Day 1. BALNEARIO DE PANTICOSA > IBÓN DE BACHIMAÑA > IBONES AZULES > CUELLO DEL INFIERNO > COLLADO DE TEBARRAY > LIENA CANTAL > REF. DE RESPOMUSO. 14 Km +1.370m/-870m 7-8 h
Meeting at the Panticosa Spa. We begin this impressive trek with a long and challenging stage, but absolutely spectacular: you will traverse the great tarns of the Tena Valley beneath the Picos del Infierno. A path among rivers, waterfalls, and the stunning tarns of Bachimaña, Azules, Tebarray, Liena Cantal, and Respomuso, all set among spectacular peaks such as the Infiernos, Piedrafita, Tebarray, or Frondiellas. Leaving behind the Panticosa Spa, we ascend along the GR11 through large granite blocks and beautiful waterfalls towards the Bachimaña refuge. From Bachimaña, we continue to the Azules Tarns, home to three-thousand-metre peaks with endless ridges like the Picos del Infierno.
We keep gaining altitude through a lunar landscape until we reach the Cuello del Infierno, where we will enjoy one of the most classic glacial tarns: the Tebarray Tarn and its magnificent basin. From there, we cross the tarn halfway up the slope and soon arrive at its col, the highest point among the 3000 tarns, at 2,765 metres.
We descend a steep gully that will require special attention, equipped with a cable to assist the descent. The slope eases, and we soon reach the Liena Cantal Tarn and its views of the Balaïtous massif and the Frondiellas, with the Respomuso refuge in the distance, the day's objective.
The final stretch is through mountain pastureland among watercourses and small tarns until we reach the refuge. Dinner and overnight stay at the Respomuso Refuge.
Day 2. REF. DE RESPOMUSO > IBONES D'ARRIEL > COL D'ARRÉMOULIT > LAC D'AROUSTE > COL D’ARTOUSTE > REF DE MIGOUÉLOU. 16,5 Km +1.200m/-1.059m 8-9 h
Breakfast. We leave Respomuso via the GR-11 and, where the lake ends, take a right-hand branch that leads us directly to the Arriel Lakes, in a stunning setting crowned by Arriel, Palas, and Balaïtous. From the last lake, we face a slight ascent until we reach the Col d’Arrémoulit and enjoy the Arriels from above once again. We then start the descent, which is somewhat uncomfortable, to the Arrémoulit Refuge and its lake, where we can take a break. From Arrémoulit, we descend to the large Lac d’Artouste, which we circumnavigate on the left, and connect with the path that ascends to the Lacs de Carnau. From these lakes, we face the final climb of the stage to reach the Col d’Artouste and its views over Migouélou. All that remains is the descent from the pass, which is comfortable and quick, and to circle the Lac de Migouélou to its refuge. Dinner and accommodation at the Migouélou Refuge.
Day 3. REF DE MIGOUÉLOU > PLAN D’ASTE > LAC DE SUYEN > REF. DE LARRIBET. 11,2 Km +760m/-990m 6-7 h
Breakfast. From the door of the Migouélou Refuge, we descend directly down an immense slope of almost 1000 metres with countless switchbacks until we reach the Plan d’Aste and its lush forest crossed by the River Arrens. We continue upstream, first through the forest and then across more open terrain along the River Arrens, passing by Lac de Suyen, the charming Doumblas cabin, and its waterfalls. From here, the ascent begins, climbing the Ruisseau de Larribet, which is somewhat challenging, taking us to the goal of our stage: the Larribet Refuge, nestled beneath Balaïtous in a landscape of granite walls that makes it a legendary spot for climbers and mountaineers. Dinner and accommodation at Larribet Refuge.
Day 4. REF. DE LARRIBET > LACS DE REMOULIS > PORT DE LA PEYRE > COL DE CAMBALÈS > LACS DE CAMBALÈS > REF. DE MARCADAU. 18,2 Km +1.230m/-1.420m 8-9 h
Breakfast. Today we change valleys, approaching the Vignemale (Comachibosa) on a trek that will take us past the impressive Col de Cambalès and countless mountain lakes. The stage begins by retracing our steps to the Arrens valley. Once again in Doumblas, we ascend the long Arrens valley alongside the river, passing by the Lacs de Remoulis to reach the border col of La Peyre de Saint Martin. At this point, we turn left to continue ascending, with steeper slopes and through stone scree, to the stunning Col de Cambalès and its magnificent views of Balaïtous, at 2,706 m, the highest point of the stage. After crossing the pass, we begin the descent, which continues through one of the most bucolic landscapes of our trek: the numerous Cambalès lakes. The alpine environment, the ridges, the ibones, and the magnificent Vignemale on the horizon offer us a spectacular landscape characteristic of the north face of the Pyrenees within the French National Park. We finish the route by descending along a flank of the Gave de Cambalès, with incredible views of Marcadau. An ancient pine forest leads us to the Pla de La Gole and its prehistoric remains, its hermitage, and the Marcadau (Wallon) Refuge in this historic border valley. Dinner and overnight stay at the Marcadau (Wallon) Refuge.
Day 5. REF. DE MARCADAU > PONT D'ESPAGNE > LAC DE GAUBE > REF. DES OULETTES DE GAUBE. 16 Km +820m/-540m 6-7 h
Breakfast. Today's stage takes us through the valleys of Marcadau and Gaube at the foot of Vignemale (3,298 m). We will visit two emblematic places in the French Pyrenees: Pont d’Espagne (Cauterets) and Lac de Gaube, famous for its turquoise waters and the view of Vignemale. We begin by descending the border valley of Marcadau, amidst lush forests of firs and black pines, streams, and fairytale meadows, until we reach Pont d’Espagne, an ancient border, Pyrenean fault, and a spectacle of waterfalls, forests, and granite. From here, we start the ascent to Lac de Gaube via the GR 10 (the trans-Pyrenean trail on the French side) through a beautiful forest of black pines, maples, birches, and rhododendrons covering the ground. Upon reaching the lake, we will enjoy a pleasant lunch on the terrace of the L’Hôtellerie du Lac de Gaube restaurant, situated on the shores of Lac de Gaube, with a panoramic view that we will hardly forget. To continue the day, we will have to ascend the valley through meadows and waterfalls, where granite and water are the protagonists. The path finally leads us to the slopes of the magnificent Vignemale and its hanging glaciers, where we will spend the night at the Refugio des Oulettes de Gaube. The views from this refuge are priceless.
Day 6. REF. DES OULETTES > PUERTO DE LOS MULOS > CIRCO DEL RÍO ARA > PUERTO VIEJO DE BRAZATO > BALNEARIO DE PANTICOSA. 15,5 Km +1.065m/-1.530m 7-8 h
Breakfast. We leave France to venture into the Aragonese Pyrenees through the Cirque of the Ara, the only major Aragonese river still untouched. We leave the Des Oulettes Refuge behind, approaching the impressive glacier and the spectacular north face of Vignemale, widely regarded as one of the largest walls in the Pyrenees. Afterwards, we ascend to the Puerto de los Mulos, with its incredible views of the ridges and the Cirque of the Ara, and cross into Spain. We descend directly to the head of the Ara, a wild valley in its purest form that signals the gates of Ordesa, and continue walking among streams and torrents heading south with Vignemale behind us. After circling the small Ibones of los Batanes, which will serve to refresh us, we pass through a zone of boulders to reach the Puerto Viejo de Brazato and its magnificent views of Panticosa and its three-thousand-metre peaks: Garmo Negro, Algas, and Argualas. We descend around the lakes directly to the Panticosa Spa, following a long but well-maintained path, enjoying the views. A bath in the Tiberio Thermal Baths awaits us as a reward to crown this unforgettable trek.
