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Pyrenees Hike 3

The Central part with Vignemale, Cirque de Gavarnie and Parque de Néouvielles.

Map Park Notional & Néovielles
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In Cauterets we picked up the GR 10. At Pont d'Espagne we entered the National Park of the (central) Pyrenees, with her famous circus that remember on the stories of Old Shatterhand and Winnetou. Going up along the Gave de Gaube with the many waterfalls, we reached the Hourquette d'Ossoue with the beautiful view at the famous Vignemale (3.298 m). Over the pas we stay at the highest hut of the Pyrenees: Refuge de Baysellance with panoramic view at the tops of the Cirque de Gavarnie.
Through the quiet Vallée d'Ossoue we descent to Gavarnie. (On Hike 4 the first part was the same until this point, then we went to the Spanish side). It's very popular for tourists, but with reason. The impressive Cirque has the highest waterfall of Europe (442 m). The GR 10 trail continued through pastoral and high routes, so we came in to the town Luz-St-Sauveur.
By bus we went to Barèges to visit the Natural Reserve of Néouvielle. It's famous because of the numerous lakes, rare plants and animals. In 3 days we traversed the park. Beautiful camping sites and passes, and few tourists because of the rather bad weather. In the high season it's very crowded because there is a road for cars.
In Bagnères de Luchon I made a flight with a parapente.

Practical route information
By train to Lourdes, then the bus to Cauterets.
Start part 1 (Grande Randonnée 10) > Pont d'Espagne > Refuge de Baysellance > Gavarnie > Luz-St-Sauveur.
Start part 2 in Barèges > Col d'Estoudou > Vielle Aure (end of the walk).
By bus and train to Bagnères de Luchon.
Length 99 km, average height 1.770 m, 9 hiking days.


Copyright ©1998/2001 Jaap van der Veen
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