From Spain to France: Trekking the Pyrenean Haute Route

The Trip

The Pyrenees provide a natural barrier between Spain and France. They are one of the world’s great mountain ranges. Our trip focuses on arguably the most scenic and wild sections of the Pyrenees, the central region, which includes the highest summits of this range. Our route consists of an integral part of the "Pyrénées-Mont Perdu," a French-Spanish UNESCO World Heritage site. This exceptional mountain landscape, on both sides of the Franco-Spanish border, has the Mont Perdu summit as its central feature. We will walk through some of the largest and deepest canyons in Europe on the Spanish side, and visit three glacial cirques on the French side. Listed as a World Heritage site for both natural and cultural heritage, Pyrénées-Mont Perdu is one of only 32 sites in the world with this double UNESCO listing.

Our trek moves predominantly in protected national parks in both Spain and France, following the high route trails. We begin on the edges of Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park in Spain and walk into the Parc national des Pyrénées in France.

This is a very strenuous trekking trip. The trails of our trip will take us through deep valleys and over high passes. One day involves 1,600 meters of elevation gain. Our trip will involve 6-8 hours on steep trails most days. To accomplish this trip as a group we will use van support. The van will help transport us between several lodging destinations and the trailheads, and also move our city gear from stop to stop along the way. The use of a van allows us to explore more of the range than on foot, while sleeping in comfortable surroundings at night.

When the day is done, we will stay at mountain refuges, auberges, or small hotels. Besides the dramatic scenery and interesting local culture, we have a good chance of encountering chamois along the trail, as well as marmots and other wildlife. We‘re sure to see protected bearded vultures in this region.

Although this Alpine trek is a high mountain route, participants do not require any technical skills such as mountain climbing, rock climbing, or glacier travel. Still, there are mountain passes to cross, so you should be comfortable crossing snowfields, as well as traversing mixed terrain such as boulders and scree. The leader will supply a complete gear list, which includes essential items for challenging weather conditions (such as snow squalls and cold rain).

Please note that every effort will be made to follow the itinerary listed. However, the itinerary is subject to change at any time based upon the leader’s assessment of risk on that day. The leader’s decision about a participant or the group will be aided by an assistant leader.

Day 1: You will meet our van driver at the bus station in Huesca, Spain. There will be two scheduled times to meet the van over the course of this day. Your happy leadership team will adapt to unexpected issues. The van will take each group up the mountain to our hotel in Sallent de Gállego. That evening we will have our first meeting as a group and enjoy our first dinner together.

Day 2: After breakfast and packing (and likely a second round of coffee/snacks), we will hike about four hours to reach Respomuso Auberge. This small refuge, located on the shore of a beautiful reservoir, has no road access and meals are simple. Distance: 7 miles / Elevation: +2,960 feet, -118 feet.

Day 3: This day covers high alpine terrain, including snow and some scree. It will take us well over 6 hours to reach our hotel. There may be snow at the top. Some precautions with hand lines may be required; the last 50 meters the gradient nears 80% approaching the Collado de Tebarray. From there we have a long downhill to the hotel at Balneario de Panticosa, where our van and city gear will be waiting. Distance: 8.6 miles / Elevation: +2,444 feet, -4,134 feet.

Day 4: Today is a very long day. After three hours of uphill work, we will cross the Cuello Alto de Brazato (2,566m). We then descend in to the Ara River Valley, leaving behind the rocky peaks of los Batanes to the north. On this day, we will cover just over 20 kilometers with more than 3,000 feet of altitude gained and lost. Expect nine hours on the trail. It is well worth the effort though as our van will meet us and transport us to our hotel in the beautiful village of Torla-Ordesa. Distance: 13 miles / Elevation: +3,609 feet, -4,691 feet.

Day 5: This spectacular day we take the Senda de los Cazadores trail in Ordesa Park to our refugio. The hike will take us 6 to 8 hours to complete. Using the park bus from Torla, we enter the park. We begin by climbing steeply for several hours. After four hours, the Circa de Soaso Cola opens before us. To the left of the cirque lies the Cola de Caballo (horse’s tail), the best-known waterfall in Ordesa and perhaps the Pyrenees. Energy permitting, we will drop to the valley floor to get a closer view of the Cola de Caballo. Ultimately though, we continue on to Refugio Goriz, which is perched at the base of Monte Perdito (a limestone massif rising to 3,355 meters), positioning ourselves to cross into France tomorrow. Distance: 8 miles / Elevation: +4,922 feet, -754 feet.

Day 6: Today we cross in to France via the Brecha de Roland. The hike will take about 7 hours. The normal route from Refugio de Góriz, includes an exposed 500-meter stretch across a not-quite-vertical slope at the Paso de los Sarrios just south of the Brecha de Roland. There is a chain to hold on to for this stretch, but it is not a place for people with low confidence in their footing and balance. This will be our preferred way. However, in case of weather or other considerations, we will circumvent the Paso by heading downhill before it, then back uphill after. Once through the brecha, we are in France. The Refuge des Sarradets is about an hour below us following a steep track. Distance: 8.7 miles / Elevation: +3,937 feet, -300 feet.

Day 7: Today we reward our hard work with a downhill hike of 8 kilometers into the Cirque Du Gavarnie. This cirque is one of the “Three Cirques” and the most popular area within the Parc national des Pyrénées. The Gavarnie Cirque truly is a natural wonder. It has a circumferrence of 6.5 kilometers and 1,500-meter walls, and contains one of the largest waterfalls in Europe.

The three glacial cirques we will visit in the coming days -- Gavarnie, Estaubé, and Troumouse -- are an integral part of the French side of the UNESCO World Heritage site. Distance: 4.9 miles / Elevation: +164 feet, -2,950 feet.

Day 8: Today we hike to the Cirque Estaubé. After a long uphill hike and high mountain refugio lunch, we will cross the pass and enter Valley Estaube with Mount Perdu at its head. As in most Alpine valleys in Europe, this is a dual-use landscape: 400 cows and 1,200 sheep graze here each summer. After a steep descent, we make an easy walk watching the many marmots down to Gloriettes Lake Dam, where our van will be waiting for us. We spend the night at the lovely Albergue de la Munia in the hamlet of Heas. Distance: 4.9 miles / Elevation: +600 feet, -2,953 feet.

Day 9: Today we make a loop hike in the third of the crown jewel valley, the Cirque de Troumouse. We will use the van to shorten the day’s walking. After our return to Heas, our van will take us to our final hotel in the village of Luz-Saint-Sauveur by early afternoon. Luz-Saint-Sauveur is one of the Tour de France mountain stages and accordingly a world-famous cycling destination. The village possesses a long and storied history as well, making it a relaxing and spectacular final destination for our adventure. Distance: 7.5 miles / Elevation: + 2,198 feet, -2,198 feet.

Day 10: On our last day, we will say our goodbyes over breakfast, then our van will take us on the half-hour ride to the train station in Lourdes, France. From the Lourdes station, there is a TGV train to Paris, along with various slower trains to the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts of France.

Getting There

The trip will begin in Huesca, Spain and end in Lourdes, France. Fly to either Madrid or Barcelona and take a bus to Huesca, where you will meet the shuttle van driver. The trip will end in Lourdes, France, where you can take the TGV train directly to Paris to fly home.

Consult with the trip leader if you have questions or need assistance with travel arrangements. Please do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until notified to do so by the trip leader.

Accommodations and Food

Accommodations will be in mountain refuges or locally owned auberges and hotels. Rooms will be shared, at a minimum of double occupancy, according to gender or same party (i.e., families, couples).

All meals are included from dinner on day 1 to breakfast on day 10. Lunch will be mostly picnic-style at a location along hiking trails. Dinner will be hearty meals at the refuges or at our hotels. Soft drinks and wine are sometimes included as part of the menu, but otherwise soft drinks and all alcoholic drinks are not included.

Trip Difficulty

This is a very strenuous mountain trek. Some of the trails are primitive and some scrambling will be required. To enjoy this trip you must be able to hike comfortably for 6-8 hours every day over rocky, steep terrain with elevation changes of up to 1,600 meters (approaching 5,000 feet). While July is a great time to be in the Pyrenees, you will encounter Alpine weather on this trip. This may include snow showers and rain. On some passes, you will need to walk on snowfields. On some passes, fixed chains have been placed for use as hand lines.

Equipment and Clothing

This trip will require a comfortable, broken-in pair of light hiking boots/shoes and a daypack capable of carrying lunch, water, bag liner, and extra clothing, at minimum. Currently in Spain, Covid protocols in the mountain refuges require travelers to bring a light sleeping bag and pillow. This requirement may change, however. Our luggage will be transported by our private van, but may not always be available during the day. For our day’s activities, it’s recommended that you dress in layers and carry a warm jacket and rain gear, as well as sunglasses, sunscreen, and a hat. Participants will receive a detailed list of gear and clothing recommendations.

References

Books:

• The Rough Guide to Spain. 2015. One of several general guidebooks for Spain. (Also see Lonely Planet.) The leader likes the Rough Guide series best because they have a Contexts section with lots of background information.
• The Rough Guide to the Pyrenees. 2007. This guide is for the Pyrenees. It is a little out of date and has not been updated. Lots of background information. Organization is a bit difficult as it is laid out in sections that go north to south rather than east to west.
• Reynolds, Kev, Walks and Climbs in the Pyrenees: Walks, Climbs and Multi-Day Treks. Cicerone, 2015. Lots of walks and climbing routes, but lots of background information.
• Gibbons, Wes and Teresa Mareno, The Geology of Spain. The Geological Society (London), 2002. If you want to know about some of the fascinating geology we will see, this book is a great resource.

Hiking Maps:

• Ordesa y Monte Perdido Parque Nacional, Editorial Alpina
• Posets Perdiguero: Valles de Benasque, Estos y Chistau. Editorial Alpina
• Aneto Madadeta: Valles de Benasque y Barraves, Editorial Alpina

Conservation

Since its founding in 1892, The Sierra Club has worked to preserve and restore the natural environment we all share on this planet. Thousands of grassroots-level volunteers spearhead our efforts to conserve and sustain resources, both in our own backyards and on a global scale. Through direct experience in the outdoors, Sierra Club outings enable participants to better understand, advocate and participate in the environmental conservation goals of the Club.

At the Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park, one of only 32 UNESCO sites that combine cultural and natural heritage designation, we’ll talk with a ranger about the park’s special status. The intertwining of cultural heritage and pastoral lifestyle with the maintenance of biodiversity in this unique landscape is a testament to effective conservation. From the reintroduction of bearded vultures to the management of brown bear populations near traditional grazing pastures, this area has a long history of successful conservation initiatives. We’ll discuss current conservation practices in the area, now challenged by negative climate change impacts on precipitation levels and resultant water availability for local villages, livestock, and fish populations.

Evacuation and Travel Insurance

The Sierra Club provides evacuation insurance to all participants on international trips. Since this coverage does not include any trip cancellation or interruption insurance, we suggest you purchase another policy separately to provide coverage for your trip and other travel costs. This policy also does not cover pre-trip and post-trip travel. Please note the evacuation insurance provided does not cover claims resulting from any pre-existing condition that occurs within 60 days of the trip departure. If you have specific questions about this exclusion, please review the insurance brochure. For information on purchasing a separate policy, please see our travel insurance page.