Gaube lake and Oulettes de Gaube refuge

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Departing from Le Pont d'Espagne, this moderately demanding hike will take you into the Pyrenees National Park to discover Lac de Gaube and the Oulettes de Gaube refuge, from where you can admire the Vignemale, the highest peak in the Pyrenees at 3298m. If you're lucky, you might even spot some marmots.

Details

n°2243
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 15.58 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 6h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 710 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 709 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,151 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,467 m
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Photos

View of Lac de Gaube from the Oulettes refuge
The Vignemale
Lake Gaube
Along the way

Description of the walk

Park your car at the Pont d'Espagne car park at an altitude of 1460m.

(S/E) Start by taking the winding road.

(1) Turn quickly left towards Lac de Gaube. This is also the route of the GR®10, which you will follow to the Refuge des Oulettes de Gaube. The path is quite steep at first, but then the gradient eases.

(2) Pass by Lac des Huats at 1666m and continue to Lac de Gaube at 1730m.

(3) You walk along it on the right as you climb (left bank). Lac de Gaube is a very clear blue lake. The path crosses scree and begins to climb again shortly after the lake.
There is still a long way to go and the path climbs in stages. However, the gradient is never too steep. You cross the Gave des Oulettes twice. The forest has now disappeared and you can start to see the peaks of the Vignemale in particular.

(4) Take a break at the Oulettes de Gaube refuge at 2151m, then take the same path in the opposite direction to return to the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,467 m - Pont d'Espagne car park. Close to the - Gave de Cauterets (rivière)
  2. 1 : km 0.27 - alt. 1,491 m - Pont d'Espagne
  3. 2 : km 1.19 - alt. 1,669 m - Lac des Huats
  4. 3 : km 2.34 - alt. 1,729 m - Lac de Gaube (Lake Gaube)
  5. 4 : km 7.79 - alt. 2,151 m - Refuge des Oulettes de Gaube
  6. S/E : km 15.58 - alt. 1,467 m - Pont d'Espagne car park.

Notes

Access to the Pont d'Espagne car park is subject to a charge (€6.50 in 2018).

For this walk, bring decent walking shoes, some provisions and water.

Always bring something to cover up in case the weather turns for the worse. Temperatures can quickly become chilly at these altitudes.

Finally, a chairlift gives you easier access to Lac de Gaube, saving you 200m of ascent.

This route passes through a protected area, which may be subject to special regulations:

Worth a visit

Don't forget to take a short diversions to admire the Pont d'Espagne! (follow the signs from the car park).

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

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Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 87 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
User 24991151

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 22, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Excellent hike. Not too difficult, but not too easy either!

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User 19628220

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 15, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Fantastic hike, but I have some doubts about the mileage because we stopped a little before the Oulettes refuge (about 30 minutes before) and when we returned to the car park, our smartwatch showed a total mileage that exceeded the distance indicated for the hike

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User 27198647

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 18, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful hike with a magnificent view of Lake Gaube in the morning.
I had a picnic at the foot of Vignemal surrounded by marmots, just a short distance from the snowfields.

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Pierredb
Pierredb

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 12, 2025
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

No need to look at the map, just aim for the middle of the valley and follow the others (never seen that in the Pyrenees, except maybe in Lourdes...). What a crowd! And when it starts going straight up, it's over, turn around and head back.
BUT, arriving in front of the cirque with the Vignemale and a few more adventurous walkers is definitely worth the view through your binoculars and a photo.
Parking is now €8.
It's really worth a look.

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annysam
annysam
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 02, 2025
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. We took the chairlift up to Lake Gaube and walked down. The most beautiful and interesting part is after Lake Gaube. The meadows you walk through are magnificent and provide some respite from the sometimes quite steep climb. Majestic scenery at the Oulette de Gaube.

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clcyrot
clcyrot

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 29, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A magnificent hike with breathtaking views of the Vignemal.
A steady climb, quite long (3 hours for us). But the arrival at the refuge is worth it, with a vast meadow at the foot of the Vignemal and its glacier.

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User 24414512

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 21, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Magnificent even in cloudy weather. Not recommended for walkers with knee or ankle problems as there are many stones on the path.

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User 21653461

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 16, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Breathtaking scenery, the Vignemale and its north face are majestic - a hike to be made on a clear day to take full advantage of the view, so it's essential to set off early in the morning and avoid the afternoon clouds.

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phlrando
phlrando

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 30, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

On the advice of our host, we made a very nice hike. Very few people and lots of sunshine.

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clem1606
clem1606

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

Magnificent scenery, a little crowded as far as the lake, but it calms down as we climb to the refuge.
Highly recommended!

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Al49
Al49

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

The scenery is magnificent, but it's so crowded... Despite leaving the car park at 8am, there were sometimes 3 of us abreast on the ascent to the Oulettes refuge. Back at the lake, the crowds of people on the chairlifts, screaming children and the scent of sun cream were a horror! The climb up through the rocks is tiring, and the descent is hard on the knees. I recommend returning via the ski slope (at the lake on the left); it's quieter and makes a change from the steps on the way up.

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Camboune34
Camboune34

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 29, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Magnificent walk.
Only disappointment: the "pseudo-hotel" at Lac de Gaube. Discouraging prices, and ropes and signs everywhere. I'll sum up our feeling: everything that's not forbidden is compulsory and vice versa.
Quite the opposite of the refuge des houlettes, which is very welcoming.

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romain reynaud
romain reynaud
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 14, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

It's a magnificent walk! Allow 5h30 for the return walk

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Thierrydu47
Thierrydu47

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 13, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Do it early to avoid the late arrivals and enjoy the magnificent panorama.

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terapsag
terapsag

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 26, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Walked on a Sunday with average attendance. The weather was cloudy with sunny spells, but very overcast and cold at the foot of the Vignemal. The route follows the Gave de Cauterets with magnificent waterfalls all the way to Lac de Gaube and then to the Oulettes refuge. On the way up, I met 3 skiers coming back down with their skis on their backs: there was still quite a bit of snow at the foot of the Vignemal but only 2 or 3 snow-covered sections as far as the refuge.

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