Description
Book SynopsisA 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 ContentsSummary of the treks Overview map Map key Preface 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 Br#xe8;che de Roland Stage 7 Refuge de la Br#xe8;che 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 R#xe9;serve Naturelle de N#xe9;ouvielle Stage 1 Bar#xe8;ges to Artigues Stage 2 Artigues to Refuge de Campana de Cloutou Stage 3 Refuge de Campana de Cloutou to Lac d'Or#xe9;don Stage 4 Lac d'Or#xe9;don to Bar#xe8;ges 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 Mallafr#xe9; Stage 6 Refugi Sant Maurici Ernest Mallafr#xe9; to Refugi de Saboredo
(via Refugi d'Amitges) Stage 7 Refugi de Saboredo to Refugi dera Restanca
(via Refugi de Colom#xe8;rs) Route 6 Tour des Montagnes d'Ax and the Tour des P#xe9;rics 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 B#xe9;sines Stage 6 Refuge des B#xe9;sines to Auberge du Nabre (M#xe9;rens-les-Vals) Stage 7 Auberge du Nabre (M#xe9;rens-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 Bat#xe8;re Stage 7 Refuge de Bat#xe8;re 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
