Welcome! Click here and subscribe to our RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
Partner joannastravelblog describes a High French Pyrenees hike. The originally proposed hike being the 2509m high Col des Madamettes between the Valees de Bastan and d’Aure. Traveling Europe for the purpose of hiking’s OK provided the weather holds, with the French mountains pretty treacherous at the best of times.
Lac d’Oncet, Hautes-Pyrénées, by chakchouka
The ambitious plan was to start at Lac d’Aubert heading 70 km further east for Bagnères-de-Luchon over several days. Instead, a 9 km descent to Lac de L’Oule was dictated right at journey’s start by the snow conditions! A combination of startled marmots, change to sunshine and overhead circling vultures made the hike both weird and peculiar! And the cheese, sausage and couscous meals with red wine did nothing to help with the advancing heat. Despite some arm sunburn and dodgy knees, the views and succession of small, grey, and neat villages kept the hike worthwhile.
And so it continued, a heady mix of lovely, peculiar and downright unpleasant (food, underfoot conditions, weather…..) Destinations like Val d’Aube, Val d’Esquierry, Couret d’Esquierry, Granges d’Astau and Lac d’Oô came and went, some full of day-hikers, others totally deserted and many breathtaking views were enjoyed. Journey’s end at the ski resort of Superbagnères and a meal with a last grand view completed the hike.
Moral of the story? Not sure if one exists, I guess make the most of what the weather and scenery offers you and be prepared to change the plan, even if it’s the complete plan at the start! Then make sure you live to tell the tale so at least others will not expect a perfect hike and be psychologically prepared for some of their own encounters.
You may also wish to consider our other suggestions for a selection of unusual hikes on your Europe tour.
