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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 very 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 a few metres 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 Géla hut. Begin to move away from the stream.
(4) The path begins to climb up into the mountain pastures. Do not try to cut across, follow the marked path, as this is a protected area. 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 Lac de 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 Baroude: 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 more metres and you will reach the large Lac de Baroude.
(9) The return journey is along the same path back to the car park (S/E).
Visorando member
Moderate 
