, where you find hotels.
p150. Refuge des Sarradets remains closed. It is at present unclear if the hut will open for the 2021 season. Check https://refugebrechederoland.f... for the latest updates.
p180. The phone number of Refuge de la Soula has changed. Instead of the numbers given in the book, phone 05 62 40 23 41.
p258. The correct timing for day 31 is 5h20, not 5h. In the route description the correct timing is given.
p290. Refuge des Bouillousses is closed for renovation and is scheduled to reopen in the autumn of 2021. There are two alternatives closeby: Auberge du Carlit (https://lesioux.fr/aubergeduca..., tel 04 68 04 22 23) and hotel Les Bones Hores (https://www.lesboneshores.fr, tel 04 68 04 24 22)
p319. Ecogite Moulin de la Palette has closed permanently. At Montalba d'Amélie (1h further) it is possible to pitch a tent and get water. For those wishing to stay inside, a solution could be to stay at refuge de Cortalets on day 40 and in Arles-sur-Tech on day 41.
And a word about Covid-19:
It speaks for itself that Covid-19 measures will apply everywhere. For every form of accommodation, it is recommended to inform about these measures on the relevant website before you set off. In the 2020 season the author witnessed that the huts operate more or less as usual, the main differences being reduced capacity (groups sleep in a separate wing of the hut, whereas individual hikers sleep in a place where the required physical distance from others is assured) and the obligation to disinfect hands and wear a mask inside the hut.
*p 176, Refugio de Viados has changed its reservation phone numbers, they are now 974341613 and 669230078. It is equally possible to make a reservation online: www.alberguesyrefugios.com/viados/
*p 39, Rando éditions is in the process of renumbering and reprinting its maps. What is mentioned in the book as map 23 is now for sale as map 13. Maps 22 and 21 are currently out of print, but maps 6 (Couserans/Val d'Aran) and 7 (Haute Ariège) cover the necessary areas for the HRP too. In the future, maps 22 and 21 will most probably be numbered resp. 14 and 15. It is not clear when exactly they will be for sale.
*p 83, day 6: the shop next to the restaurant at col Bagargui no longer exists. There is now a shop in the same building as the bureau d'acceuil, at col Héguichouria. There are gas canisters (type EN417) for sale there.
*p 262, day 32: Contrary to previous years, restaurant La Goma is open for this summer.
*p 267, Day 33: the timing for the part between Refugi de Sorteny and Collado dels Meners is wrong. It should be 2hrs to Collado dels Meners instead of 4hrs, making the total time for day 33 6.25hrs instead of 8.25hrs.
July 2019
p105 last digit missing for Camping La Bergerie should be as listed on p106 : tel 05 62 92 48 41
p83, day 6: The shop that used to be next to the restaurant at Col Bagargui has closed. Instead, there is now a shop at the bureau d'accueil at Col Héguichouria. Gas canisters of the EN417 type are for sale there.
(Thanks to reader Bjorn Forselv for bringing this to our attention)
June 2019
GPX files are available to be dowloaded .
Page 4, the reference to Peter Forrest's web site should be to
www.hrpguide.org
not www.hrp.org. Our apologies.
p39, concerning the maps needed to hike the PHR: IGN carte de randonnée 1346OT - St-Jean-Pied-de-Port is no longer needed if you have the more recent Rando Éditions maps no1 (Pays Basque Ouest) and no2 (Pays Basque Est). Only with the older versions of these maps there is a gap between these two maps. Rando maps printed 2006 and later are OK.