Shorter Treks in the Pyrenees

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Guidebook detailing seven circular treks of 4-12 days in the beautiful Pyrenees. The varied routes cover both sides of the French-Spanish border and include both the High Pyrenees and the lower, more gentle mountains of the Basque Country and Catalonia. Variants are suggested for those wishing to shorten or extend the treks.

Cicerone says

A guidebook to seven short treks of 4–12 days in the Pyrenees, covering both sides of the France–Spain border. Showcasing the region’s spectacular scenery, the treks follow mountain paths, with boulder fields and easy scrambling on higher routes. Accommodation is available in mountain refuges and villages, though wild camping is also possible.

The routes range from 70 to 224km and are presented in day stages of between 7 and 33km (2–8 hours). They cover the Basque Country, Pic du Midi d’Ossau and the western Pyrenees, Vignemale and La Alta Ruta de los Perdidos, Réserve Naturelle de Néouvielle, Carros de Foc, Montagnes d’Ax and Les Pérics, and Puigmal and Canigou in Catalonia.

• Clear route description and 1:100,000 mapping
• Information on accommodation and facilities for each trek stage
• Access, maps and route variants and alternatives for each trek
• Advice on planning and preparation
• Optional detours to climb neighbouring peaks

Our Verdict

For nearly 50 years Cicerone have been producing guidebooks on recognised treks, regions, areas and general tips for hikers.

We have used them countless times and they’ve always provided excellent insight and knowledge that you only get through experience, giving you the edge to make your trip a success and more enjoyable too.

If you’re a gram counter you can easily remove sections of the book to take with you making your own ultra-lightweight guidebook with only the essential sections that you require.

– Reviewed by Ultralight Outdoor Gear

Features

• Seasons: July to September for the treks in the High Pyrenees, April to October for the trek in the Basque Country and May to October for the trek in Eastern Catalonia.
• Centres: Basque Country, Catalonia, Parc National des Pyrénées, Gavarnie, Ordes
• Difficulty: The treks are on mountain paths, mostly well-waymarked. On several of the treks there is boulderfield to cross and some easy scrambling when crossing high alpine passes. In June experience of mountain walking in snow/ice conditions would be needed for the five treks in the High Pyrenees
• Must See: Basque Country, Pic du Midi d’Ossau, Vignemale, Ordesa Canyon, Cirque de Gavarnie, Réserve Naturelle de Néouvielle, Carros de Foc, Ariège, Cerdagne, Puigmal and Canigou

Specifications

• Weight: 330g
• Published: 15 May 2019
• Edition: First
• Number of pages: 280
• Size: 17.2 x 11.6 x 1.6cm

Table of Contents

• Contents
  
• 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 Brèche de Roland
  
• Stage 7 Refuge de la Brèche 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 Réserve Naturelle de Néouvielle
  
• Stage 1 Barèges to Artigues
  
• Stage 2 Artigues to Refuge de Campana de Cloutou
  
• Stage 3 Refuge de Campana de Cloutou to Lac d’Orédon
  
• Stage 4 Lac d’Orédon to Barèges
  
• 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 Mallafré
  
• Stage 6 Refugi Sant Maurici Ernest Mallafré to Refugi de Saboredo (via Refugi d’Amitges)
  
• Stage 7 Refugi de Saboredo to Refugi dera Restanca (via Refugi de Colomèrs)
  
• Route 6 Tour des Montagnes d’Ax and the Tour des Pérics
  
• 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 Bésines
  
• Stage 6 Refuge des Bésines to Auberge du Nabre (Mérens-les-Vals)
  
• Stage 7 Auberge du Nabre (Mérens-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 Batère
  
• Stage 7 Refuge de Batère 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