Lac des Bouillouses as seen from the Col del Pam

de fr

This walk starts at Coll del Palm, an ideal starting point for exploring the landscapes of the Pyrénées-Orientales. Here is the detailed route to Lac des Bouillouses.

Details

n°58663901
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.18 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 10 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 1,027 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 1,001 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 6,631 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 6,178 ft
Downloads
Open in the mobile app
Download GPX GPX
Download PDF PDF

Description of the walk

Park at Coll del Pam, where you’ll find ample parking.

(S/E) Leave the car park and take the well-marked track to the left, which offers panoramic views from the very start. You’ll reach the junction with a ski run just before the Avellans chairlift.

(1) Head down this track, turning off to the right. Pass under two chairlifts and reach a three-way junction.

(2) Turn left and begin a gradual, more winding ascent. You’ll reach the junction with the path coming from the Pla des Avellans car park.

(3) Carry on to the left to reach Estany de la Pradella. This is a good spot for a quick break and to enjoy the scenery.

(4) Carry on straight ahead along the signposted path, pass the Cabane de l’Estany de la Pradella and reach a triangular junction of tracks.

(5) Head straight on and, after a climb with no shade, you’ll finally reach Lac des Bouillouses. Keep the dam on your right and continue along the lake’s shores.

(6) Follow the ascent route in the opposite direction to return to the Coll del Pam car park (S/E). 

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 6,555 ft - Coll del Pam
  2. 1 : mi 0.43 - alt. 6,572 ft - Junction. Round trip. Les Avellans chairlift
  3. 2 : mi 0.64 - alt. 6,450 ft - Junction. Out and back
  4. 3 : mi 1.29 - alt. 6,230 ft - Junction. Out and back
  5. 4 : mi 1.8 - alt. 6,427 ft - Etang de Pradeilles (Estany de la Pradella)
  6. 5 : mi 2.14 - alt. 6,407 ft - Trail junction. Hut
  7. 6 : mi 3.59 - alt. 6,614 ft - Shores of the - Lac des Bouillouses
  8. S/E : mi 7.18 - alt. 6,555 ft - Coll del Pam

Notes

Flora and fauna: respect nature and take your rubbish away with you.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 3 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
DGer
DGer

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 04, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful round trip hike, easy to follow as it is well signposted. Not too crowded on this July day as it was early in the morning and there was a storm forecast for late morning.

Machine-translated

Christian DUVIC
Christian DUVIC

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

Hike through forests and pastures, well marked, very pleasant; you can extend the walk by going around Lake Bouillouses before returning.

Machine-translated

Benjack
Benjack

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We went on this hike on 7 January 2025, in glorious sunshine, through the snow and without snowshoes because the conditions allowed it. A varied route, alternating between woodland and ski runs, leading to the frozen Pradelles pond and then Lake Bouillouses, which was completely deserted that day and absolutely stunning.
The only slight drawback or area for improvement: at point no. 2, the forest path you need to follow when leaving the ski run first descends for quite a while before the ‘gradual, more winding ascent’ mentioned in the description.
Apart from that, it’s a magnificent walk, particularly in winter conditions.

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

Walking Roc de la Calma

Visorando Member
Roc de la Calma
↔7.33 mi ↗+1,027 ft ↘-1,027 ft ◔4h 15 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Font-Romeu-Odeillo-Via (Pyrénées-Orientales)
Short summer hike above Font-Romeu. Option to take the Airelles cable car from Font-Romeu for the first part of the hike.

Walking Les Airelles

Visorando Member
Les Airelles
↔3.73 mi ↗+479 ft ↘-502 ft ◔2h 10 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Font-Romeu-Odeillo-Via (Pyrénées-Orientales)
A pleasant, short and easy walk with little elevation gain. Moderator's warning on 18/02/2021: It seems that this hike is impossible in winter; see the comments at the bottom of the page

Walking Around Roc de la Calme

Visorando Member
↔3.73 mi ↗+591 ft ↘-591 ft ◔2h 15 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Font-Romeu-Odeillo-Via (Pyrénées-Orientales)
A very pleasant route accessible to all, leading to the Roc de la Calme orientation table, where you can enjoy an exceptional panorama of the surrounding peaks. This hike can also be done on snowshoes, depending on snow conditions. Please note: access to the route is prohibited while the resort is open.

Walking Pic Dels Moros

Visorando Member
Pic Dels Moros
↔7.79 mi ↗+919 ft ↘-942 ft ◔4h 25 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Font-Romeu-Odeillo-Via (Pyrénées-Orientales)
This is an easy hike offering magnificent views of the Cerdagne plateau, the Carlit massif, the Pérics, the Cambre d'Aze, the Puigmal and the Sierra Del Caddi in Spain.

Walking Refuge des Fornells and Coll del Pam from Pyrénées 2000

Visorando Member
↔4.34 mi ↗+653 ft ↘-656 ft ◔2h 35 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Font-Romeu-Odeillo-Via (Pyrénées-Orientales)
A lovely circular walk in the forest, from Pyrénées 2000 to Coll del Pam (col du lopin de terre). Viewpoint over the mountains from Carlit to Canigou at the end.

Walking The Bouillouses Dam via the GR® 10 and the Têt Valley

Visorando Member
Le Barrage des Bouillouses par le GR® 10 et la Vallée de la Têt
↔13.02 mi ↗+1,621 ft ↘-1,624 ft ◔7h 25 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Bolquère (Pyrénées-Orientales)
From Superbolquère, a hike that isn’t too difficult but features a technical section from Estany Llarg (Long Lake) via Estany Negre (Black Lake) to the Têt Valley. The path is very rocky at the start, followed by a stony descent!

Walking Mont Llaret via Lac d'Aude

Visorando Member
Le Mont Llaret par le Lac d'Aude
↔9.15 mi ↗+1,985 ft ↘-1,962 ft ◔5h 55 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Les Angles (Pyrénées-Orientales) (Pyrénées-Orientales)
A pleasant loop starting from the Angles Animal Park. A passage by the Lac d'Aude then a view of the Lac des Bouillousses. At Corrals del Lloret, a beautiful herd of cows with their calves. A few almost wild horses. Mont Llauret and Roc d'Aude at the end to see the surroundings.

Walking Barrage des Bouillouses - Camporells Refuge

Visorando Member
Barrage des Bouillouses - Refuge de Camporells
↔7.75 mi ↗+3,028 ft ↘-2,241 ft ◔6h 10 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Angoustrine-Villeneuve-des-Escaldes (Pyrénées-Orientales)
Modification on 12 September 2022: addition of the Petit Péric ascent validated on Thursday 8 September 2022.This first stage of the Tour des Pérics is enhanced by beautiful landscapes.It offers a taste of the mountain scenery that will be encountered during these four days.Vehicles must be left in the free car park. See the practical information section*.In summer, you must take a paid shuttle bus to Lac des Bouillouses. See the practical information section **. Please note: from (8), you must have the GPX track or a very good sense of direction to attempt the ascent of Petit Peric.

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.