Couscouilha hut from Port de Castet

A fairly easy hike leading to a vast summer pasture area.
Water is plentiful in this area.
It is suitable for families, as a simple return trip to the hut. This hike can be done on snowshoes using a GPX track.
The entire circular hike requires a basic sense of direction.
The GPX track is essential.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.22 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 1,798 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 1,824 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 4,465 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 2,818 ft

Photos

Description of the walk

Access: head to the Ossau Valley, pass Arudy and head towards Louvie-Juzon. From this village, head towards Castet via the D240. Once in Castet, head towards the Port de Castet. Note: a Canadian-style crossing followed by a significant raised section marks the arrival at Port de Castet at an elevation of 867 metres. A signpost with numerous directions indicates that you have reached your destination.

(S/E) Set off from this junction heading south-east along a track in very good condition, running almost in a straight line. After 150 m, pass some well-maintained huts and barns on your right. After 1,300 m from the start, the track curves sharply to the right and heads due south after the 924m mark.

(1) In the middle of this bend, before a fork in the tracks, head far to the left into the forest, heading north-east along a very steep narrow track. Cross the Cau de Loustère. Stay on the right bank of this stream. Towards the end, this track curves left towards a wide track. Follow this very wide track to the right for 500 m, heading east.

(2) After crossing the Cau de Loustère, leave this track at a right-hand bend. Do not enter the forest, but head into the mountain pasture via a path that climbs, which I have marked with cairns in places. Follow this path south-southeast. Stay at the edge of the forest, which you’ll leave on your right, and pass a few large drinking troughs. At the 1223m mark, turn right, heading due south, then finally enter the forest heading due south. Join a wide stony path and continue climbing through the forest along this path, simply following the cairns.

(3) Staying on the right bank of the stream, pass the rocky area, cross the Pas de Louste and continue through the mountain pasture on the path that follows the right bank of the stream. The Couscouilha hut is 200 m further on, on your left.
It is a very beautiful spot but very windy. The large hut, in good condition, is welcoming.
In case of rain or fog, head back along the same path in the opposite direction

(4) You need to think about the return journey. Leave the hut by taking the path back the way you came. You’ll soon come to a track. Cross the stream to follow this narrow, grassy track which remains fairly level on the left bank of the stream.

(5) Head left along a track that climbs slightly for 50 m. Follow this track, which is marked with cairns in places and then descends. You’ll reach an open area; head left for 100 m along a grassy track and continue descending.

(6) At around 1,210 m, turn right onto a grassy track. Ignore the two dead-end tracks on your left. Follow a few cairns. The track is in poor condition, having recently been damaged by forestry machinery.

(7) At the fork, at around 1150 m, turn left due west, descending along a wide track damaged by forestry machinery, towards another track further down.

(8) At the next fork at around 1,120 m, head left, due south, along this very wide, motorable track and descend towards the crossroads, which is clearly visible from this point.

(9) At the crossroads, at an elevation of 1060 m, continue straight ahead along a wide track in very good condition heading north-west. The track climbs and then levels out just before a wide left-hand bend. Ignore the adjacent tracks.

(10) At around 1065 m, in the middle of the wide bend, turn right, heading due east, onto an old, narrow, grassy track. This track descends steeply to join a track in very good condition.

(11) At the junction, at the 919 m mark, head due north along the second track on the left (Chemin Espieubet). Follow the edge of the forest on your left. Pass the 876 m mark and continue to a fork. Turn right and follow the small tarmac road. Pass Lalau and return to the vehicle (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 2,848 ft - Start - Port de Castet
  2. 1 : mi 0.8 - alt. 3,028 ft - Junction – turn left as you climb
  3. 2 : mi 1.4 - alt. 3,491 ft - Leave the track – to the left
  4. 3 : mi 2.06 - alt. 4,285 ft - Not Louste
  5. 4 : mi 2.31 - alt. 4,465 ft - Couscouilha Hut
  6. 5 : mi 2.64 - alt. 4,288 ft - Junction – left
  7. 6 : mi 3.26 - alt. 3,944 ft - Junction – turn right
  8. 7 : mi 3.49 - alt. 3,707 ft - Junction – left
  9. 8 : mi 3.61 - alt. 3,635 ft - Junction – left
  10. 9 : mi 4.04 - alt. 3,461 ft - Junction – straight ahead
  11. 10 : mi 4.76 - alt. 3,461 ft - Junction – track – right
  12. 11 : mi 5.13 - alt. 3,002 ft - Junction – track – left
  13. S/E : mi 6.22 - alt. 2,848 ft - Arrival - Port de Castet

Notes

In some places, the IGN map is out of date. OSM base maps may prove useful. Some of the tracks shown, in particular, do not exist or are dead ends, whilst others are not marked. Therefore, it is essential to have a good sense of direction and the GPX track.

There are drinking fountains from (2) onwards.

The Couscouilha Hut is large and welcoming.

This is a mid-mountain area. The car is not far away. But, as you would expect, you will need: rain gear, water, a snack, the route description, a map, a GPS, a camera, good walking shoes and possibly a walking stick.

Worth a visit

The village of Castet is well worth a visit.

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 16 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
jpa64
jpa64

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 15, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk that I’d highly recommend!
The route is really lovely and well thought out, which makes the walk particularly enjoyable. We were lucky enough to enjoy a very peaceful route, with few people both on the path and in the car park.
We tweaked our route slightly along the way, choosing the path in the shade rather than the one in full sun – a small adjustment that turned out to be a brilliant choice!
In short, a lovely, rejuvenating walk with clear signposting. We’ll definitely be back, and we highly recommend it! 🌿☀️

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User 7141349

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 01, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A relatively easy hike, with stunning views of the Pyrenees once you reach the pass.

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Pyreneesz
Pyreneesz
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 27, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Not easy to stay on track with 20 to 50 cm of snow

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pyrole
pyrole

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful, varied route with no hazards

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agostia
agostia

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 26, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very little signage, lots of different paths, it's easy to get lost, especially when it's cloudy.
Otherwise, beautiful landscapes, animals roaming free.

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Strangz
Strangz

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 05, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Nice hike, but the weather wasn't great. The path back was muddy (high boots required) due to herds of cows passing through and rain, but otherwise pleasant as there weren't many people.

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jac denguin
jac denguin

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 22, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

At the start of the hike, follow the path (vehicle) on the left, a large circular loop but less steep, excellent warm-up, then take the small path, cairn, on the left and rejoin the trail.

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AnneD64
AnneD64

The trail and the map helped us a lot, as it wasn't very easy with just the directions.
We climbed a few cairns here and there, and on the way back we met some hikers who were climbing in the middle of nowhere. They had lost the trail at an intersection and improvised! I guess all roads lead to Couscouilla!
I'm not used to markers any more than I am to improvised trails, but two months of Covid have really altered the tracks... nature has reclaimed its rights, and that's a good thing!

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AnneD64
AnneD64
• Edited:

We followed the directions for the hike, which are rather poorly marked, with no signposts or cairns, and the distances are quite inaccurate...
After the first section through the forest, once you find the gravel path again, be careful not to follow the bend to the right and take the path that climbs steeply to the left. The stream is dry, so "staying on the right bank" is not immediately obvious! If you don't know what "PAS DE LOUSTE" is, you won't find out any more later... and when you leave the stony area, the hut is 100 metres to the left rather than 200 metres. The descent is fairly obvious, even though there are lots of different paths and no markings... When you reach point 7, at the end of the descent in the forest, you must first turn left and go up (and not down as indicated), before going back down. It's a nice, shady walk, with some slightly slippery and steep sections, but it's fine.

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pad64
pad64

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 01, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

We didn't do the circular described, but only went to the huts and back.
Then we crossed the valley and climbed the Quiala Pass. It was a very beautiful walk through dense forest to the cabins, allowing us to climb in the shade. For the pass, allow for an additional 100 metres of elevation gain, which is easily done directly up the slope, allowing you to gain a little height and enjoy a beautiful view of the Pau plain and the surrounding peaks.
Be careful, there is no water as the stream is dry.
A good warm-up after lockdown. And we weren't the only ones to enjoy it.

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Loucleben31
Loucleben31

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 25, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very beautiful hike with magnificent views, even though we stopped at the Sébouille cabin.
The route crosses other paths, so we must have taken a wrong turn and ended up doing the walk backwards... Be aware that there is no water until you reach the hut (the stream is dry).

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stefaix
stefaix

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 16, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A pleasant walk to get back into shape.

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bthalamas
bthalamas

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 17, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Hike without any difficulty

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Herve16
Herve16

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 19, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

no difficulty

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lacris64
lacris64

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 18, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Very nice route; hut in good condition; a little snow above 1200m, we modified the circular by returning via the Col de Jaut, bypassing the Pic de Males Ores
Beautiful weather, very cold, sub-zero temperatures, no one else on the route

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