Payolle - Plo del Naou loop

Hike along trails starting from Payolle, through the forest to the Col d'Aspin, then following the ridges of the Plo del Naou. At the summit, you can enjoy an exceptional panorama of the Campan and Arreau valleys, part of the Pyrenees mountain range, as well as the Pic du Midi de Bigorre and the Arbizon.

Technical sheet

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 13.41 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 6h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 863 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 867 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,800 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,142 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the Payolle car park in front of the shops.

(S/E) With your back to the departmental road, follow the road towards the lake for about 800 m.

(1) Turn right onto Chemin de l'Artigou, follow the northern shore of Lac de Payolle, then continue straight ahead. Pass the tennis courts and the adjacent car park and follow the forest path straight ahead along the stream.

(2) Keep going in the same direction, leaving the forest road on your left.

(3) Turn right onto a small winding path where the slope begins to get a little steeper.

(4) Turn right onto a path: be careful, it is not always clearly visible. Follow this path to the Col d'Aspin car park.

(5) Turn right along the car park, then take the second path on the right, almost opposite. The slope is quite steep for about 500 m.

(6) Leave the path and turn left onto the track that will take you to the Crête de Bidour. Return to the path you left earlier.

(7) Follow it in the same direction and follow the ridge to Plo del Naou. Enjoy the superb view of the Campan valley on one side and the Arreau valley on the other. Opposite you, you can see the Arbizon.

(8) Continue for about 200 m, then leave the ridge on the right, following the trail along the mountainside. Join a more clearly marked trail.

(9) Take it on the left.

(10) Turn right and follow the small path that descends the south-western shoulder of Plo del Naou.

(11) Continue along the path, turning left, and reach the Cabane de la Hosse. Pass in front of the huts and negotiate the left-hand bend, crossing the Ruisseau de Soubirou.

(12) Take the path on the right that leads directly to the clearing of Clot des Artigous.

(13) Continue straight ahead and join the signposted crossroads.

(14) Continue straight ahead and descend to Lac de Payolle.

(15) Turn left and then right to follow the lake shore and rejoin the Chemin de l'Artigou, which you took at the start. Follow it, turning left.

(1) Continue straight ahead to reach the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,147 m - Parking - Adour de Paolle (rivière)
  2. 1 : km 0.93 - alt. 1,186 m - Chemin de l'Artigou
  3. 2 : km 2.29 - alt. 1,225 m - Fork in the road, go straight ahead
  4. 3 : km 3.11 - alt. 1,256 m - Crossroads
  5. 4 : km 3.64 - alt. 1,370 m - Intersection, on the right
  6. 5 : km 4.51 - alt. 1,538 m - Col d'Aspin car park - Col d'Aspin
  7. 6 : km 5.76 - alt. 1,664 m - Leave the path and follow the trail on the left.
  8. 7 : km 6.59 - alt. 1,658 m - Return along the same route, straight ahead.
  9. 8 : km 7.52 - alt. 1,799 m - Plo del Naou - Plo del Naou
  10. 9 : km 8.21 - alt. 1,681 m - Trail junction, left
  11. 10 : km 8.38 - alt. 1,659 m - Trail junction, on the right
  12. 11 : km 8.86 - alt. 1,554 m - Trail intersection, left - Cabanes de la Hosse
  13. 12 : km 9.41 - alt. 1,455 m - Soubirou stream
  14. 13 : km 10.23 - alt. 1,372 m - Clot des Artigous
  15. 14 : km 11.16 - alt. 1,324 m - At the crossroads, go straight ahead.
  16. 15 : km 11.89 - alt. 1,195 m - Payolle Lake - Lac de Payolle
  17. S/E : km 13.4 - alt. 1,147 m - Parking

Practical information

This hike should be done in good weather to enjoy the superb view from the Crête de Bidour.

In the nearby area

Enjoy the view of the Campan and Arreau valleys, and at the top of Plo del Naou, admire the Pic du Midi de Bigorre and the Arbizon.

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