The Portet d'Aspet Pass - The Pic de Paloumère

Date of your route : Nov 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Nice effort, but a very nice view at the finish line.

Machine-translated

Date of your route : May 05, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike with my 5-year-old son. It climbs a little at the start, but it's accessible. A beautiful start to the hike under the trees, before reaching the low mountains and finishing with a lovely view. Only an hour from Toulouse. We did the hike in May in the spring, and it wasn't too crowded.

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Feb 20, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Completed twice in winter, once with snowshoes in deep snow, and once without snowshoes with a few snowy sections that did not require equipment.
Good elevation gain on the way up over a short distance (3 km climb for about 500 m elevation gain). Without snowshoes, it's a bit short. We met some hikers who were doing their first hike there. An introductory hike... why not?
On the way down, you can do an additional loop (or a short round trip) by heading towards the Roque Pi refuge. There is no particular attraction in going there. See the dotted trails from point 3 and the signs there (including the one indicating "cabane de Roque Pi").
The majestic 360-degree view from the summit of Pic de Paloumère (with the Haute-Garonne plain on one side and the Pyrenees on the other) is a beautiful reward that is well worth the detour and could make you say that this short hike has everything a long hike has to offer.
There are no particular technical difficulties except for a short, somewhat steep section at the Tuc de la Casse, where you will need to use your hands for about ten metres. There are no precipices or cliffs in the vicinity, so there is nothing particularly impressive, but there is an increased risk of falling. In my opinion, this section, combined with the fairly steep gradient, explains why the hike is classified as "moderate". So be careful if you have trouble with your footing or balance, and watch out for children, who are sometimes a little too eager.
With snowshoes, the effort is already a little more significant because the climb is continuous and point 3 mentioned above requires you to dig the tips of your snowshoes in well to make progress.
A very pleasant short hike that seems to be quite popular once snowshoes are no longer necessary.

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Feb 02, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

This route has little snow at this time of year and does not require crampons or snowshoes, but conditions should be checked before setting out. A beautiful hike with varied terrain and stunning views.

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Aug 16, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Hello!
I would just like to point out that on the way back we came across some orange markings (not very clear) which we followed and which brought us back to the main path after a few minutes.
Thanks to your team!
Raymonde

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Feb 09, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike done with two dogs on 09/02/2024.
No difficulty for the dogs at this time of year.
It was a warm-up for us, as the first third got our calves burning! No real difficulty, but it's not flat
A superb view on arrival, which makes you want to continue on the other trails you can see!
I can't really comment on the description as I mainly use the GPS track!

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Jan 29, 2024
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Very pleasant hike
Well-marked trail accessible to all
Beautiful view of the Ariège peaks, including the Pic du Midi and Maladeta

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Sep 17, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike, suitable for almost everyone. There are some steep sections, but overall it's not too dangerous as long as you take care. The view of the mountains during the last half hour of the hike is superb. I highly recommend it!

Machine-translated

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

Beware of cow dung near sections 3 and 4

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Jul 03, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The start is quite steep for beginners but easily manageable. In the end, I found it harder to go down than up. Stay close to the fence as much as possible in the forest to avoid any additional difficulties. The view from the top is fantastic.

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Mar 25, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely walk with beautiful views, easy and can be done in half a day, with the option of extending to the summit of Cornudère

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Nov 22, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely walk with a little snow, continuing on to TUCOL and then back along the same route.

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Nov 15, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely walk, partly in fog (you'll have to come back for the view), but we chose it because the weather wasn't great for more mountainous hikes. The autumn colours alone are worth the trip.

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Jun 17, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Very busy route : Yes

The route along the forest track is long and tedious.
The traditional path is completely ruined by forestry machinery.
I had scouted this hike so I could take my grandchildren there... we'll go somewhere else.
Let's hope the foresters repair the path!

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Feb 21, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A pleasant hike, which climbs a little in places but is done in a small group with a few people who are not all used to hiking, so it is accessible to many people (with hiking boots, though). The first part is mostly forest, and it opens up when you reach the pass, from where the view is beautiful.
It's very windy, which is quite refreshing, especially at the top, but it's easy to find sheltered spots. (However, bring something to protect yourself from the cold if you plan to eat at the top.)
Hike done on 21/02, no snow at all on the route (patches in places on the surrounding slopes, and of course snow-capped peaks in the background...)
The route is very well marked, so there's no chance of getting lost.

Machine-translated