Pic de Bitrague circular route

A walk with lovely views over the Quillan cirque.

Details

n°2591596

Creation:
21 Sep 2019

Last update:
14 May 2022

Last review:
14 May 2022

Activity: Walking
Distance: 2.56 mi
Average duration: 2h 10
Difficulty: Moderate
Back to start: Yes
Ascent: + 1,122 ft
Descent: - 1,096 ft
Highest point: 2,116 ft
Lowest point: 1,027 ft

Country: France
Area: Pyrenees
City: Quillan (11500)
Start/End: N 42.874612° / E 2.187164°
IGN map(s): Ref. 2347OT
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Description of the walk

Start from Quillan Castle behind the sign describing the walk. Parking available near the castle.

(S/E) Leave the ‘Trois Quilles’ path on your left and the ‘Balcon de Quillan’ path on your right. Head up the slope of the Pic de Bitrague (south-east). Join a wide track and turn right for about fifty metres.

(1) Pass the first hairpin bend, leave the track and take a path on the left. You’ll come to a junction (bench).

(2) Carry on straight ahead.

(3) Pass the hairpin bend, then make a U-turn to the left onto a slightly steeper path. Reach the Pic de Bitrague.

(4) Enjoy the 360° panoramic view, then turn back. Follow the same path back.

(3) Turn right to return to the bench.

(2) Turn left (opposite the bench) onto a different path from the one you took on the way up, featuring a viewpoint and a large arbutus tree. Join the path you took on the way up at the first hairpin bend.

(1) Follow it back along the same route to the castle and the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

S/E : mi 0 - alt. 1,030 ft - Quillan Castle
1 : mi 0.33 - alt. 1,296 ft - To the left
2 : mi 0.6 - alt. 1,539 ft - Crossroads, bench
3 : mi 0.97 - alt. 1,791 ft - Chicane, left in a U-turn
4 : mi 1.22 - alt. 2,116 ft - Pic de Bitrague
S/E : mi 2.56 - alt. 1,027 ft - Quillan Castle

Notes

Hot in the height of summer.

Worth a visit

Several viewpoints, arbutus trees, and other walks starting from the same point. You can buy the Quillan walking guide at the Tourist Office (~€5).

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5

Based on 3 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5

Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5

Route interest
4.3 / 5

Toukamalou

14 May 2022 at 18:08 7200

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 14, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk, perfect for a ‘warm-up’, as the elevation gain isn’t too great and the path is easy to follow. It’s best to avoid the height of summer, as the low altitude means the heat isn’t much more bearable.
It’s a real treat in spring, with plenty of flowers. Much of the path runs along a cliff edge and offers lovely views.
At the start of the route, to reach the first hairpin bend, you can take the GR path which runs a little further north and is well shaded.
Not very busy in May.

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ksagro1968

25 Apr 2022 at 10:15 7200

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 25, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely view over the Quillan basin, but the climb to Bitraque from the Col Pidoux is quite steep.

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MEURET

18 Nov 2019 at 13:44 3600

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 15, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good