Anglo-Canadian Cemetery - Pic de Douly and Mont Aspet

This hike can be done with or without snow...
On the evening of 13 July 1944, seven British and Canadian airmen from the Royal Air Force took off to resupply the Nistos maquis. The Halifax aircraft crashed into the Pic du Douly. The airmen did not survive and were buried on site. Debris from the aircraft is still visible today. All this calls for silence and contemplation...

Details

905010
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Snowshoeing
    Activity: Snowshoeing
  • ↔
    Distance: 13.31 km
  • ◔
    Duration according to the author: 4 hrs 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 897 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 891 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,846 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,231 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Access: A64 exit Lannemezan or Montréjeau, follow signs for Saint-Laurent-de-Neste or Mazères-de-Nestes, then follow signs for Aventignan and Nistos.
Cross Bas Nistos and Haut Nistos, heading towards the cross-country ski resort. On the left, you will see a sign for 'Cimetière Canadien' (Canadian Cemetery). Park in this small car park.

(S/E) Start from the small car park. Follow the track for 1.1 km until you reach a plateau.

(1) Continue straight ahead and follow the sign for the Canadian Cemetery (ignore the path on the right, which is for the rest of the route).
Go around the fence on the left and follow the well-marked path through the woods for about 2 km.
You will arrive at a small hut on the left. Continue a few metres to reach the cemetery. Contemplation.

(2) Return by the same route to the plateau.

(1) Once on the plateau, take the path on the left that goes straight up into the woods. Stay on the left-hand path and, when you come out of the woods, you will arrive at Pic du Douly (1,630 m).

(3) Follow the ridge towards Pic de Belloc (1600m).

(4) Continue straight ahead towards the Cabane de la Prade.

(5) After the hut, turn left and climb straight up to the large viewpoint in front of you, "Pic de Mont Aspet" (1,849 m).

(6) Cairn at Pic de Mont Aspet. Return via the same route, follow the Crête Belloc, return to the woods and the plateau.

(1) Turn left onto the track towards the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,231 m - Small car park
  2. 1 : km 1.1 - alt. 1,310 m - Junction for the outward and return journeys
  3. 2 : km 2.88 - alt. 1,401 m - Military cemetery
  4. 3 : km 6.1 - alt. 1,620 m - Pic du Douly
  5. 4 : km 6.81 - alt. 1,603 m - Pic de Belloc
  6. 5 : km 7.64 - alt. 1,630 m - Cabane de la Prade
  7. 6 : km 8.4 - alt. 1,846 m - Pic de Mont Aspet
  8. S/E : km 13.31 - alt. 1,231 m - Small car park

Notes

We also recommend that you take a 1:25,000 IGN paper map of this hike with you.
Bring gloves, a hat, a hot drink and sunglasses.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 19 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.2 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
Alain Plaisance
Alain Plaisance

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We wanted to go to Pic de Douly first, making a round trip to the Canadian Cemetery at the end of the hike. When we reached the "plateau", we took the most visible path on the right... which was not the right one. We realised this too late and ended up reaching Douly via another path. Similarly, from the summit of Douly to the "plateau", the direct descent shown on the map seems to no longer exist: we had to go back down and go through the forest.
Otherwise, this hike is very pleasant, not very busy, and offers magnificent views of the Pyrenean peaks. Thank you for suggesting it (you just have to pay close attention to the path at various points along the hike).

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GG65
GG65

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

The cemetery is of great historical interest if you are unfamiliar with this place of remembrance. However, to reach Pic de Douly, it is better to climb directly up the right-hand side, even though it is very steep, rather than retracing your steps as indicated on the map.

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cavokdan
cavokdan

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 31, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Once you reach the cemetery, follow the cairns to continue the hike without returning to the starting point, without any risk or technical difficulty.
Continue towards Mont d'Aspet with an uphill gradient varying from 30 to 37%
Return via Pic de Douly
Once you reach the summit, descend towards the clearing where you come out when you arrive from the cemetery
The path is not obvious, but there are cairns
A beautiful hike, weather permitting
Note the presence of ticks

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Amarette
Amarette
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 07, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

It seems more interesting to me to either climb directly up to Pic Douly from the first crossroads, or to pass by the cemetery and reach the slopes of Pic Douly via the path marked by cairns.

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bmora
bmora
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 19, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Walk taken on 29 February, only as far as the cemetery, without snowshoes, in very mild weather...

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grosselin
grosselin

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 10, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Interesting route. Would be worth signposting.

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chafrise
chafrise

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 24, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We did the circuit directly via Pic de Douly and Mont Aspet, which seemed more logical. A beautiful walk, but not recommended at weekends, as it seems to get very busy then, judging by the tracks on the slope of Mont Aspet.

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cp31
cp31

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 18, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

No doubt a very beautiful hike, but we were in the fog!
An easy hike to the cemetery (and shaded, even though that wasn't necessary in this case!); a few wet spots, but we got through without too much difficulty.
As already mentioned, it is not essential to retrace your steps from the cemetery: you can climb a steep slope (follow the cairns and the vaguely marked path) to reach the ridge between Pic de Douly and Pic de l'Artiguche (in the fog, it wasn't easy to see where we were), at a clearing that is visible on the map.
No doubt if you start further to the left at the cemetery, you can reach Pic de Douly directly, but the cairns I found do not lead there directly.

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vicnet
vicnet

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 14, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

There is no snow up to the summit despite recent snowfall!
There are no landmarks (no cairns or signposts) and the trail is often quite faint, especially in the upper forest. Fortunately, there is a GPS track. At No. 3, there are several paths, but you should not take them; instead, head into the forest.
Be careful, as there is currently work being done to clear the trees, so at No. 1, there is mud (you need snowshoes to get through ). The path is muddy across its entire width, but you can get through on the side in the forest, although it's a bit tricky as there are trees across the path...
There is a superb path through the forest connecting No. 3 and No. 2, marked with cairns (it's on my map but not on Visorando). This avoids having to go back the way you came. It's a shame not to take it, unless you want to do some climbing :-)
What a view from the top of Mont Aspet!

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tegon
tegon

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 20, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Very beautiful walk in the sunshine.
A very pleasant route through the forest to the cemetery.
A few trees lying across the path (from the last storm)
The final ascent to the summit of Mont Aspect remains quite steep
A bit windy at the summit
Take a detailed map to locate all the surrounding peaks at the top of the peak and enjoy the magnificent view.
Easy hike to the foot of Mont Aspet peak

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skale65
skale65

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 01, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Today's route
From the cemetery to the summit of Mont d'Aspet, snowshoes unnecessary: there is no snow.
A lovely little hike with beautiful panoramic views.

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laguardiole
laguardiole

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

Superb hike, magnificent 360° view from the top of Mont d'Aspet. The route varies between ridges and forest. A peaceful valley where you have plenty of time to watch the vultures glide overhead.

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bertrand132
bertrand132

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 26, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Very beautiful, easily accessible hike

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mykel471
mykel471

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 18, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very beautiful parish-specific to Brittany hike, fairly easy but emotionally charged, especially at the airmen's cemetery

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dany3364
dany3364

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 28, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

with the snow, it was a bit tricky finding the path in the forest, but we managed to find our way. Due to the time lost, we didn't make it to the peak, but only to the cemetery after trudging through the forest for over an hour!
We'll have to do it again because the snow was up to the crossbars of the crosses. It's a moving place and well maintained. I'll come back around April or May, following the same trail and climbing the peak.

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