RANDON | Tour of the Pic du Midi in Ossau by the lakes of Ayous

TO THE ICP OF THE MIDI-DISSAU BY THE LAKES DAYOUS (BOUCLE): ESSENTIAL INFOS

→ DISTANCE 22kms.
→ DURATION 10:30 (without breaks).
→ DENIVED : +1.532 m
→ DEPARTURE POINT : Lake of Bious-Artigues in the Atlantic Pyrenees, 1.416m above sea level. The lake is accessible by free shuttles from Laruns in summer.
→ DIRECTED POINT : Lake of Bious-Artigues in the Atlantic Pyrenees, 1.416m above sea level.
→ ROAD ACCESSES : Accessible by car from Pau following road D934 to Laruns, then the D231 which leads to the parking lot of Lake Bious-Artigues. If you come from Bordeaux, take the A63 towards Bayonne, then the A64 until Pau. Here, like Lourdes, a bus and regional train service is available to Laruns.
→ SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS None in the absence of snow and in good weather. It is a hike which requires a good physical condition but which is far from being insurmountable by taking its time, especially since very comfortable shelters along the route. In winter, learn more about snow conditions and avalanche risk (high in this area) prior to departure by consulting the Weather France mountain and avalanche bulletin.

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TO THE ICP OF THE MIDI-DISSAU BY THE LAKES DAYOUS: DESCRIPTION OF THE ITINERARY

> Departure of the hike from the parking lot of Lake Bious-Artigues:

The bus takes us to the big lake of Bious-Artigues, our starting point. We are at the gates of the Pyrenees National Park! Light trail shoes on the feet, 25l bags on the back. On us: a short, a t-shirt. Simple and efficient: you don't feel like you're leaving for 3 days of adventures between lakes and peaks! And yet. As you lift your head you will discover the mythical peak of the Midi d的Ossau. With its two characteristic tips, this ancient volcano is impressive. We can't wait to discover it in all its seams, as well as the famous lakes of Ayous. We're ready for this hike. We pull out our phone and start Route who will guide us through the mountains. « The Grand Tour of the Ossau by the lakes of Ayous »Here we go!

> 1st stage of the hike around the Pic d'Ossau: from the Lake of Bious-Artigues to the lakes of Ayous and the refuge of Ayous.

This first stage of the hike towards the refuge of Ayous is soft and accessible to as many people as possible. 6kms and 2h30 of walking: combined with the beauty of the lakes of Ayous, one understands its attendance in summer! The route moves slowly between forests and bucolic valleys. Gradually the trail rises and makes discover a first lake: the Roumassot lake, the first of the 6 lakes of Ayous. Already, the view of the Pic du Midi d-Ossau is very beautiful.

Higher, red peaks point to the horizon. This is where we are headed: they are used to describe the famous refuge of Ayous, a refuge renowned for offering one of the most beautiful views of the Pyrenees! Indeed, its position overlooking Lake Gentau (the most famous of the 6 lakes of Ayous) makes it an idyllic lookout on the Pic du Midi in Ossau. We accelerate the pace and quickly reach our cozy nest one night, perched in the mountains. Local beer to celebrate this first stage!

The burning lights of the sunset glide on the Pic d-Ossau. The horses in freedom sail peacefully along Lake Gentau. Everything goes in silence. We are as absorbed by this painting made in Pyrenees. It's amazing as in these moments our senses are multiplied, in perfect awakening. That's probably what we call « live the present moment »... After a friendly meal shared around large tables and meeting other mountain enthusiasts, we reach the dorm. Tomorrow, start at dawn!

> 2nd stage of the hike around the Pic d'Ossau: from the refuge d'Ayous to the refuge of Pombie.

The next day, while the night still reigns, we observe the first rays pointing behind the Pic du Midi d-Ossau. Today's stage will be a little longer: 13kms to the programme. We have to leave the lakes of Ayous to reach the Pombie refuge, just over 2,000m above sea level. The route is surprisingly beautiful: lakes, pastures, forests, aerial passes, calcareous environments... It's amazing how landscapes can vary with altitude!

The last pass is a victory: from the top you can see the new place you will spend the night in. Anchored on the edge of a lake, Pombie's picturesque refuge is the preferred base camp for those who want to compete with the intimidating Pic d'Ossau. It is definitely seen in all these aspects along this route! Spending a new night in such a setting is a joy. We again enjoy a night getaway and immortalize this painting under an infinite number of stars.

> 3rd stage of the hike around the Pic-d-Ossau: from the Pombie refuge to the Lake of Bious-Artigues (the loop is closed!).

That's it, it's the last day of this famous hike known as one of the most beautiful in the Pyrenees. We thus leave the Pombie refuge for the small ascent of a last pass, then a gentle descent closes the loop. The clouds have replaced the sun and a hot wind is felt. The Pyrenean air that we feel in full shape makes us happy to have taken our windbreakers! Up »Here, they weren't feeling in our bags, yet now it's crazy as they isolate us with icy air. Always predict all the weather during hiking. We can fully enjoy these last kms. We admire the last face we missed from the Pic d'Ossau! In 2 hours the itinerary takes us back to the Bious-Artigues car park on which the shuttle had deposited us two days earlier. It's the end of this hike!

Tour of the Pic du Midi in Ossau by the lakes of Ayous, the recap. One of the most beautiful hikes in the Pyrenees?

We both have the same feeling: it was amazing! The diversity of landscapes, the intensity of the mountain, the 3 days of walking, the beauty of nature in which one had the chance to evolve, the warmth and simplicity of the refuges... We are happy, already nostalgic, and proud to have explored this new route! Sometimes you don't have to go far to be surprised by adventures... The Pyrenees and hiking in general know how to offer remarkable sensations. This tour of the Pic du Midi d We can confirm that! This loop is an exceptional course that will make you discover great landscapes.

→ Focus: the equipment on board for these 3 days of cycling around the Ossau :
This 3-day micro-adventure in the Pyrenees National Park was the occasion for us to test for the first time the range hiking of the brand Rossignol Hey! We had never had the opportunity to try their equipment before and we must say that we were pleasantly surprised. What we preferred: the practical, compact and lightweight bag; the ultra-light technical windbreaker that slips everywhere; Trail-like shoes that you don't feel at the feet and yet have a great grip on all types of terrain! Thanks to the nights in refuge and these facilities, we were able to leave with only 25l bags for this hike. Here is the list of our equipment:

• Escaper bag Tower 25l
• Active Outdoor Shoes (light, trail type)
• Light insulating jacket (180g)
• Two Technical t-shirts each (including one polo for Maxime)
• Sweatshirt for evenings in refuge (and Here for Maxime)
• Technical legging
• Technical pants
• Short
• Water pocket 1.5l
• Caps + glasses + sunscreen
• Silk sheet for nights in refuge

Useful links to prepare the hike:

→ Find out more about weather conditions: Blue weather.
→ Information on road access conditions: InfoRoute64.
→ Learn about snow conditions and the risk of avalanches: Snow bulletin Weather-France.
If in doubt, contact the HMP (Police and Mount Mounted Police), they are the best informed about mountain conditions.
→ The official website of the Ayous Refuge.
→ The official website of the Pombie Refuge.
→ The mountain rescue number: first call the 112 To give the alarm, you will be put in contact with the mountain rescue unit. Also valid for the Spanish side.

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