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By car, from Barèges, follow the Tourmalet road for about 5 km and park in the large Tournaboup car park.
(S/E) From there, follow theGR®®10southwards to the Pont de la Gaubie bridge at the cycle path (Fignon cycle path). Cross the bridge and follow a track suitable for vehicles to its terminus, where you will find the Pountou intersection.
(1) From this junction , stay on the marked path without cutting corners, which would increase erosion.
Leave Vallon d'Aygues Cluses on your left and take Vallon dets Coubous on your right, with a 300m climb to reach the lake. You can see part of the hairpin bends of the climb from the sign.
The first part of the trail climbs gently to a footbridge. Immediately after, the slope becomes steeper, crossed twice by a small stream with a low flow. Climb the marked path without cutting corners. This is to avoid contributing to the erosion that is already well underway. Halfway up, you will reach a small plateau and a small bump, which you will go around. On the second part, the switchbacks become shorter but the climb becomes steeper. After the last hairpin bend, the path becomes much gentler. A hundred metres further on, you pass above an Électricité de France window. A few more metres take you to Lac dets Coubous, from where you must cross the dam, following the lake on the left.
(2) The trail branches off to the right, climbing a small hill and continuing along the side of the lake on a slight slope to the spillway of Lac Dera Younco (or Lac de la Jonquère). It leads easily to Lac Blanc after passing a path on the left.
(3) From there, climb a large hill to reach a small lake and, immediately after, Lac Nère.
(4) Leave the lake on your left. A little higher up, the path passes well above Lac Estagnol on the right. You can see the Hourquette d'Aubert looming opposite.
And the large chaos of scree that you will have to tackle a few metres further on.
(5) Ignore a trail that heads downhill; theGR®®10trail to Hourquette d'Aubert makes a hairpin turn at the foot of a cliff. Leave it and head straight for the scree. A few cairns mark the discreet trail, which is not very visible on the ground and is not marked at the start.
Few people take this rocky route, which can be off-putting for many as it is very challenging.
Halfway through this section, at the top of a small hill, you can enjoy the view. On the left, you can easily see the switchbacks of the Hourquette d'Aubert and on the right, a cliff that you have to go around. The path winds its way around the foot of the cliff. The slope becomes steeper, and the path turns into a small staircase of hard-packed earth or sometimes loose stones that roll underfoot. The last few metres are quite steep to climb to reach the Hourquette de Mounicot.
(6) The return journey follows the same route as the ascent to (S/E).
Visorando member
Moderate 
Extremely difficult 
