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From Saint-Lary-Soulan, head towards Spain and the Bielsa tunnel. After Aragnouet, leave the road to Piau Engaly on your right and park in the first bend in the road. There are small car parks on the right and left of the bend. It is best to arrive early as there are very few spaces for a popular hike. Park carefully as the road is used by many heavy goods vehicles.
(S/E) Take a wide track to the right of the road (signposted) which runs along the right bank of the Neste de la Géla. After about a kilometre, you will reach a calvary.
(1) The track remains wide and continues, becoming a stony, rocky path as it enters the forest. You will arrive at an avalanche corridor.
(2) The path continues, leaving the forest and reaching a gate at the edge of the stream. Continue to a footbridge.
(3) Cross over and pass on the left bank, entering the Pyrenees National Park. Follow the bends of the Neste without really climbing for more than 1.5 km. On the other side of the stream, you can see the Cabane de la Géla. Begin to move away from the stream.
(4) The path begins to climb through the mountain pastures.
Do not try to cut across, follow the marked path, as this is a protected area. Thank you.
Cross a stream that is often dry. Above, depending on the time of day, you can see a few izards and lots of marmots on either side of the path. You will reach a scree slope.
(5) Cross the scree slope following a well-marked path. It is covered with snow late in the season (early July). In this case, follow the tracks made by previous hikers. This path ends at the rock face.
(6) The path veers sharply to the left and heads towards a waterfall, then branches off to the right to climb up the rocks via steps (you may see edelweiss here, so keep an eye out). You will reach a straight line where the slope becomes gentler and you will come to a plateau.
(7) Leave the path on your right that leads to the Hourquette de Chermentas and then to Piau Engaly.
This is another way to reach the Barroude Lakes via Lake Badet. It is more austere towards the end and more exposed.
Take the path on the left that winds between the boulders and is dominated by the 500-metre-high Muraille du Cirque de Barroude: Pic de Gerbats, Petit Pic Blanc, Pic Heid and, opposite, Pic de Troumouse (3,085 metres).
The path passes between small lakes.
(8) A few hundred metres further on, you will reach the large Lac de Barroude (2,369 m).
(9) Continue along the path that climbs to the Port de Barroude at 2,534 m.
(10) Now stay on the ridge, making a detour to the east to Soum de Barroude (2,674 m).
(11) The path curves northwards to Pic de Port Vieux (2,723 m).
(12) Do not follow the steep and difficult ridge. Descend the Spanish side towards the east and then north through the grassy slopes. Rejoin the ridge a little lower down at an elevation of 2,480 m.
(13) The path heading northeast joins the Col de Port Vieux (2384 m).
(14) The descent winds down a good path, then follows the Neste de la Géla to the hut of the same name.
(15) Continue along the right bank of the stream and rejoin the outward route.
(3) Take the opposite route to the outward journey until you reach the road (S/E).
Visorando member
Moderate 
