stays higher and is rougher than the GR10, but there is actually more climb on the GR10. Unless you are an experienced mountaineer you should prefer the GR10 or GR11 to the HRP.
This guide covers the GR10, which remains in France and stays north of the watershed. Well waymarked and following good mountain paths, it is the easiest of the three routes. Although much time is spent climbing up and down steep forested ridges, time is spent above the treeline on every stage. You are able to camp throughout, but it is not a necessity due to the frequent visits to towns and villages and a network of hostel-style accommodation in gîtes d’étape or refuges.
The HRP, which passes through France, Spain and Andorra, is not so much a walk as a mountaineering expedition. The route is not waymarked, except where it coincides with other routes, and you must expect to get lost! There is a lot of very rough terrain, including some very steep, possibly dangerous descents. Visits to towns and villages are infrequent so resupply is difficult and you will have to camp much of the time. You will spend a lot of time on high mountain ridges with serious risk of thunderstorms and even fresh snow. The HRP is particularly demanding in bad weather or in early summer when snow could mean serious winter mountaineering skills are required. The HRP is a daunting route for the inexperienced but is a magnificent expedition for those with the right experience.
The GR11 is a well waymarked mountain path, which passes through Spain and Andorra. Like the HRP, it crosses many high mountain passes where there are boulderfields, scree and some easy scrambling at about the maximum difficulty the inexperienced would want when carrying a heavy rucksack. Thunderstorms are less of a problem than on the HRP as you don’t spend long periods on high ridges. Frequent visits to towns and villages mean that resupply isn’t much of a problem. Those who prefer not to camp or bivouac will find that a few of the stages are rather long and that some alternative routes will need to be taken.
Wildlife
The Pyrenees is a Mecca for the bird-watcher. With the mountain range forming a big barrier to migrating birds, in the spring and autumn they are funnelled along the Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines and through the lower passes. The casual birdwatcher will be most impressed with the large number of birds of prey.
The massive Griffon vulture, with a wing-span of about 2.5m, will frequently be seen soaring on the high ridges, while the smaller Egyptian vulture, which is distinctively coloured with a white body, black and white wings, is also likely to be seen. Arguably, the most beautiful bird you will see is the red kite with its deeply forked tail. You can also expect to see black kites, buzzards and honey buzzards, as well as smaller birds of prey such as the kestrel, peregrine falcon, sparrowhawk and rarer birds such as the black-shouldered kite, the goshawk and even a migrating osprey.
One species, which seems to be thriving, is the Alpine chough, seen in large flocks. This member of the crow family is all black except for a yellow bill and red legs. Wheatear and black redstart are common and rarer small birds to look out for are the wallcreeper, crossbill, crested tit, red-backed shrike, bullfinch and Alpine accentor.
A Patou sheep dog guarding a flock of sheep
The density of cattle, sheep and goats on the French side of the Pyrenees is high. You will often see Patou (Pyrenean mountain dogs) guarding unaccompanied flocks of sheep. These large white sheep dogs have been used for hundreds of years by shepherds. Patou are generally well trained and won’t normally be aggressive as long as you stay calm and steer clear of the flocks.
This concentration of livestock means that other mammals are rarer than they used to be. You will have sightings of chamois (isard/izard), which was hunted to near extinction but is now recovering well. Other mammals you will see include marmot, several species of deer, fox, red squirrel and the reintroduced mouflon. (There are also badgers and wild boar but these are less likely to be seen.) The most notable of these are the marmots, which are large ground squirrels that live in burrows. You will certainly know when they are present when you hear their alarm signals, a loud whistle, that sends them scurrying back into their burrows.
Brown bears have been reintroduced to the Ariège, but it is extremely unlikely that you will see one and if you do it will almost certainly be running away from you! There is only one recorded incident of a bear attacking a human since they were reintroduced when one ‘attacked’ a hunter, who immediately shot it! Presumably, this was just another case of history being written by the winner!
You are likely to see many reptiles and amphibians including several species of snake, lizard, toad, frog and the dramatic fire salamander.
Clockwise from top left: great white Arum lily; Great yellow gentian; Sedum arachnoideum; Pasque; Musk mallow
The weather and when to go
Pic de la Mede seen from the descent from Col d’Auéran (Stage 29)
The hills of the Basque Country and Navarre have a reputation for mist and spells of gentle rain, but temperatures approaching 40°C are not unknown. In the High Pyrenees and the Ariège you are to the north of the watershed and with the prevailing wind coming from the northwest, it is not uncommon to get damp, cloudy weather. If you are lucky there will be long spells of warm sunny weather.
These are high mountains and can be subject to terrific thunderstorms. Thunderstorms in high mountains are usually thought of as being an afternoon phenomenon, but in the Pyrenees the storms are often slow to build up and can arrive in the evening or even in the middle of the night. As the Mediterranean is approached the weather will tend to be sunnier and drier, but you must still be prepared for rain. Summer snowfall is unusual, but snow has fallen as low as 1500m on the GR10 in August.
Snow conditions vary tremendously from year to year. Unless you have confirmed it is a low snow year, the inexperienced would be advised to wait for late June or July before setting off from Hendaye. The berger (herdsman) at the Cabane de la Subera advises that you should not attempt the GR10 in the Ariège until mid July in an average snow year.
The best months to walk the GR10 are July, August and September, but if you are only intending to walk sections of the GR10 in the Basque Country, you may prefer May, June or October when the weather will be cooler. You should be aware that the main holiday season is July and August and that some facilities, especially in ski resorts, are only open during those two months.
See Appendix C for a list of weather related websites to visit for forecasts, weather warnings and advice.
Getting there and back
Access to the GR10 will be by car, coach, train or plane. Useful websites are given in Appendix C.
Car
You could drive down through France or take the car ferry from Portsmouth or Plymouth to Bilbao or Santander in northern Spain. It will be much safer to leave your car in the mountains and then take the train to Hendaye to start your walk rather than leave your car unattended for long periods in popular seaside resorts.
Coach
It is possible to reach the Pyrenees by overnight coach from London (Victoria Coach Station). National Express run links to London and then FlixBus run coaches throughout Europe. The most convenient destination for those walking the GR10 is Irún (in Spain). FlixBus also operate services to Bayonne, Orthez, Pau, Tarbes, Saint-Gaudens, Toulouse and Perpignan.
Rail
