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(S/E) Departure from Place des Arcades (Tourist Office and Town Hall). Walk around this pretty square and take the D937 towards Lourdes. After 200 metres, at Square du Montagnou on the left, take Rue Desbarrats on the left and then immediately right onto Rue Notre-Dame du Montagnou. The steeply ascending tarmac road quickly gives way to a path that crosses the woods to the hamlet of Poueyté, which you leave on your left. Follow the stony path for about 600 metres.
(1) Take the path that climbs up to the left into the woods. Then cross a large meadow, walk past a barn and continue into the woods again. 50 metres from the barn, on the right-hand side of the path, you will find the ruins of a lime kiln with an information panel. Continue along this path, which becomes a cattle track, until you reach a very wet section.
(2) Below the path, at the Lit fountain, continue around Montagnou de la Lit on the path marked by animal hoofprints and often surrounded by lush vegetation (brambles and ferns). You will come out onto a large clearing where a magnificent oak tree stands facing the Gave de Pau valley and the hamlet of Rieulhès after passing behind another barn. The clearing is bordered by a barbed wire fence. About 10 metres above the oak tree, pass under the fence and follow the contour line (the path through the tall grass may have been traced by previous hikers or speleologists).
(3) About twenty metres away, you can easily spot a large limestone rock that hides the entrance to the Resistance cave (see photos and directions below) to the right of your path through the vegetation. Please note that the position on the IGN map does not correspond to the terrain! Continuing along this very steep and slippery slope (take the usual precautions!), you will discover another larger cave facing south.
(4) La Tute de Faiouias (see photos). Carefully retrace your steps to the fence near the large oak tree, then descend the steep slope along this fence to the gravel path 250 metres below. Follow it to the right and at the next crossroads, where there is a small barn, turn right again onto the tarmac road that descends behind the hamlet of Bataillé to the D937 road to Lourdes. Cross the D937 and take the D151 almost opposite, towards Rieulhès. Cross the bridge over the Gave de Pau, go through the village and, after the church on the left, note the fountain on the right.
(5) Turn right onto the small path that leads to the restored wash house. Cross the stream and continue along this path, which climbs slightly into the woods, running parallel to the Gave de Pau (ignore the two paths that climb to the left). At the next hamlet, continue straight on along the tarmac road of L'Engous. Follow this road as it winds along the riverbed, then climb slightly towards the bed of the Génie Longue stream.
(6) Cross the Devil's Bridge. At the end of the right-hand parapet, a staircase leads down to the stream where you can admire the famous bridge. Follow the Engous path to the crossroads, turn right towards the hamlet of Le Bout du Pont, cross it on the right (passing in front of a restored wash house) and turn right again towards the bridge over the Gave de Pau. On the other bank, turn right onto Allée des Terrasses, leave the road signposted for the stadium and leisure centre on your right and continue for another 50 metres.
(7) Go up a grassy path on the left behind a house (follow route no. 10 marked on the wall of the house). This path is not shown on the IGN map, which is a shame as it leads to a superb wash house and fountain near the Labatmale stream (see photos).
(8) At the next crossroads, cross over and take the narrow lane towards the post office. Turn right onto Rue des Clautiers, then left onto Rue Jacques Bronson until you reach the magnificent church of Saint-Pé-de-Bigorre. Walk along the right-hand side until you reach Place des Arcades (S/E).
Visorando member
Tourist office
Easy 
Very difficult 
