Circular via the Estagnol and Fontargente lakes

This hike takes you past several clear-water lakes and visits various cirques and mountain pastures.

Details

3510211
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 12.15 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 524 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 517 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,157 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,693 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐
    Area: Pyrenees
  • ⚐ District: Ariège (09)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 42.650654° / E 1.703516°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 2148ET, 2148OT, 2148OTR, 2249OT, 2249OTR
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Description of the walk

Park at the end of the track at the Pla de las Peyres car park.

(S/E) Go to the end of the car park and follow the signs to the left for the Refuge du Ruhle.

(1) After afirst climb, you will come to a fork where you should continue on the left towards the Refuge du Ruhle.

(2) At the Garsan shepherd's hut, follow the path on the right, staying in the mountain pasture parallel to the stream. Further up, leave the path that climbs to the Refuge du Rhule on your left and continue to the first unnamed lake.

(3) Walk along the shore to reach the Étang de l'Estagnol.

(4) Turn around and return to the previous pond.

(3) Before descending along the stream, cross it and follow the marked path towards the scree slope, perpendicular to the stream. Go around the shoulder of Pic Nègre de Joclar and you will reach the first of the Étangs de Fontargente lakes.

(5) Follow the path on the right to go around part of this first pond.

(6) Turn right to follow one of the paths that allows you to cut across the strip of land separating this lake from its neighbour. Stay on the path that goes around this new lake on the right, then turn left to stay as close as possible to the shore.

(7) Take the path on your right down into the valley, passing two smaller ponds. At the bottom of the descent, follow the Coume de Varilhes stream to reach a footbridge.

(8) Cross it and follow the stream on the left bank. Cross the stream again to reach the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,694 m - Pla de Las Peyres car park - Rivière de l'aston
  2. 1 : km 1.36 - alt. 1,840 m - Turn left at the fork.
  3. 2 : km 1.64 - alt. 1,895 m - Garsan shepherd's hut
  4. 3 : km 3.67 - alt. 2,099 m - 1st lake
  5. 4 : km 4.53 - alt. 2,123 m - Étang de l'Estagnol
  6. 5 : km 6.63 - alt. 2,143 m - 1°°er°° des - Étangs de Fontargente
  7. 6 : km 7.37 - alt. 2,145 m - Turn off towards the 2°°e°° des - Étangs de Fontargente
  8. 7 : km 7.9 - alt. 2,153 m - Turn off towards the 3°°e°° des - Étangs de Fontargente
  9. 8 : km 10.17 - alt. 1,864 m - Footbridge
  10. S/E : km 12.15 - alt. 1,694 m - Pla de Las Peyres car park

Notes

From Foix, head towards the Plateau de Beille but turn towards Aston before reaching Les Cabanes. Follow the signs for Étang de Laparan for several kilometres until you reach the car park at the end of the tarmac road.

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 12 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
Isard63
Isard63

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 08, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A very peaceful and easy route through large, wide valleys. The Estagnol lake is undoubtedly the least visited and most picturesque, nestled in a small cirque surrounded by high walls.

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User 13855572

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 18, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very nice hike
Not very busy on the first part up to Lake Estagnol, but when you get closer to the Fontargente ponds, there are a lot more people, especially around the lake.

Note that there is still snow between Lake Estagnol and the Fontargente ponds (north face) in mid-May. Be careful.

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Pellizza
Pellizza

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 12, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very pleasant route without any major difficulties

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GuiLo
GuiLo

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 24, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Thanks for the info. Did it today in beautiful weather and in the direction indicated. Very pleasant route. If you want to eat in peace, head for Estagnol Pond rather than Fontargente Pond, which is very busy. No major difficulties, but note that there are many sections with scree. Also take care on the road leading to the car park, as it is several kilometres long and narrow, with potholes and dips in places. When I arrived at 9am, there were almost no spaces left in the car park, so remember to arrive early to find a space. What's more, it's not necessarily easy to turn around.

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Flo du 12
Flo du 12

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 18, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely walk, I recommend it.

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laurent-g
laurent-g

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 28, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Tip: arrive early because the car park, although large, fills up quickly in summer.
We did this route for the second time, in the opposite direction to the one indicated (it all depends on your schedule and where you want to have your picnic).
A refreshing and pleasant swim in the second pond at Fontargente, which is not very busy. However, the third pond (the largest) is very crowded. A pleasant swim in the second pond (with a fish pedicure session, where the fish come and nibble at your feet).
I recommend going to the Estagnol pond: even if you have to cross a scree slope (which not everyone likes), the place is wilder and quieter. Raspberries along the way in the scree slope when in season. Blueberries too.
The circular return from Estagnol (passing below the refuge – so don't follow the fork) is also pleasant, with beautiful views of the valley and summer pastures (cows, horses).

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lepiero
lepiero

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 05, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely hike that isn't too difficult, with few and short steep climbs. However, the terrain is quite technical, with lots of rocks and scree both uphill and downhill.
But the view is worth it.
There were quite a few people on the hike on 5 September, but not so many that it was a hindrance.

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gaestel
gaestel

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 19, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful hike. Lots of flowers. Magnificent scenery.

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isabelleroze
isabelleroze

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 10, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Beautiful hike, lots of flowers at the beginning of July, magnificent! Quite a few people too, drawn like us by the lakes.
Very nice nonetheless.

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Leclanpin
Leclanpin

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 02, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful hike, with lots of people at the beginning of September, but it was worth the trip.

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Papy_canard
Papy_canard

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 05, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hike in glorious weather.
It was quite crowded until the junction with the path leading directly to the Fontargente ponds, but much less so after that.
A short section over boulders, but no difficulty if you have suitable footwear.

Thank you for this description

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michaelgeorge
michaelgeorge

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 17, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Interesting walk. Great views. Path generally well marked, even where the track was over large boulders from rock falls (in particular west of Point 3, not an easy section). An excellent addition to the route is a side trip up to Port de Fontargente. Including this side trip and excluding lunch break, elapsed time ~7 hours.

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