The Pyrenean Haute Route.

Guia Alta ruta Pirenaica.
Trek de alto nivel a través de los Pirineos. Guía de Trekking.
Idioma: INGLÉS.
Autor: Ton Joostens.
2ª edición.
7 Abril 2009.
ISBN 9781852845551.
Detailed guide to 800km trek along the Franco-Spanish border, from Hendaye to Banyuls-sur-Mer. The unwaymarked route is described in 45 days, with 500 GPS waymarks, information on villages, mountain huts, guesthouses, hotels and campsites and variant routes to avoid difficult sections. Also ascents of ten classic Pyrenean summits beside the route.









Activities
trekking, backpacking, mountain-climbing, scrambling
Seasons Best months: July and August. August can be extremely warm, however, and thunderstorms are an everyday hazard! In June most high mountain passes are still covered with snow but it's a good time for both the first section and, from mid-June on, the final section (if you avoid Pic Carlit). Late August and the first days of September often bring a short period of extremely bad weather but afterwards the first half of September can be exceptionally beautiful. There will be frost at night from the second half of September. Snowfall in the high mountains is not uncommon in September. Be ready for anything!
Centres
runs from Hendaye to Banyuls-sur-Mer, with nearest major towns: Bayonne, Pau, Tarbes, Foix, Perpignan and Toulouse
Difficulty
Each day walk and variant is graded on a scale of 1 to 4, from E for exceptionally challenging (moderate scrambling, exposure, glaciers) to 3 for short, easy, waymarked routes. Most are graded 2 and represent a good day's walk with significant ascent and descent but no major obstacles in good weather.
Must See
the 10 summits: Grande Fache, Vignemale, La Taillon, Pimene, Pic Perdiguere, Pico de Aneto, Montardo d'Aran, Mont Roig, Pic de Certascan and Pica d'Estats; the national parks: Parc National des Pyrénées Occidentales and Parc National d’Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici; mountain lakes, cirques, canyons, peaks and pine forests.

Looking down to Fonda Urrasca near the Col de Berdaritz


One of the Estanys Rosari de Baciver and the Tuc de Marimanya (2662m)


One of the alpine sections of the Haute Route: the Portillon region with Pic Perdiguère (3222m) on the right, seen from Pic Gourdon (3034m) on Day 21


Beware of occasional snowfall in summer (mid-July, Lac d’Arrious, Day 13)


Isards thrive in the Pyrenees


Snow-covered mountains in early May (GR10 trail between Marialles and Cortalets)


Preface to the second edition

Introduction
When to go
How to get there
Essential things to take
Food and water
Maps
Money and insurance
Accommodation
Walks and climbs in this guide
Mountain safety and first aid
National parks
Wildlife and flowers


Section 1 Hendaye to Lescun
Day 1 Hendaye to Col de Lizuniaga
Day 2 Col de Lizuniaga to Arizkun
Day 3 Arizkun to Les Aldudes
Day 4 Les Aldudes to Roncevalles
Day 5 Roncevalles to Egurgui
Day 6 Egurgui to Col Bagargui
Day 7 Col Bagargui to Cabane Ardané
Day 8 Cabane Ardané to Source de Marmitou
Day 9 Source de Marmitou to Lescun



Section 2 Lescun to Gavarnie
Day 10 Lescun to Refuge d’Arlet
Day 11 Refuge d’Arlet to Candanchu
Day 12 Candanchu to Refuge de Pombie
Variant: From Lac de Peyreget via the Col de l’Iou (2194m) to Refuge de Pombie
An easy summit: Pic d’Ayous (2288m)
Day 13 Refuge de Pombie to Refuge de Larribet
Day 14 Refuge de Larribet to Refuge Wallon
Variant: Refuge d’Arrémoulit to Refuge Wallon
Ten classic summits – 1: Grande Fache (3005m) from Refuge Wallon
Day 15 Refuge Wallon to Refuge de Bayssellance
Ten classic summits – 2: The Vignemale (3298m) from the Refuge de Bayssellance
Day 16 Refuge de Bayssellance to Gavarnie
Ten classic summits – 3: Le Taillon (3144m) from Gavarnie



Section 3: Gavarnie to Salardu
Day 17 Gavarnie to Héas
Ten classic summits – 4: Piméné (2801m) from Refuge des Espuguettes
Day 18 Héas to Parzan
Day 19 Parzan to Refugio de Viados
Day 20 Refugio de Viados to Refuge de la Soula
Day 21 Refuge de la Soula to Refuge du Portillon
Ten classic summits – 5: Pic Perdiguère (3222m) from Refuge du Portillon
Day 22 Refuge du Portillon to Refugio de la Renclusa
Ten classic summits – 6: Pico de Aneto (3404m) from Refugio de la Renclusa
Haute Route escape route: From Refugio de la Renclusa to Bagnères-de-Luchon
Variant: Hospital de Benasque – GR11 trail
Day 23 Refugio de la Renclusa to Hospital de Vielha
Day 24 Hospital de Vielha to Refugi de la Restanca
Variant: GR11 from Estany de Rius to Refugi de la Restanca
Day 25 Refugi de la Restanca to Salardu
Ten classic summits – 7: Montardo d’Aran (2826m) from Coll de Crestada
3-day Variant – GR11 from Viados to Hospital de Vielha



Section 4: Salardu to l’Hospitalet-près-l’Andorre
Day 26 Salardu to Refugi Gracia Airoto
Day 27 Refugi Gracia Airoto to Alos de Isil
Day 28 Alos de Isil to Refugi Enric Pujol
Ten classic summits – 8: Mont Roig (2868m) from Refugi Enric Puyol
Day 29 Refugi Enric Pujol to Refugi de Certascan
Variant 1: Via Tavascan to Pla de Boavi
Variant 2: Noarre via Camping Masia ‘Bordes de Graus’
Ten classic summits – 9: Pic de Certascan (2853m) from Col de Certascan
Day 30 Refugi de Certascan to Refugi del Cinquantenari
Short-cut: From Coll de Sellente to Estany de Sottlo
Day 31 Refugi del Cinquantenari to Refugi de Coma Pedrosa
Ten classic summits – 10: Pica d’Estats (3143m) and Montcalm (3077m) from Refugi de Vall Ferrera
Day 32 Refugi de Coma Pedrosa to El Serrat
Day 33 El Serrat to Cabana Coms de Jan
Day 34 Cabane Coms de Jan to Refuge du Rulhe
Day 35 Refuge du Rulhe to l’Hospitalet-près-l’Andorre



Section 5: L’Hospitalet-près-l’Andorre to Banyuls-sur-Mer
Day 36 L’Hospitalet-près-l’Andorre to Refuge des Bésines
Day 37 Refuge des Bésines to Barrage des Bouillouses
Variant: GR10 avoiding Pic Carlit
Consolation walk 1: From Chalet-Refuge des Bouillouses to Pic Carlit summit
Day 38 Barrage des Bouillouses to Eyne
Day 39 Eyne to Refugi d’Ull de Ter
Day 40 Refugi d’Ull de Ter to Refuge de Mariailles
Day 41 Refuge de Mariailles to Mines de Batère
Variant: The GR10 from Refuge de Mariailles to Chalet-Refuge des Cortalets
Consolation walk 2: The ascent of Canigou from Cortalets
Day 42 Mines de Batère to Moulin de la Palette
Day 43 Moulin de la Palette to Las Illas
Day 44 Las Illas to Col de l’Ouillat
Day 45 Col de l’Ouillat to Banyuls-sur-Mer

Appendix 1 Useful addresses
Appendix 2 Glossary
Appendix 3 Facilities list