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Access: arrive at Bagnères-de-Luchon via the D125. At the second roundabout (bakery on the right), take the third exit and follow Avenue du Maréchal Foch towards the town centre. Pass the church and turn onto Allées d'Etigny. After passing the town hall on your left, turn right towards the cable car station that serves the Superbagnères plateau. At the roundabout, take the second exit and park in the free Car Park du Courtat (signposted).
(S/E) Leave the car park by turning right onto Rue du Courtat (no entry sign), turn left onto Rue du Céciré and then right onto Rue Laity.
White and redGR® markings
(1) At the two rubbish bins, take the small tarmac road on the left.
Signs for routes 5, 9 and 12 of the Pays de Luchon
At the end of the tarmac road, turn right, leaving theGR®, then left onto a stony sunken path about 20 metres further on. This path is very steep for the first hundred metres, then levels out a little at an old barn, before continuing with a series of steep slopes and challenging false flats. After heavy rain, this section can be muddy, in which case you should use the earth embankment on the right-hand side.
Pass under a penstock. Ignore a narrow path climbing steeply to the left, pass the Fontaine Sourrouil fountain murmuring on the left under its carpet of ferns and come out onto a wide track with multiple wooden directional signs.
(2) Turn left. At the crossroads just after (restored border on the right), go straight ahead and climb up the meadow. At the top of the meadow, leave a narrow, well-signposted path on the right and continue for a few metres until you reach a hairpin bend to the left after easily crossing the chain blocking the path.
Sign for route 5 of the Pays de Luchon
(3) At the bend, leave the track and take the path on the right that runs alongside a power line. Go through a metal gate, closing it carefully behind you, then further on, go through a wire fence before crossing the bridge over the Ruisseau de Gourron and reaching the barns of the same name. Return to the tarmac road.
(4) After taking the time to admire the site (very beautiful view of the Pic de Céciré on the left), turn right onto the narrow road and follow it, remaining cautious despite the low traffic. Pass a small container shelter on your right, which also houses a book box, and continue to the secure viewpoint located at the first bend (cross) offering a breathtaking view of the Luchon basin.
(5) Continue along the road.
(6) Cross the Moulin bridge over the Neste d'Oo and begin the short but very steep climb that leads to the village of Saint-Aventin.
(7) Once you reach the main road (double fountain), walk about 50 metres to the left (take care as there is no pavement) then cross over to take the small, very steep street that leads to the church and the old cemetery. Once at the top of the hill, opposite a rural lodge, turn left for a short detour to the church.
Turn back to the lodge and continue straight ahead on the tarmac road, which gives way to a narrow path when you reach the new cemetery. Walk along the cemetery, go through a metal gate and climb up to the viewpoint (bench).
YellowPR® markings
(8) Ignore the single track that climbs steeply to the left (Cromlechs sign) and continue straight on along the path, which widens and flattens out as it follows the route of an old Roman road (Voie Claude). You will come out at the church of Benque-dessous, where you will join theGRP® Tour Oueil-Larboust.
Yellow and red GPR markings
(9) Follow the road to the left, climbing slightly, pass the tiny town hall on your right and reach the first houses of Benque-dessus.
YellowPR® markings
(10) Turn right towards the Church of Saint-Blaise, which is moving in its simplicity. Walk alongside the building and follow the narrow path that winds its way under the hazelnut and beech trees to emerge onto a tarmac road.
No markings
Turn left and continue downhill to the crossroads.
Yellow and redGRP® markings
Turn left again to join the D51. Cross and turn right, walking carefully along this fairly busy road as there is no usable hard shoulder.
GRP® yellow and red markings + Pays de Luchon route 55 sign
(11) Take a hairpin turn onto a wide path on the left, pass a perfectly restored barn and cross the stone bridge over the Neste d'Oueil. This section can be very muddy in wet weather with no real alternative route. Climb up to Saccourvielle and rejoin the tarmac road just before the church with its elegant Lombard-style bell tower.
Come out onto the road linking Saccourvielle to Saint-Paul d'Oueil at a stone bus shelter and turn right. After a fountain on the left and the last houses, the tarmac gives way to a wide, grassy double track.
Sign for route 55 of the Pays de Luchon
(12) Leave theGRP® on your left and continue right on the path along the contour line. Cross a small tributary of the Neste d'Oueil, then a metal gate, and ignore a path on your left. Further on, cross a small meadow, go through another gate and, a few metres later, don't miss the path that descends to the right to reach the Tour de Castel Blancat (small information sign about the restoration of this monument by a volunteer association).
(13) Walk along the tower and reach the viewpoint, which consists of two grassy platforms, one below the other, which are not secured. Be very careful with children. After enjoying the superb view of the Larboust valley and its many villages, turn back to the fork and continue to the right.
The woods thin out, allowing you to enjoy the view of the Grand Hôtel de Superbagnères and, in the background, the upper Pique valley, the Pic de Sauvegarde, the Pic de la Pique and the Becs des Corbeaux. Continue along the path (the start of the path to the spring on the right, which appears on the map, no longer exists), leave the path to Trébons on your right and continue straight ahead.
Just before two telecommunications pylons, ignore the paths on the right (not shown on the map) and continue straight ahead to reach the tarmac road leading to Cazarilh-Laspène, directly opposite the church.
Signs for routes 51, 52 and 53 of the Pays de Luchon
(14) Go through a metal gate and follow the road to the left to cross the village from one end to the other. Pass the tiny town hall on your left, turn right (two stone drinking troughs) and then leave the tarmac road to follow the single track path that starts on the left. Follow the contour line and the balcony path to a fork where you take the right-hand path downhill. Pass under a power line before arriving at a crossroads with multiple signposts.
Sign for route 52 of the Pays de Luchon
(15) Descend opposite, following the directions on sign 52. The slope becomes very steep and requires caution, especially as we are at the end of the route. A few rocky sections, which can be very slippery in wet weather, make the situation a little more difficult.
Pass under an electricity pylon and continue the challenging descent (the route on the map does not correspond to the terrain) to the cemetery, at the corner of which you will join the D618 (Col de Peyresourde road). Cross and turn right onto the wide pavement to follow the road and the new cemeteries to the second bridge over the One.
(16) Cross it, turning left, and follow Avenue Henri Dunant to the junction with Rue du Docteur Germès, which is none other than the old Peyresourde road before the new one was built. Turn left and then cross to follow Rue Laity, which leads to the initial junction.
(1) Continue straight ahead, continue along Rue du Céciré, then turn right onto Rue du Courtat, at the end of which you will find the car park where you started (S/E).
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