Hiking the French Pyrenees

Grand glacial cirques, crystalline lakes, snow-capped summits, mighty waterfalls, magnificent beech forests—the aery realm of the French Pyrenees is simply breathtaking. This great mountain range forms the magnificent 10,000-foot-high border between France and Spain, lush and green on the French side—and ideal for our newest hiking adventure. With Trip Leader extraordinaire Annie Hawkins, we hike the best trails of Pyrenees National Park by way of the famed GR10, the long-distance footpath that carves a dramatic route among the high peaks of the Pyrenees. This is a true alpine hiking adventure that brings us into spectacular realms including the wild Cirque de Gavarnie, a vast stone amphitheater and World Heritage Site with dramatic 4,000-foot-high walls, and the glorious Cirque de Troumouse, also on the crest of the range.

Itinerary at a Glance

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Days 1-2
Pau / Saint-Lary-Soulan

We meet in Pau and head to Saint-Lary, a beautiful slate-roofed village in the Hautes-Pyrenees. The next day we enjoy a warm-up hike amid the picturesque mountain villages of the Vallee d’Aure, with their impressive medieval churches built when Christian pilgrims hiked this valley on their way to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Overnights in Saint-Lary.

Days 3-4
Reserve Naturelle de Neouvielle / Viscos

In the magnificent Reserve Naturelle de Neouvielle, a nature sanctuary created in 1936 and one of the oldest mountain reserves in France, we follow the GR10 trail up to the peak of Madamete (8,717') for expansive views. The next day we hike to the Cirque de Troumouse, a wild and magnificent glacial cirque. Overnights in Viscos.

Days 5-6
Cirque de Gavarnie

From the Lac de Gloriettes, we hike up to the Hourquette d’Alans, with panoramic views of the Cirque d’Estaube, then enter the famous Cirque of Gavarnie, a towering amphitheater surrounded by perpendicular cliffs rising over 4,000 feet from the verdant valley floor. The crowning ridge of the cirque forms the frontier with Spain. On Day 6, we hike to the Plateau de Bellevue, or for those who are feeling energetic, even further to the foot of the Breche de Roland, immortalized in the epic poem the Chanson de Roland. Overnights in Gavarnie.

Day 7-9
Circuit des Cascades / Cauterets

A scenic hike brings us Lac de Gaube then along a lovely trail known as the “circuit des cascades” among beech trees, gnarled pines, and waterfalls, and we explore the verdant Mercadau Valley on the French-Spanish border, with its exquisite lakes, shepherds’ huts, and rugged glacier-carved scenery. Overnights in Cauterets, famed as a thermal hot springs town since Roman times. Depart on Day 9.

For a more complete description, Download Full Detailed Itinerary

What the Trip is Like

This hike is rated Level 4-5, Strenuous. All trip members should have mountain hiking experience. Most hiking is between 6,000 and 8,000 feet, and the maximum elevation reached is about 9,000 feet. Trail conditions can be primitive, and there is a good bit of up-and-down (often a 2,000- to 3,000-foot gain and loss in elevation per day). We spend our nights in comfortable hotels. Every participant must understand that this hike is truly challenging—trip members should be in excellent physical condition. We recommend that you make a special effort to get in top physical shape for the trip. Of course, you are always free to skip a day’s hike and travel to the next destination in the support vehicle.
   
Our lunches will be in mountain refuges, villages, and small cafes. Most evenings we have dinner at our hotel. Vegetarians please note that we will accommodate dietary needs as best as possible, but it is a good idea to bring along protein bars and other supplements. Luggage space is limited in our van, so we ask that you restrict your luggage to one piece, plus your daypack. Please note that in Europe, the dinner hour is considerably later than what it is in the US. We do our best to secure early reservations for our groups, but most often the evening meal will be at 7:30 PM.

Explanation of Trip Levels