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Access: from Bagnères-de-Bigorre, follow the D935 mountain pass road. Arrive at Sainte-Marie de Campan. Continue straight on towards the Col d'Aspin D918. (Leave the road to the Col de Tourmalet on your right). Arrive at Payolle, continue towards the quarry. At the right-hand bend before the road climbs, go straight ahead and park in the car park.
(S/E) Head north on the forest road for 50 m. Turn left northwest, crossing the bridge over the Hourc stream. Climb up a track. You will come to a fork.
(1) Take the middle track and continue climbing. N.B. The map is inaccurate here: there are three tracks at this point. Ignore the track on the left, which is flat, and the one on the right, which climbs very steeply. Follow the central track, keeping to the right of the Matte ravine. Follow the hairpin bends. Continue climbing. Ignore the tracks on the right and left.
(2) Head straight north-east (I have placed cairns at the start on the left, at the entrance to the track that descends slightly). Continue along this track, which is cluttered with tree trunks (the map is inaccurate here too). Leave the adjacent tracks; the one you are following remains more or less level.
(3) Turn left (north) and climb (I have placed cairns at the start on the left). Continue along this track which climbs. Pass the Goutil, Loup and Saussias streams. You will reach a clearing.
(4) Leave the track that climbs to the left, do not go straight ahead: the track to follow is a little higher up, on the right. Turn right and climb.
(5) Head straight ahead (east-northeast) taking the path that descends. Leave a path that heads west on your left, as well as another path that ascends (not shown on the map).
(6) Turn left (north-east) and cross the Hourc stream. The stony track climbs steeply towards the private road to Le Hourc. Continue left on the road towards the inn. After 300 m, turn right into the mountain pasture (it is also possible to continue along the snow-covered road). Reach the Col de Beyrède.
(7) Head east towards the Cabanes de Beyrède (the last hut is open; beautiful spot).
(8) Retrace your steps to the Col de Beyrède.
(7) Head south-west along the private road to La Coumelade. Follow this road, which remains flat and then descends towards Payolle. Cross the Coumelade stream in a right-hand bend. Continue along this road, ignoring all the adjacent tracks. Cross the Mail stream. The road then turns south.
(9) At a large left-hand bend (elevation 1371), leave the road and turn right, heading due west, onto a wide track that quickly descends steeply. Join the Col d'Aspin road. You now need to cut across the bends in this road by going through the forest. Take care in the undergrowth, which is littered with dead wood. Join the road again and turn right towards the car park (S/E).
Visorando Member
Difficult 
Very difficult 
