Col de Beyrède from Sarrancolin

Car park in front of Sarrancolin school.

Yellow markings from (S/E) to (3)

(S/E) From the car park, take the D929 road, heading due south towards Arreau, keeping well to the right-hand side.
Caution: busy road. Stay on the right-hand side of the road, which is tarmac-surfaced, very wide and safe.
Pass the church on your right, ignore the first road on your right (Impasse des Sources) and continue along the main road.

(1) At the junction, turn right onto the Route de La Soule, which crosses the Canal de La Neste via a road bridge.
Sparse yellow markings may help guide you. Head up this road, which has very little traffic. Pass under the high-voltage power line. Continue climbing, cutting across the first hairpin bend. Pass the Pariou barns on your right. Continue climbing along the small road. Ignore the first two paths on your right. After two hairpin bends, a yellow marker on an EDF pole indicates that you should turn right.

(2) At the fork, leave the road and head right along a grassy path heading due north, which climbs through the forest. This then turns left, heading due west alongside the stream.
Please note: near a collapsed barn, there is a fork in the path that can be confusing due to the markings.
Follow the signs for Sabathé, continuing to climb the steep path straight ahead, heading due west.
Pass a beautiful barn on your right. Continue climbing towards the cluster of houses.

No signposting

(3) At the crossroads by the Sabathé Farm (alt. 998 m), continue straight ahead, due west, along the grassy track. A yellow marker indicates the start. There will be no further markings from this point onwards. Enter the forest. The well-marked track climbs gently. Pass the valley floor (alt. 1050 m). Cairns may also help you find your way.
Note: the path climbs continuously. Very soon, the path becomes very steep.

(4) At the fork, go straight on. Pass a private property on your right. The path continues to climb steeply, due west. The gradient of the path eases slightly. The view opens up as you emerge from the forest. Pass over some spring water sources on your left. Pass a beautiful restored barn on your right, then Cap d’Alia. Continue the climb. After 200 m, you’ll reach a track that’s more suitable for vehicles.

(5) At the Coume de la Lit crossroads, continue straight on along the track which continues to climb.
Note: from this point, ignore all adjacent tracks and paths. Continue along the grassy, passable track. Pass the point at an altitude of 1321 m. You will reach a gate, marking the end of the track. Join the gravel road at a hairpin bend.

(6) Turn right onto the gravel road, which climbs slightly. Ignore the adjacent tracks and paths. The destination (Col de Beyrède) can be seen due west. Continue along the roadside verge.

(7) A junction of tracks, paths and tarmac roads.
Col de Beyrède, elevation 1417m. It is a beautiful spot that is quite busy in summer due to its road access.
From here, you can climb to the Signal de Bassia (alt. 1,921 m) by simply following the direction of the signpost and the yellow markings.
Head due south towards a track and after 50 m, turn left, heading due east along another track that leads to the Cabanes de Beyrède, which are clearly visible (alt. 420 m).
A well-deserved rest; a lunch break is a good idea at this quiet, open spot. The second, smaller hut has been completely refurbished and fitted out. Please respect this site.
From the hut, head down, due north, for 20 m downhill towards the forest road.

(8) Turn right onto the Aréouse forest road, heading due east for 300 m.

(9) At the fork (alt. 1360 m), head down to the left along an old grassy track, crossing a stream. Then follow it to the left.
Take care to continue due north-east. The track, which is more visible, enters the forest and curves to the left, heading due north-west. This track, which is overgrown, is well marked and wide. Head down towards the Ruisseau de Beyrède, without crossing it, go round a bend to the right and continue due east. Stay on the right bank of the stream and head down towards the clearly visible road below. Crossroads of road and track.

(10) If in doubt: you can follow the Bignec Private Forest Road from (10); (11); (12); leaving the (13) on your left at an altitude of 1003 m; at an altitude of 934 m, turn left towards (14) and continue as described.
Alternatively, cross the road. Head straight on, descending along the path on the right bank of the stream. Head towards the road. Read the following carefully, as there are two options.
Note: From here on, the path to follow remains on the right bank of the Ruisseau de Beyrède and will cross the Bignec Private Forest Road several times. A small EDF power line more or less follows this path.

(11) At the junction of the road and the path, cross the road and head straight on, descending along the path on the right bank of the stream. You will pass some very beautiful barns in excellent condition (Tragnes). On the left, on the other side of the stream, the road is visible.

(12) Cross the road and head straight on, descending along the path on the right bank of the stream. The path is narrower. Pass some beautiful barns in very good condition (Estupo barns).

(13) At the junction with the road and the path at Hount (meaning ‘spring’), cross the road and continue straight on, following the path on the right bank of the Ruisseau de Beyrède down to the end of the path.

(14) Now follow the small road, with very little traffic, which descends towards Beyrède. Please note that this is no longer the Brignec Forest Road. Keep to the left-hand side.
Note: this road is closed to motor traffic except for residents, so there are very few cars.

(15) At the fork (altitude 861m), stay on the road to the right, which now heads due east. Pass a track on the left leading to a renovated and inhabited house (Couplo). Follow the road, passing the 766m and 739m altitudes. On the left, higher up, is the hamlet of Baragné (private). Pass the 699m altitude, the hamlet of Pujo, the 679m altitude and the cemetery. Arrive at the entrance to the village of Beyrède-Jumet.

(16) At the fork, 50 m from the village entrance, turn left onto a tarmac path between the houses, which descends steeply towards the road.
Very soon the track narrows and becomes a pretty path that descends, overlooking and running parallel to the road. Join the Route de Beyrède (D107), cross the Ruisseau de Beyrède and turn right towards the main road D929.

(17) Turn left onto the D929.
Caution: busy road. However, the roadside is tarmac-surfaced, very wide and safe. Keep to the left-hand side of the road.

(1) Continue straight ahead on the left-hand side of the D929. Proceed to the car park (S/E).

Access: In Lannemezan, head towards Arreau (D929A). Pass through Hèches and Rebouc (D929). Arrive in Sarrancolin.
In the centre of the village of Sarrancolin, just before the traffic lights, park in the large car park on the right-hand side.

Spring located at the small hut at Beyrède.

This is a mid-mountain area. So, as you’d expect, you’ll need: rain gear, water, a packed lunch, route map, description, map, GPS, camera, good walking boots, and perhaps a walking stick.

A bit of Bigourdan:

Avalanche: bed, Pass: saddle, High-altitude pasture: estibe, estive, Spring: hount, High-mountain sheep pen: cuyéu, cuyela, coeyla, courtau.

(10) possible alternative via the Beyrède Forest Road

Village of Sarrancolin

Village of Beyrède-Jumet