Walking / Hiking

Hiking in the Pyrénées – Walking in the Pyrénées

The French Pyrénées offer a veritable bounty of hikes, whether you want an all day hike or a few hours around one of our beautiful lakes, you really have an endless choice available to you.

Where to start!? There are so many hiking routes throughout the Pyrénées and with so much on offer it means that there are hiking trails suitable for all levels of ability from steep and craggy mountain trails that cross ridges to the less arduous but equally beautiful lake and forest walks.

When it comes to hiking, this mountain range is known for the GR10 hiking trail which crosses the Pyrénées from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean over the Pyrénéean range, the pilgrim route Camino de Santiago which leads to the famous cathedral Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, and a recent addition is the HexaTrek crossing France from the Vosges to the Pyrénées.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that you have to follow any of the above trails, the beauty of the Pyrénées is that you can take a day hike in pretty much any direction and be back at your base in Castelvieilh for your evening meal appreciating the view of the mountain you’ve just climbed!

Below are a few of our favourite hikes, remember this is only a handful of the trails available for your hiking holiday but they may just keep you coming back for more!

Cirque de Gavarnie - This is without doubt one of the most popular hikes in the Pyrénées and with good reason too. Part of the UNESCO global heritage sites and one of the most beautiful spots in the whole of France. Accessible to all levels of hiker this is a well-marked route of 8.5km which takes around 2-3 hours.

Lac Bleu from Le Chiroulet - A challenging hike but so worth it! This is a beautiful 13km loop to the Col de Bareilles and Lac Bleu, via Lac d'Ourrec, with a beautiful variety of landscapes including a waterfall on the way back which is worth a look! The climbing is steep at times but the route is well marked and easy to follow.

Lac de Gaube from Pont d’Espagne - Another accessible to all hikes, this hike starts at the beautiful Pont d’Espagne and follows a well laid path with beautiful views and waterfalls along the way until you reach the breathtaking Lac de Gaube. At just over 8km this hike takes around 2.5 to 3 hours, so pack a picnic and enjoy a lunch at this picturesque lake.

Lac d’Oô - Yet another stunning hike is the Lac d'Oô, surrounded by steep slopes with a beautiful waterfall. This moderate hike is around 6.5km which you can extend to the Lac d’Espiningo or Lac du Portillon for a longer more challenging walk.

Col du Tourmalet to the Pic du Midi - This is a well-marked path to the famous Pic du Midi, passing by Lac d’Oncet and the old observatory at the Col de Sencours. The route itself is fairly easy but gets fairly steep as you get close to the summit. Although this hike does not offer the beautiful scenery along the way that you get with some of our other favourites, the view when you reach the summit is incredible.

The above hikes are just a taster of what the Pyrénées have to offer. Feel free to get in touch with us to book and plan your hiking holiday in the French Pyrénées – we are happy to help you with planning and transport to make sure you get to cover all the hikes you want.

Plan your Hiking Holiday

You can customise your walking holiday as much or as little as you like and we are here to help every step of the way. In addition to accommodation in our gites, the following options are also available for you to include in your walking holiday;

Supported hiking Drop off/Pick Up Organising equipment hire Route planning

Breakfast Afternoon Tea 3 course evening meals Airport Transfers

Get in touch with us today for your hiking holiday in the French Pyrénées.