Lac d'Aygue Rouye circular

de fr

A circular loop around Lac d’Aygue Rouye with a magnificent view of the Pic du Midi de Bigorre.
A shepherd’s shelter, skilfully renovated using flat stones, welcomes you at the lakeside.
The grassy ledges surrounding the lake are perfect for a quick nap.
You may be lucky enough to spot some chamois or a few deer.

Details

n°2952685
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 5.49 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 2,100 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 2,096 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 5,978 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 3,944 ft
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Photos

View of the Pic du Midi.

Description of the walk

Park in the car park on the Route Forestière du Peyras, near a Canadian-style crossing. Reach this car park via the Col de la Courade, setting off from Beaudéan after crossing the Adour de l’Esponne at the Pont de Beaudéan.

(S/E) Take the track that starts at the car park and follow it to the Croix de Peyras, visible above the path on the right.

(1) Leave the track and take the path on the right, situated below the ridge line. Continue up a steady climb to reach Lac d’Aygue Rouye.

(2) Head north-north-west towards a metal site hut with green-painted doors and windows. The hut is visible from the lake and is situated on the edge of the Liset de Hount Blanque ridge.
Please note: a path – which can sometimes be hard to find but is not always visible – leads there safely in good weather and when there is no snow.

(3) Descend gently, heading north-east, down a fairly steep slope, following the ridge line as closely as possible – it is quite wide and safe – towards Soum de Castet, and reach it.

(4) Continue descending carefully, still following the ridge, until you reach the Croix de Peyras.

(1) Retrace your steps along the same route as on the way up to reach the RF de Peyras car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 3,950 ft - Car park on the right at the Canadian crossing
  2. 1 : mi 0.63 - alt. 4,072 ft - Croix de Peyras
  3. 2 : mi 2.48 - alt. 5,289 ft - Shelter and Lake Aygue Rouye
  4. 3 : mi 3.38 - alt. 5,978 ft - Metal hut with a green door
  5. 4 : mi 4.14 - alt. 5,203 ft - Soum de Castet
  6. S/E : mi 5.49 - alt. 3,944 ft - Car park on the right at the Canadian crossing

Notes

This route can be tackled on snowshoes by experienced, cautious walkers in good weather.
Depending on snow conditions, watch out for snow cornices.

Worth a visit

(2) Lac d’Aygue Rouye: You can stop briefly to visit the pretty, beautifully restored shelter. It could possibly accommodate three or four walkers. This spot is a good choice for a meal break and a nap.
(3) Near the metal hut, you can see some old shepherds’ huts.
Anecdote from the outing: in fine weather on 3 February 2020, we were surprised to come across a shepherd who managed, with some difficulty, to retrieve six goats that had not come back down after the transhumance.

Reviews and comments

4.3 / 5
Based on 22 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5
Ease of following the route
3.9 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
User 4646150

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 16, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The climb up to the lake is no problem at all as the path is in very good condition. There’s no shade, so with the heat, the picnic wasn’t particularly pleasant. I completed the circular route by following the Visorando GPS route exactly, through the heather and along the cattle tracks. It’s a bit of a workout, but you get there. The descent on the other side is lovely.

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User 25278485

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 08, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A really lovely walk – I couldn’t complete the circular walk as I couldn’t find the path along the ridge. A lovely little lake, though 👍

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fredmag13500
fredmag13500

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 08, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The section of the shepherd’s hut at Liset de Hount Blanque is not signposted. The path disappears. Some locals told me there is a route that goes through the bottom of the valley, then takes a path on the right to climb up to a track leading to Liset de Hount. In any case, the path shown on the hiking route map does not exist.

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Nous en rando
Nous en rando

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 21, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike completed without any particular difficulties, beautiful frozen lake, view of the Pic du Midi. We didn't meet anyone, no snow on the trail, but it started snowing around midday.
To be repeated when the weather is fine.

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User 24343895
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 31, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

From the starting point (which can also be reached from CAMPAN) to the lake: well-marked and signposted trail, obvious.
From the lake to the ridges, the paths are more or less marked. The metal hut mentioned in the description was not seen.

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User 7534542

A pleasant walk taken on 31/11/2025. The cabin is visible on the opposite shore of the lake. Otherwise, just follow the line of the two islets to find it. There is a sort of path that climbs diagonally.

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User 12420603

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 19, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk, with autumn colours. The site hut is not visible from the lake.

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User 20848024

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 23, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The idea of doing a loop instead of going back and forth is worth it. But the return trip is very difficult to understand, with paths that are poorly marked or have disappeared, perhaps since the hike was posted
But we still had a great time and laughed a lot about our detours and unlikely passages.

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bbrunelet
bbrunelet

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 24, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant lake with beautiful views from the heights.
However, it's difficult to find the path that goes up to Liset de Hount Blanque.
The marshy ground at the bottom makes it difficult to find the start of the trail.
The green metal hut given as a landmark in the guidebook is invisible from the lake and therefore cannot be used as a reference point.
I don't know if there really is a trail at the start of the climb, but with the help of GPS, we made a wrong turn at the start and then had a steep climb to the ridge.
It's a shame for what is a really interesting hike. It wouldn't take much to make it safer: an arrow at the start of the climb, for example.

P.S: The descent via the ridge is not recommended for those with sensitive knees.

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ChrystelleCG
ChrystelleCG

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 08, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A tip for hot weather: set off very early, as the climb is on the eastern side with no cool breeze from the north or west and no shade at all: it gets hot quickly!
But you'll be rewarded when you arrive at the lake: it's wonderful!

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La chevre 64
La chevre 64
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A short hike we did 13 years ago, climbing up to the lake with some sections that were tougher than in 2012 (we're getting older...). The Pic du Midi de Bigorre looms on the horizon. After an hour and a half of climbing, we were surprised to discover we didn't remember the shepherd's hut. The lake is no larger, but it's a pleasant place for a picnic. A female mallard is on the water with her young (six beautiful ducklings), but what are they doing here? The waterfalls are clearly visible and active, with water present this time.

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User 13302006

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

A lovely walk, suitable for families (we have an 11-year-old child). There is a slight difficulty (uncertainty) on the climb between points 2 and 3 (above the lake to reach the ridge), but the path is still fairly easy to find.

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matrat nelly
matrat nelly

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

It is essential to have a GPS with a downloaded map for the second part, which is for experienced hikers who know how to navigate and are in good physical condition, as there is a significant elevation gain.
We did not see the metal hut, no trace of it.
That said, we were happy to reach the ridge because the view is beautiful and well worth the effort...

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Core In
Core In

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 22, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Overall, a beautiful hike... Very beautiful views as you climb, with a lovely 90° panorama once you reach the ridge. Also nice along the way is Lake Aygue Rouye with its cosy cabin, perfect for a break sheltered from the wind and cold on that particular day...
The off-trail section, where, as Pyrénéenne19 rightly says, you have to climb wildly to reach the ridge, is not very pleasant and should, at least for this part, make the hike "difficult" rather than moderate, but there is no other option to reach it, so you just have to get on with it...On the other hand, as I didn't have binoculars, either from the lake or once I was up there, I never came across the green metal hut to use as a guide... luckily, the GPX was there as always, thank goodness for technology!

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Pyrénéenne19
Pyrénéenne19

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 04, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The walk to the lake is charming and easy to access. The site is magnificent. The cabins are in good condition. I walked around the lake among a few snowfields.
You need binoculars to spot the green metal cabin. The most difficult part is getting to this cabin: there are no markings from the lake, so you have to climb wildly, using the route description on your phone to guide you.
I do not recommend the descent via the ridge at all for those with knee problems. The view is pretty, but the terrain is very uncomfortable.

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