Day 59: Arles-sur-Tech to Las Illas

Today mostly involved getting inadvertently adopted by two animals: firstly by a campsite cat that followed us to our tent last night, charmed us, became a purring machine and then refused to leave no matter how many times we put her out. So it was a cosy night in Colin, in which the cat took up much of the foot room and totally ignored the meaning of a two man tent; secondly by a very friendly dog of ambiguous ownership who followed/led us out of town and onto the GR10 and refused all attempts to be parted from us for over 3 hours. We didn't encourage him at all and were really worried but he definitely knew where he was going and had no ID. Then we met a lady who owned the local gîte d'étape who recognised him and said lots of stray dogs in the area do the same thing with hikers. She tried to lead him back to town on a lead but he escaped and carried on with us so she told us to look out for a lady at the next col who could help – and sure enough we found her and she immediately started calling up friends to see if it was their dog (it wasn't) so she took him in to either return him to his owner if she could find them or to take him back to town and investigate further. He liked her a lot and we were happy that he had someone to look after him – definitely no space in Colin for a huge white dog no matter how friendly! Then there was a tiny frog, many many sweet chestnuts ripe for foraging, a convoy of hunters driving down the track with their bloodhounds and two dead deer in their truck which made me so sad and angry :( steep paths in the sad woods, wind rustling through the trees sending down golden confetti flake leaves as the forest glowed in the late afternoon light, good views of Canigou and rows of mountains fading into the hazy horizon, a perfect red spotty toadstool, conflicting feelings about being almost finished (I can't wait to reach the sea. I don't want the adventures to end), lots of careering down helterskelter hills, many cols and a march along a D road at the end as the light faded and we reached a free camping spot where an owl hooted and all the village dogs howled as we dined.

***

The vital statistics:
Total hiking time: 10h 44
Peak: 1414m
Total ascent: 2025m
Total descent: 1772m

Day 52: Coma d'Anyell to Lac des Bouillouses

Last night the moon emerged from over the mountainside whilst we had our fire and it was so bright it lit the whole valley up like a magic silvery grey negative version of day; another parallel moon world. Today we woke up cosy in our new thermals despite the frost that had formed outside the tent, we set off up the valley all golden in the sunlight, with rocky peaks all around, and a wee murky lake, where vultures circled and rows of mountains stood in line on the horizon back west, reaching the Coll de Coma d'Anyell (2470m) and descending into a totally different landscape — orange grassy marshes, a huge dark grey lake and darker mountains beyond — reaching the bottom where we had lunch and the temperature dropped and up we went climbing a steep slope to the Portella de la Cerava (2426m) past pink granite mounds and the distant yip of marmots, down into yet another valley where the rocks were deep purply black and a plain stretched off into the distance, all golden grass and the deep green of pine trees, thunder clapping in the valley we had left behind and us marching onwards and downwards on pleasant paths past more hidden marmots, my ankle buckling and twisting, the path eventually turning and meeting the huge lac des Bouillouses which we walked along as rain started and turned to hail and the ground quickly saturated and the air filled with the scent of damp pine needles, reaching a huge refuge/hotel and getting a lovely snug room where I bashed my shin on the sharp bedpost (my right leg is now just one big painful bundle of silliness. I complain but its not serious) and we feasted and sheltered whilst the sky cleared and did pretty sunset things.

***

It was too cold and wet to pitch Colin the tent at the end of the day (plus we had entered a national park, so there were limitations about where exactly you can pitch a tent and we wouldn't have been able to have fire), so we checked ourselves into the hotel Bones Hores, a dramatic and historic building with amazing views over the lake. We sipped americanos in the cosy bar and feasted at the restaurant, happy to be inside, our bags and clothes drying off in the cosy warmth.

By the lake, right before the hailstorm

The vital statistics:
Total hiking time: 5h45
Peak: 2468m
Total ascent: 661m
Total descent: 732m

Day 47: Angaka to Andorra (a river valley near Inclès)

Waking up in our cosy yurt, emerging to misty cloud, breakfasting and leaving origami birds for the yurt lady, making good progress on the plateau de Beille where the paths are cross country ski slopes in the winter, mountains of all shapes and sizes peaking out from the sea of clouds below, a raven perched on a post, etorki sarnies for first lunch, clambering over bouldery paths, up golden sandy coloured grass banks that were dotted with the red autumn foliage of myrtille bushes, heading up and along a crête that gave amazing views either side of jagged teethlike ridges and lakes and their wiggly inlets impossibly far below, choughs squawking as they flew by, vertigo related panicking from me when the path did stupid things and much reassurance from Gavin, heading down to the refuge de Ruhle where the cloudsea tide came in fully overhead shutting off all views, second lunch cooked by the sleepy gardien who had been napping -omelettes, mmm! - then out into the mist for a wee diversion off the GR10 to Andorra, passing two lakes but seeing nothing but cloud until we peaked over the Port to Andorra where a marmot yipped but stayed hidden and the sun shone down on a beautiful valley where the tent is pitched, a fire is lit and the sky glowed pink as it disappeared…
 

***

Our golden Andorran valley

Before heading into Andorra we popped into the Refuge de Ruhle for a late lunch. We managed to procure some very tasty omelettes and wine once the gardien had woken up from his nap! At this point we were still uncertain about whether to bivouac near the refuge or press on to Andorra, but our decision was confirmed when the gardien told us that there was a snow warning in place for places over 2100m – which included the refuge itself. We could see from the map that it would be possible to descend much lower to wild camp in Andorra, and that's what we did. It was a very windy night, but no signs of snow whatsoever – and we kept ourselves warm in the evening with a wee campfire. If weather conditions are better and you're not interested in diverting off the GR10, it is possible to bivouac near the refuge.

The Vital Statistics:
Total hiking time: 8h45
Peak: 2400m
Total ascent: 1095m
Total descent: 880m

Day 43: Aulus-les-bains to l'Etang de Bassiès

A slow start drying off our kit after a rainy rest day and night, eating our usual entire cake for breakfast, heavy bags full of supplies, heading out of town on a road where a huge furry caterpillar wiggled, walking up forest paths at a surprisingly reasonable gradient, arriving a col where a berger herded his sheep whilst we picnic-ed, a man carrying a tiny lamb in his arms, a huge green cricket, views of tree-covered mountains showing just a tinge of autumnal colours, a rowan tree covered in bright red berries, walking up long pleasant zig zags to another col where we could briefly see amazing views east and west before the cloud closed in, carrying on up to a port where the path got rocky and steep, going down to a misty lake and bright orangy red marshy grasslands and boulders that made for clumsy walking, and over to another epic valley that sat just below the cloud full of lakes, wiggly streams and mules who greeted us as we walked to the refuge, setting up Colin the tent in the long grass and Gavin cooking a delicious meal out in the mizzly cloud while I got cosy. 

***

We popped into the Refuge Bassiès which is near the lake and bought some wine - we sipped some inside and took the rest away in a spare plastic bottle. Most refuges are perfectly happy to sell hikers wine in this way - it can be nice to sip a little tipple with a camping-stove-cooked meal, especially when the weather is awful like it was on this evening. There was a bivouac area right next to the refuge but you had to pay so we opted to wander along a bit and find our own spot. This whole valley was incredibly beautiful - especially with its early autumn coat on and the atmospheric mist as we descended from up high.

The vital statistics:
Total hiking time: 6h54
Peak: 1920m
Total ascent: 1301m
Total descent: 393m

Day 38: Cabane de Luzurs to Ruisseau d'Artigue

Waking up early in our cosy cabin to the sound of ravens cawing as the sky glowed orange in the east, walking to another unmanned cabin for lunch, meeting a friendly berger and his two exuberant dogs, heading down a very steep and overgrown path through the woods where the moss grew thick and coated all the tree branches like too much tinsel on a Christmas tree, a steep new track being dug out by diggers, rejoining the GR10 proper, another long foresty path along a river, playing with pebbles, spindly mushrooms popping up everywhere, a red squirrel, waterfalls galore on sheer rock walls, tired achy bodies, emerging to grassy plains, amazing mountain views and a river to bathe in, planting our tent on a bed of happy yellow tormentil flowers and scoffing an early dinner. It's half 7 and I'm waiting for it to get dark so I can sleeeeep

***

The vital statistics:
Total time hiking: 7h37
Peak: 1605m
Total ascent: 641m
Total descent: 968m

Day 36: L'etang d'Araing to Sentein

Waking up early for a refuge brekkie, lazing in the tent whilst the sun evaporated the raindrops, heading down the valley past a dam built in 1935, turning off the GR10 to take a local footpath through the vallée des Biros down to a village for supplies, jaggedy mountains glowing in the mountain sun, mounds of tiny mushrooms, foresty paths zig zagging down gently to a river as the sunlight glowed green all around, emerging onto a road where all the butterflies were dancing like crazy round buddleia bushes and pink flowers, arriving in Sentein (another deserted village) to find a shop selling all we need and an empty campsite all to ourselves to while away the afternoon hours watching the sun disappear behind the mountains as the dandelions glowed and the spiderwebs shone...

***

We decided to turn off the GR10 at this point so that we could buy some much-needed supplies. The path down through the vallée des Biros was a beautiful diversion – cool, sunlit forest with well signposted paths, emerging into a valley that was full of butterflies fluttering in the hot sunshine.

 
There is a small epicerie in Sentein https://balacet.wordpress.com/2015/06/11/lepicerie-a-sentein/ which has everything you could need for hiking supplies. We bought a huge amount of food there!
 
The campsite in Sentein http://www.ariege-pyrenees-tourism.co.uk/camping-municipal-la-grange/sentein/tabid/22679/offreid/e05654d9-4292-4611-8593-fdf10428f046/more-information.aspx had already closed for the season when we got there, or rather, as the lady in the shop said, it was “closed, but not closed” – meaning that the sanitaires were open (hot water not guaranteed!) and we could pitch our tent if we wanted. We would have happily paid – it was peaceful, clean and worth the very nominal fee they were asking (about 3 euros according to the sign) – but there was nobody there whatsoever.
 
The vital statistics:
Total time hiking: 3h54
Peak: 1924m
Total Ascent: 13m
Total descent: 1144m

Day 35: Melles to l'Etang d'Araing

 

Waking up to rain, the sun coming out as we walked along a long and winding road, a screeching woodpecker, a creepy doll perched on the garden wall of the only house we'd seen for miles, tough steep forest paths, buttery noooodles for lunch by a waterfall, the biggest frog we've seen in a while, emerging from the forest to rewarding views due west back where we've been, the landscape changing to high mountain plateaus of golden grass and boggy marshes, vultures overhead, 4 isards/deer leaping about down below, a kestrel hovering about, finally cresting a col and heading down to a lakeside refuge for a 3 course feast with friendly fellow ramblers before pitching our tent.

***

Beautiful views on the path up to the Etang d'Araing

After realising that we couldn’t restock or find anywhere to stay in Fos the previous day we were a bit worried about supplies running out and where we would camp. I called up the refuge http://www.refuge-araing.fr/ at the Etang d’Araing because I had heard that some refuges in the Arriege area will sell hikers supplies. The gardien said that as it was nearing the end of the season, he couldn’t sell us supplies but that we were welcome to eat there. So we booked ourselves in for dinner and breakfast and also ordered a sandwich for the next day. Up to this point we had only eaten in refuges for lunch when you can usually just turn up and buy omelettes and sandwiches. Evening meals are a bit different – you have to reserve and you don’t get a choice of what you eat as one meal is prepared for everybody that is staying. It is even more imperative to call ahead if you are veggie as this will involve them preparing a separate dish. The meal at the refuge Araing was really tasty – 3 courses including veggie soup, an omelette and ratatouille and homemade mint chocolate cake. It was an interesting experience to eat dinner at the refuge as it meant we met other hikers that were staying there and to got to hear about their adventures. It was very convivial with everybody sitting around one table and serving each other the food. We got top tips from hikers coming in the other direction about potential resupply sources and must-see places. And then afterwards we got to wander back out under the stars to our tent for a peaceful nights sleep by a beautiful blue lake.

Altogether dinner, breakfast and lunch and showers for two people came to just over 60 euros (pitching the tent outside the refuge was free) so it wasn’t cheap but it was a bit of a change from our usual cooking routine and the gardien gave us some useful advice about where we were going next… 

The vital statistics:
Total time hiking: 6h32
Peak: 2185m
Total ascent: 1477m
Total descent: 257m

Day 33: Bagnères-de-Luchon to a forest just past the cabane d'Artigue

Eating brekkie in the sunshine, strolling along a river watching gliders get launched by tiny planes at an airfield, the steep uphill starting and lasting for hours (ascending 1998m overall and descending 1288m = a tough day for breaking in new boots), pretty villages, butterflies, an entire loaf of bread's worth of cheese sarnies for lunch, tired legs as the hills carried on going up, kamikaze crickets and grasshoppers constantly diving under our feet, views over Spain and epic mountains all around, our 4th snake slithering away, some peaks on the Spanish border and confusing balissage, a herd of tinkling goats, silent gliders overhead, finally heading downhill (ouch!), an isard leaping about on a sheer rockface, two friendly Collies - one got Gavin to throw him a stick, foresty paths and finally some flat ground to pitch our tent. We ate 3 twix, 2 lion bars and 2 snickers as snacks today and still managed to devour a huge serving of noodles for dinner - hiking is hungry work!  

***

Views of Spain

The vital statistics: 
Total hiking time: 10h06 
Peak: 2174m 
Total ascent: 1998m 
Total descent: 1288m

Day 30: Granges d'Astau to Lac Saussat

 

Saying goodbye to the PJs after breakfast (they're off back to civilization, warmth and sanity!), the sunshine reappearing less than half an hour after they had gone, heading up a nice track, catching my right shoe on a sharp edge and the whole thing ripping open, bursting into tears (we're two days walk from the next town!) then finding the whole thing hilarious, the nice refuge lady wrapping my foot in duct tape after we devoured delicious omelettes, a glorious waterfall cascading into the lac d'oô, a beer at the refuge de lac espingo, setting up our tent at the lac d'astau where another waterfall cascades, the cloud sinking down as we lit an awesome fire that warmed us right through as we ate enough spicy noodles for 4 people!

Close-up of that ripped open useless boot!

***

If you're hiking this section and wondering which of the refuges to visit, I can highly recommend the Refuge d'Oô, situated by the Lac d'Oô. They were super friendly, made amazing omelettes and the view of the turquoise blue lake is incredible. The lady who served us was so kind and sympathetic when I showed her my ripped open boot. She found some duct tape and lovingly wrapped my foot up, like a nurse tending to a distressed patient. 

The refuge further up that was closer to where we stayed gave us a much frostier reception - literally and figuratively. It was freezing inside and the gardien was not the friendliest, even when we were happily spending money there....
 
The vital statistics: 
Total hiking time: 5h 
Peak: 1959m 
Total ascent: 860m 
Total descent: 119m

Day 26: Pountou to Lac d'Orédon

Waking up triumphant after having survived the storm, myrtille cake for brekkie, misty pale green landscapes with pine forests and purple heather galore all edged with cloud wisps, walking along a river past golden plains, getting slightly "diverted", clambering up and over rocky paths to the Col de Madamète (2509m), teeny tiny frogs hopping about underfoot, passing many blue lakes one of which we clambered around on a questionable bouldery path, encountering a host of grumpy goats that might have been sheep (surprisingly hard to tell the difference sometimes! sipping emergency cuppa soups, eating a very late lunch at 6pm, negotiating wine supplies at a refuge, and setting up camp by a misty lake that looks like the end of the world...

 ***

We pitched our tents at this aire de Bivouac – it was free, with epic views of the lake and there was free access to a toilet block (no showers tho)

The vital statistics: 
Total hiking time:8h30 
Peak: 2511m 
Total ascent: 831m 
Total descent: 723m

Day 25: Luz-St-Saveur to Pountou

Setting back out on our rambles after an excellent wedding weekend diversion, feeling the weight of restocking our bags and complaining about it a LOT(!), visiting a 12th century castle, noticing the leaves have started to turn yellow, steep paths, pretty villages, a blue butterfly trying to hitch a ride, the tiniest chapel I've ever seen perched atop a hill, following an art trail with panels of info teaching you how to sketch trees and mountains and flowers, meeting up with Nick and Katie in Barèges (the Pyrénées Hiking Society will be hiking with the full contingent for the next week!), setting off towards the Col du Tourmalet, turning up a valley along a river where a marmot welcomed us back to the mountains and setting up camp just in time for a huge thunderstorm to roll in, cooking fajitas in the most ridiculous conditions ever achieved – in the porch of our tent as the storm thundered and battered the tent! 

 
The vital statistics:
Total hiking time: 6h38
Peak: 1728m
Total ascent: 1398m
Total descent: 401m

Day 22: Lac de Gaube to La Cabane de Lourdes

Waking up to blue skies and epic views of Vignemale, climbing up the valley past two majestic isards - one chewing the leaves off a tree, the other bounding over rocks -, arriving at the Refuge des Oulettes de Gaube just in time to admire the north face of Vignemale and its glaciers before it was shrouded in the cloud that had followed us up the valley, chocolate brownies and coffee, marmots appearing everywhere all day long as if to show us the path - their little faces peeking out over rocks, their fluffy tails bounding behind them as they leapt about, their calls yip yip yipping out over the valley -, climbing rocky paths up into the cloud to the highest (and so far the coldest) part of the GR10, the Hourquette d'Ossoue (2734m) where we met anotheR British couple who took our photo and had pick axes and crampons for climbing up Vignemale tomorrow, scoffing cheese sarnies in the highest refuge in the Pyrenees and descending down steep, rocky paths, past a colony of mountain mice weaving in and out of their burrows, into a long gloomy valley which had a thick ceiling of cloud and many more marmots, over a dam and up again to a cloudy cold mountain side where we're huddling in our tent by a river hoping for sunshine...

***

The vital statistics:
Total hiking time: 9h05
Peak: 2736m
Total ascent: 1171m
Total descent: 1012m

Day 21: Cauterets to the Lac de Gaube.

Listening to thunder roll around the valleys through the night, celebrating one year since we got married by eating all the pastries in the bakery, hiking up out of Cauterets along cascading waterfalls on the rocky forest path to the Pont d'Espagne, dipping in and out of the cloud, a crazy big yellow and black salamander crawling along the path, arriving at the Lac Gaube in time to catch the last warm rays of sunshine over the mountain side making it glow deep turquoise, sipping wine and admiring the view, setting up camp by the river and watching a dipper do its dippy dance over pebbles on the opposite bank as the evening sky clears and Vignemale looms in the distance... 

***

There is another GR10 variant out of Cauterets that takes you to Luz-Saint-Saveur in one day rather than 2 or 3, but we had decided from the very beginning that we wanted to take the longer route past Vignemale and Gavarnie and it was worth every single moment of the extra time it took. 

The vital statistics:
Total time hiking: 5h24
Peak: 1729m
Total ascent: 951m
Total descent: 164m

Day 18: Gourette to La Vallée d’Estaing

Breakfast feasting and pointless post office faffing at Gourette, buying the only shorts that fit in the shop - mens swimming trunk shorts (surprisingly comfy and snazzy), up and over a col out of ski station trauma, stupid paths thru farmland and unscenic lanes, walking along roads (boo!) but going through awesome cavelike tunnels (yay!), realising the cheese we bought was well past its sell by date and rather stinky, the pretty town of Arrens-Marsous, late afternoon sunshine making the mountains glow, camping by a gîte on a farm where bunnies hop about, the cows moo like banshees, a friendly cat snuggles up to me and an owl hoots as the stars come out to light up the valley...


The gîte d’étape, Les Viellettes http://www.gitelesviellettes.com/location-gite-etape-viellettes.php was very friendly and a great place to bivouac.

The Vital Statistics:
Total time hiking: 8h35
Peak: 1830m
Total ascent: 1203m
Total descent: 1538m

Day 17: Soussouéou to Gourette

Lingering in our beautiful valley in the morning sun, a kingfisher whizzing past whilst we sipped our coffee, a giant hawk moth drinking crocus nectar, flurries of blue butterflies, a mean looking snake skulking into the bushes, loud red crickets clattering around, hot sunshine and blue skies, lots of climbing, refreshing waterfalls, a patch of snow/glacier, the Pic du Midi d'Ossau peeking out behind us, pink granite mountains ahead, more marmots right before the last climb up the rocky path to the Hourquette d'Arre, our highest col so far (2465m), so many flowers growing in the rocks, thick cloud on the way down past the turquoise Lac d'Anglas on painfully rocky paths with hungry tummies, arriving in another ugly ski station but finding refuge in a yummy crêperie and a hotel. Time to get properly clean again...

 

***

I have never seen so many butterflies dancing together in the sunshine as I saw that morning as we climbed up and out the valley of Soussouéou. .

magic fluttery swarms of delicate blue butterfflies

Heading down from remote places like this into another bleak ski station makes for a weird stilting clash of nature and civilization. No question which one we prefer....
 
That being said, the hotel we stayed at in Gourette, Le Glacier was super friendly, very cosy and did an outstanding breakfast.

The vital statistics:
Total time hiking: 6h05
Peak: 2444m
Total ascent: 1060m
Total descent: 1126m

Day 16: Lac Roumassot to la Plaine du Soussouéou

A chilly night by the lake, waking up to perfect lake reflections, so many cows with bells grazing that it sounded like churchbells ringing out over the mountains, forest paths down to the lac de Bious Artigous, coffee and route plotting, watching helicopters fly in to deliver supplies to the high up refuges, a tasty lunch but no room at the inn in Gabas, more forest paths so steep and mossy it was like climbing a giant green staircase thru the trees, a friendly robin, diverting off the GR10 to the Plaine de Soussouéou to camp, emerging out of the forest to realise its a golden paradise valley seated high up in the clouds, a kestrel hovering over as we pitched our tent amidst a carpet of purple crocuses next to the river, a boisterous fire and a brebis feast.

The Vital Statistics:
Total time hiking: 8h55
Peak: 2164m
Total ascent: 1675m
Total descent: 504m  

Day 15: Borce (vallée d'aspe) to Lac Roumassot

Restocking our supplies at the gîte shop, climbing up along the dramatic Chemin de la Mâture, steep forest paths and waterfalls, a cloudy valley, brebis sarnies, marmots leaping about everywhere, a stoat bounding over the rocks, wheatears fluttering around, birds of prey appearing elusively in the mist, sunshine breaking thru the cloud to light up the valley below, a close encounter with an over-friendly pony that tried to eat my pants at the Col d'Ayous, the Pic de Midi d'Ossau looking unreal as it floated in the clouds above us as we descended to the lac d'ayous, a grazed knee, restorative wine at the refuge then wild camping in the clouds by the lac Roumassot with a jolly good fire to keep us warm...

Oh tell me why, do we build castles in the sky...

The Vital Statistics:

Total hiking time: 8h55

Peak: 2164m

Total ascent: 1675m

Total descent: 504m

Day 14: Valley above the bois du Braca d'Azuns to Borce via Lescun

Waking up in a sunfilled paradise valley, washing in a freezing mountain stream, wandering down through peaceful woods, kids getting donkey rides (I wanted one), coffees and epic views at a refuge, battling through sticky mud patches, emerging into sunny meadows, a giant cicada, cheese and chips & crème brulée & rosé in the quirky town of Lescun (good bunting and arty signs everywhere) up over the col de Barracq through woods and past angry patou dogs defending their flock of sheep, all the way down to Borce where we've pitched our tent at an awesome gîte where there is a veggie falafel van and much real ale for Gavin and an owl hooting us to sleep.

 ***

The Refuge de l’Abérouat were more than happy to serve us huge bowls of coffee mid-morning. We sat and sipped them in the hot sun, marvelling at the incredible views of rocky mountains that could be seen from the terrace.

We managed to find an excellent vegetarian lunch at a very friendly restaurant in Lescun (the name of which completely escapes me now), despite there being nothing advertised on the menu. It’s always worth asking restaurants if they can prepare an “assiette vegetarian”, even in tiny villages. The usual response is a dramatic gasp, a series of “ooh la la!” exclamations, a look of horror and then a perfectly lovely sounding suggestion. Make sure to emphasize that vegetarian does not mean you eat fish, or indeed ham.

The gîte d’étape in Borce, Le Communal has gone down in legend in our cross-pyrennean hike. The staff were really friendly, they charged us just 2 euros to bivouac in their back garden, the bar featured an extensive range of beers and ales, the shop had a huge amount of useful supplies and was open the whole time the bar was so you could turn up late/early and still get food. The best bit was the Falafel van that was parked outside – it was, quite simply, one of the best veggie meals we ate for the whole two months. The guy even had a vegan burger on the menu! We had one of those and some falafel, with tasty potatoes chips drizzled in his homemade garlic mayo and it was seriously delicious. All made with local, homegrown produce and served with a smile. He was there for one month this year (2015) - if you’re luckily enough to catch the Falafelo man in his falafel van in the future, consider yourself a lucky hiker indeed...

The vital statistics:
Total hiking time:9h39
Peak: 1611m
Total ascent: 1909m
Total descent: 1806m
 

Day 13: Saint Engrâce to a valley after the Pas d'Azuns.

Gaining 1km of altitude before lunch through steep green forests and bleak farm trails, flocks of friendly wheatears and black redstarts fluttering about, 2 pigs atop the mountain, the grey grey stones of La Pierre Saint Martin in the clouds, tasty omelettes and wine at the refuge Jeandel, remembering there's nowhere bleaker than ski resorts in summer, climbing up into the wilderness where the marmots roam and spying them aplenty (I've been grinning from ear to ear ever since!), blue thistles and yellow and purple flowers sprouting in all the rock cracks, reaching a high of 1922m and scrambling over the pas de l'Osque (scariest bit so far), spying a majestic isard who rewarded us for our bravery, coming down over the pas d'Azuns and setting up camp in the glorious valley below right before the rain came in.

***

 
I had only ever seen one marmot before this, scampering along a mountain path in a valley near the Lac bleu. It was a pretty special moment, as we had seen so many of them on postcards and tacky souvenirs and were starting to wonder if they were avoiding us! After that, I became a teeny tiny bit obsessed with these intriguing creatures and was very much hoping to see them again as we hiked our way across the Pyrénées. I needn’t have worried – we saw hundreds and hundreds of them by the time we were finished (and heard plenty more yipping their alarm signals around deserted valleys).

The Vital Statistics:
Time hiking: 10h
Peak: 1909m
Total ascent: 1730m
Total descent: 810m