The Pic des Trois Seigneurs loop

Date of your route : Sep 07, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A really lovely circular walk, starting from Lac d’Arbu. Thankfully, the signposting is clear – you really need it before the summit; amongst all those boulders, it would be all too easy to take the wrong route
The return via the ridges is very pleasant; thankfully, the very steep descent down to the car park is the last one… my legs have had enough
A very demanding but magnificent hike

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Date of your route : Sep 14, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Stunning views! A varied route.

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Date of your route : Aug 31, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The panoramic view is truly incredible and well worth the effort. The section leading up to the Pic du Seigneur is the part that might prove a little tricky, as you do need to use your hands to climb certain sections, but it’s still entirely manageable and the view is a wonderful reward throughout the ascent. I would, however, recommend doing it in the opposite direction to that suggested by Visiorando (which is what we did, following advice from other websites). This hike was voted the most beautiful we’ve ever done. We saw loads of vultures .

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Date of your route : Aug 30, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful and wild hike, with lovely views from almost every point along the route. We spotted a bearded vulture.
Including the circular route via the Pic des Trois Seigneurs, we clocked up 1,000 metres of elevation gain and 13.5 km. It took us 5 hours and 45 minutes, excluding breaks.
It’s absolutely essential to follow the yellow markings – if you can’t find them, you’re in the wrong place!! This is particularly true above the Étang d’Arbus (don’t follow the GPX track) and at the start of the ridge path when you set off again from the pass.
The hike is rightly classified as difficult: the slopes are very steep (see elevation profile), there are large steps, you’ll regularly need to use your hands for support, and it’s quite physically demanding.

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Flying ants only appear in muggy or even stormy weather.

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Date of your route : Aug 10, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

https://youtu.be/Bh2vE-ixpVU

Originally, we were due to set off for a bivouac on a hike near Aulus-les-Bains, but the forecast predicted thunderstorms overnight. We opted for this hike instead, which, at first glance, appeared to be ‘simply difficult’ with 837 metres of elevation gain.

So we set off in high spirits from the car park at ‘Port de Lers’ or ‘Massat’, heading straight for the peaks.

The climb is quite steep and heads straight for the summits at full pelt. The route presents no particular difficulty; it’s simply a matter of making our way up through the meadows.

• The Pic de Fontanette at 1,958 m
• Pic de Barrès at 2,043 m

A short break is in order before tackling the Pic des Trois Seigneurs. The climb is tricky, quite vertical and rather exposed. Trekking poles are far less useful than our hands for scaling these few hundred metres to the summit. After much effort and despite her doubts, Marie still makes it to the top, encouraged by another hiker. I’m beset by swarms of flying ants, which prevent me from taking in the landscape that this view offers us. A quick snack and off we go again to continue the route. We make our way down the steep slope with the same caution as on the way up and begin the descent towards the Étang d’Arbu at 1,724 metres. Whilst our speed on the ascent was less than 1 km/h, the descent over boulders and scree makes progress difficult and very slow. We can’t see the end of it and time is ticking away.

The ‘GPX’ track leads us towards an unstable scree slope where the risk of a fall is certain. We decide to bypass the danger by following the yellow markings.

After the pond, the descent is endless and continues over boulders to the ‘Pont de Ganioule’ at 1,418 m.

I check the VisoRando app and the elevation profile. We’ve already clocked up almost 920 metres of ascent, whilst the walk was advertised as having a total ascent of 837 metres. The final stretch back to the car park involves another climb of around a hundred metres.

We finish this hike after 8 hours and 55 minutes of walking, covering a distance of over 11 km and a total ascent of 1,024 metres.

This is a Very Difficult hike, where water and walking poles are your friends.

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Date of your route : Aug 12, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We did the route, starting with the pond. There weren’t many walkers heading in that direction. When we reached the climb up to the peak, we found it was very busy. The view was magnificent, and we were really hot. We completed the circular route in 4 hours 30 minutes.

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Date of your route : Jul 15, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

The Pic des Trois Seigneurs certainly lives up to its reputation as a tough climb. There are numerous gruelling climbs, which are particularly stifling in the sweltering heat of mid-July!
Despite the numerous red-and-white ribbons marking the Ariège Ultra Trail, I managed to miss the summit; I passed straight underneath it, heading towards the Pic des Gragnots!
The return journey along the ridge at the 2,000-metre contour line is magnificent: a rounded ridge set against a backdrop of high mountains – you feel as though you’re in another world...

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Date of your route : Jun 07, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Because of the snowfields above the pond and before the peak, the track wasn’t easy to follow

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Date of your route : Oct 18, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

We set off at around 10:45am in glorious weather, with bright sunshine and mild temperatures. There were four of us, aiming to enjoy the beautiful views from the 2,200m summit while tackling a hike that was accessible to all four of us. The first climbs were quite steep, but nothing technical, and the trail was in excellent condition. We passed many other groups on our way to the Arbu pond. Once we had gone around the pond on the left, we decided not to follow the GPX trail for the hike, which cut across the path a trail that we managed to follow for part of the way, with a short section where we had to walk off-trail through the vegetation (turn left earlier than the GPX track at the lake to follow the trail (marked in purple on the map), otherwise you will have to walk off-trail). Once you find the trail again, the slope becomes steeper until it is almost vertical before reaching the junction (4). Then, the trail becomes a little technical with some rocks to reach the peak. For the descent, be careful on the section up to the junction, then there are no difficulties. You descend and then climb a little, and it is circular back to the Pic de Fontanette. After that, there is a very steep descent to the car park, so be careful with your knees! In summary, this is a very accessible day hike, taking regular breaks and with friends who are not very experienced, very enjoyable!

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Date of your route : Aug 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Hike completed under a blazing sun. Same comment as other participants about the need to follow the yellow markings carefully between 3 and 4. Very beautiful view from the Pic des 3 Seigneurs. We encountered many hikers along the way. Unfortunately, there were a large number of flying ants right at the cross marking the summit! The return to the Col de Lhers is also worth a look. This hike is somewhat technical and not recommended for everyone.

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Date of your route : Aug 18, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A challenging but beautiful route. There are a few technical sections between 3 and 4 with several possible routes: the one that follows the markings is relatively easy but you need to pay close attention to the signs. Be careful not to miss the fork towards the Pic des Trois Seigneurs: it would be a shame to miss the magnificent view from the summit. There is no shade on the entire route. The route is busy until you reach the lake. After that, it is much quieter.

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Date of your route : Aug 16, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

In my opinion, the route lacks signage (signposts at strategic locations, Arbu pond/Lers port, return to car park, etc.).
Otherwise, it's a very beautiful route

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Date of your route : Aug 04, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Hike done in early August: beautiful views of the Pyrenees, the trail is quite busy at this time of year and hikers don't all walk at the same pace, which can mean you have to stop for breaks in some places (but it gives you a chance to chat and eat blueberries!).
After reading the previous comments, between the Arbus pond and the Trois Seigneurs, I opted for the yellow route, which is very easy to follow. Those who are less agile (like me) may need to use their hands sometimes to help them stay steady, but it can be done without. Some hikers do it with their dogs, who have to work twice as hard as their two-legged friends because they have four legs...
The climb to the summit is mostly over boulders.
The final descent is indeed steep.
You will encounter many birds during the hike: griffon vultures, jackdaws and paragliders (sometimes close to you)

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Date of your route : Jul 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

This hike is best done in the direction indicated by Visorando. In the opposite direction, the descent between the summit and the Arbu pond can be dangerous in places, even if there are no major difficulties (wet and slippery rocks). In addition, the Visorando route and the yellow markers that mark the route do not correspond perfectly. Otherwise, there are magnificent views, particularly between points 4 and 7.

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