Beginner Dirigée De Luchon

Leaving Bossòst, the route slips onto a quiet forest path that climbs gently through beech and fir. Shade, soft ground and the sound of small streams set an easy rhythm. The ascent is unhurried, and as the trees thin out, the mountains begin to show themselves between the branches.

Higher up, the forest opens into wide grassy slopes. The path becomes a clear track across high pastures, bright and open, with space to breathe. Views stretch toward the ridges near Còlh de Barèja and across the rounded plateau of Campsaure, giving this section a light, expansive feel.

After the meadows, the trail drops back into forest on the French side of the ridge. The mood turns cooler and quieter, with mossy stones and deep shade. Then, almost suddenly, the trees part and the glacial valley of the Hospice de France opens up. A short, easy approach leads to the refuge, set on green terraces beneath steep mountain walls.

Leaving Hospice de France, the trail starts gently across open grassy slopes, with wide views into the valley below. It is an easy beginning, a chance to find your rhythm before the climb really kicks in. Soon the path steepens into a long line of solid zigzags, lifting you steadily up the mountainside as the views stretch wider with every turn.

Higher up, the walk turns fully alpine. Grass disappears, replaced by rock, gravel and scattered blocks. The path winds through open, exposed terrain, with sharp ridges above and deep valleys dropping away below. It feels raw and spacious here, the kind of landscape where the effort fades into the background.

Near the top the ground flattens into a high, stony plateau. Silence, space and altitude dominate. Then, almost suddenly, the lakes appear. The deep blue Boum de Vénasque lies far below, with smaller tarns stepping up the slope. A short final stretch leads to the Refuge de Vénasque, set high above the water and surrounded by steep, commanding peaks.