From Lac de Bethmale to Étang d'Ayes

Date of your route : Oct 20, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike completed on 17 October 25 in beautiful weather. The ascent starts at the stunning Lake Bethmale and continues through the woods for the first part. When we reached point 4, Col àèdole, we took a slight detour to Étang d'Éychelle, which is well worth the trip (1 hour round trip) and completes the route with Étang d'Ayas. A very beautiful hike with beautiful autumn colours!

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Date of your route : Oct 19, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful route through mountains adorned with autumn colours.

The path up (and down) from Lake Bethmale is narrow and often steep, requiring careful progress in certain places, especially on the descent.

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Date of your route : Sep 17, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk through beautiful countryside, the passage through the Auédole Pass is magnificent and the Ayes Pond is superb. Beautiful lawns and absolute tranquillity.

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Date of your route : Aug 27, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike, with a very pleasant shaded section.
Worth remembering for a winter snowshoe outing on the trail section.

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Date of your route : Aug 12, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A magnificent loop that delighted us, the arrival at the Étang d'Ayes is superb.
We returned via the road that cars can use because, although the ground was dry, we preferred to play it safe as the climb up through the forest was tough and we didn't want to do it on the way down.

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Date of your route : Jun 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike on the first part of the trail, quite challenging before reaching the Eliet hut.
The return via the forest track is long and not particularly interesting.
The section through the woods is very pleasant if it's sunny, as it was today.
Overall, quite satisfied.

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Date of your route : May 30, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Great hike!
Quite a steep slope from the start with fairly narrow paths uphill, so take care. We met a few hikers on the way out of the forest, then no one else until the climb to the Ayès pond.
The trail is very well marked, so it seems quite difficult to get lost.
The view is absolutely magnificent, as is the lake!

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

A very beautiful hike, done on a magnificent day, with a steep climb at the beginning but well worth the effort when you reach the Col d'Auédole. Magnificent 360⁰ view!
Then an easy path to the Étang d'Ayes and a smooth descent to the forest track. Return to the car park either by the same path you took on the way there, or by the forest track, which is very peaceful and for those who want more, like me. A beautiful hike, well worth doing.

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Date of your route : Feb 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike, mostly snow-covered when we visited.
We set off at around 10:30am in sunny weather, equipped with good shoes and walking sticks (very useful). On the first part of the trail through the forest, there were only a few patches of snow, which were easy to cross despite the steep slope. This climb is fairly gradual and not particularly difficult.
From the Mount Ner forest track onwards, our path was almost entirely covered in snow, but the snow was quite soft and shallow, so it was fairly easy to make progress.
After the Eliet hut, there was a snowfield covering the few metres to the Auédole pass. It was easy to cross on this particular day, but it could be difficult if there is more snow cover (avalanche risk in this area).
From the pass, there was very little elevation gain to reach Lake Ayes, which was almost entirely covered in snow. As a bonus, there was an icefall on the opposite wall. Magnificent!
The return trip via the indicated route was easy, a little steep at the start but not difficult. Then the forest track, which was very pleasant on the way back. And finally, the descent into the forest via the same route as on the way up, with a nice view of Lake Bethmale.
All in all, it's a very beautiful hike that can be done even when the path is snow-covered, with good shoes and walking sticks or snowshoes. Don't forget your sunglasses and sun cream, as the glare can be treacherous! Always be vigilant: conditions can vary from day to day, especially the state of the snow. If the snow had been hard, we would have had to turn back (which is always better than risking an accident!).

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Date of your route : Oct 28, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk in early autumn. The forest is beautiful, as are the ponds at Bethmale and Ayes. I highly recommend it.

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Date of your route : Oct 28, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful autumn hike, the climb through the forest from Lake Bethmale offers magnificent colours, along a narrow path that some may find difficult. It's a steep climb, and it's not over yet! At this time of year, the Col d'Eliet is perhaps a more pleasant place to picnic than the Etang d'Ayes. The summer pastures are so beautiful you could almost eat them. The descent via the Cirque de Campuls is technical, but I wouldn't want to do it uphill! The Campuls hut is not a very pretty place, however, despite the magnificent waterfall. The return journey is along a track that is uninteresting but easy to walk on: it climbs very gently, making for easy walking, which feels good. With all this, we arrive at the point where we have to decide on the route back: either the path through the forest, which is not easy to walk downhill and must be very tiring, or the endless forest track. The rain caught me by surprise as I was making this decision, and some hikers coming down in their car offered to give me a lift, saving me from having to make a painful choice!

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Date of your route : Oct 01, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Superb hike Done on 30/09 in glorious sunshine
Bethmale Lake is like something out of a fairy tale. Wow!
The climb at the start is a little steep but manageable, then it gets steeper but easier
Great view at the pass (360º)
Picnic at Lake Ayes, a true haven of peace
The descent to the Campuls cirque is a bit technical with some dampness and loose stones
Be careful, but there are no insurmountable difficulties
Return via the track to rest my feet, walking at a steady pace and, above all, avoiding the descent at the start between part 1 and D
The route was perfect for me, but with Viso Rando it's difficult to get lost
A total of 17 km (return via the track) and 785 m elevation gain, I would classify it as medium +
Pure joy!

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Date of your route : Aug 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike on this hot August day, starting at 9:00 a.m. from Lake Bethmale and arriving at noon at Lake Ayes, where a swim was very welcome. The section between the start and point 1 is quite steep and a little more difficult on the way down because it is sloping (be careful if the ground is wet). There is a small, very pleasant spring below the Eliet hut (low flow). The return trip along the forest track is a bit long and monotonous, but can be shortened in places by using side trails. Thanks to the trailblazer. Bruno

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Date of your route : Aug 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hike that can be done in summer, passing through the forest. Very beautiful scenery and Lake Ayet is magnificent. The return route is a little tricky at first, but overall, with good footwear, there's no problem. Nevertheless, I recommend setting off from Lake Bethmale early, around 8:30/9:00 am.

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Date of your route : May 30, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Overall satisfactory, only part (1) to (A) of the return journey was unpleasant: descent on a narrow path, mostly sloping, covered with a thick layer of leaves, very slippery and tiring. The outward journey on the same path, going uphill, did not pose the same problem.

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