Lac de Bastampe (2019 m) walks

Nestled at 2,019 metres in the Ardiden Massif, above Luz-Saint-Sauveur, Lake Bastampe is a little glacial gem in the Luz Valley. Off the beaten track, it lies nestled in a rocky cirque where the Pic de Carlis is reflected in its shallow waters. Its charm? A wooded island of mountain pines, sitting in the centre like a picturesque detail from a postcard!To reach it, you’ll face a lovely climb, long and steep towards the end. But the effort is well worth it for the route itself, which is quite simply magnificent: woodland, stony grassy slopes, and sweeping views towards the jagged ridges of the Pic de Badet d’Aubiste (2,741 m), the Soum de Culaus (2,577 m), the Pic de Bastampe (2,783 m) and the Pic de Barbe de Bouc (2,964 m), the latter being the very embodiment of these jagged, tapered peaks!The effort pays off: by the water’s edge, we treat ourselves to photos, a picnic and a nap whilst walking round the lake.

In the Ardiden Massif, two high-altitude lakes, two peaks and you. There are places we don’t talk about too much, for fear they might change. The Cirque de Litouèse is one of them. Up there, at over 2,000 metres above Luz-Saint-Sauveur, time seems to have stood still: first, the Lac de Bastampe, so picturesque with its island in the middle and its calm waters… Then, after a discreet pass between large granite boulders, Lake Litouèse comes into view: 42 metres deep, with waters so crystal-clear that you feel you can see right to the bottom. In days gone by, black trout used to live there! Above, the rocky, sun-drenched cirque beckons: first the Pic de Litouèse (2,420 m), from where the reward is immense – Gavarnie, the Vignemale and the Pic du Midi lined up as if to greet you, then the Soum de Caubarole (2,386 m). At the lakeside, a well-maintained hut guarantees peace and quiet. It’s one of those circular walks, with unforgiving slopes that will test your legs and stay with you for a long time!