The Chemin de la Mâture and the Col d'Arras

One of the best-known paths in the Pyrenees, carved into the steep rock above the Gorges d'Enfer. The Chemin de la Mâture still echoes with the blows of the pickaxes of the convicts who dug it. An unforgettable page of history!

Details

367494
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.11 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 826 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 821 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,305 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 632 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Access: At Oloron-Sainte-Marie, take the N134 towards Le Somport. Leave the junction for Etsaut Nord and continue until you reach the junction for Etsaut Sud on the left. Cross the bridge over the Gave d'Aspe and park in the car park to the right of the Pont de Cebers.

(S) From the car park, take the tarmac road (Etsdemorate) heading south-east along the Gave d'Aspe.

(1) At Passette, go straight on up the path. The Chemin de la Mâture starts here, as indicated by the signs and the white and red GR® markings. As you pass under a high-voltage power line, you will see the Fort du Portalet clinging to the cliff. You can take a short detour downhill to the right to reach a footbridge at the foot of the fort (which is closed until 2022).

(2) 400m further up, a right-angle bend to the left: entrance to the Gorges d'Enfer.
The climb is steady for 1500m. We are on the GR®10.

(3) Pass the Granges de Perry and continue on the path, which has become gentler, to the next junction.

(4) In the woods, turn left onto the path that climbs towards the Col d'Arras (follow the signs). 250m further up, turn left again towards the same pass. Leave the GR®10and follow a PR® (yellow markings). Cross the moorland following the paths carved out by the animals.

(5) The pass is indicated by a simple sign (does not correspond to the position on the IGN map). Start the descent, which is very steep and can be very wet and slippery.

(6) Continue straight down the winding descent on a path of often slippery stones, fording the Bouscagne stream and continuing down the winding path. Pass under the high-voltage power line and emerge onto a dirt and stone path (Arrie de Haut) that leads to a gate on the left.

(7) Return to the tarmac road, which bends to the left. Go down this road, again passing under the high-voltage power line several times until you reach (1) and continue along the tarmac road towards the Cebers car park (S/E).
:

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 633 m - Departure from the Cebers bridge car park. - Gave d'Asp (cours d'eau) - Espagne - Affluent du Gave d'Oloron
  2. 1 : km 0.85 - alt. 714 m - Straight on Chemin de la Mâture.
  3. 2 : km 1.37 - alt. 794 m - Entrance to Gorges d'Enfer
  4. 3 : km 2.84 - alt. 1,118 m - Perry's barns.
  5. 4 : km 3.94 - alt. 1,170 m - Turn left towards the Col d'Arras.
  6. 5 : km 5.39 - alt. 1,277 m - Le Col d'Arras (1280m)
  7. 6 : km 5.81 - alt. 1,221 m - Crossing a ford on the Bouscagne stream.
  8. 7 : km 7.22 - alt. 805 m - Back on the tarmac, turn left at the hairpin bend
  9. S/E : km 9.11 - alt. 633 m - Arrival at the - Pont de Cebres

Notes

Water point near the Perry barns.
The Chemin de la Mâture winds its way up the Gorges d'Enfer (Sescoué valley). With an average width of almost 3m, some sections are only 1m80 wide, so extreme caution is essential on this exceptional section of the GR®10.
The descent after the Col d'Arras is very steep over slippery rock, so bring good hiking boots and poles!

Worth a visit

The Portalet Fort, overlooking one of the narrowest parts of the Aspe valley.
The Chemin de la Mâture, dug by hand into the rock in the 18th century to supply the navy of the day with beech, boxwood and fir. This wood was transported to Bayonne on rafts, then on to the arsenals in Brest.

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.

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 103 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
olivetrack
olivetrack

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 02, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A magnificent hike yesterday (01/01/2026). There is a rockfall on the climb up Chemin de la Mature. It is possible to pass, but tricky as it is close to the edge. I didn't think to use the app's warning signals, which is why I am reporting it here.

Machine-translated

User 17084186

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Nothing special to report. The guidebook is very accurate.

Machine-translated

jph64
jph64

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 20, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike that took 3 hours and 45 minutes at a leisurely pace. Under autumn sunshine with ideal temperatures (13°C at 9am and 15°C at 12pm). Very few people out and about that day. Very good guidance from the app and very good signposting. As often mentioned in reviews, the descent through the forest is tiring due to the stony ground and the gradient (avoid if it has rained the day before). Great view of Fort du Pourtalet and the peaks, which were turning purple at this time of year.

Machine-translated

landozarzi
landozarzi

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very nice route that I have already completed and would happily do again

Machine-translated

User 10103017
• Edited:

Hike completed on 24 August 2025.
Very nice, warm weather.
two walkers accompanied me: my wife and a friend.
A very beautiful hike, with a fairly steep climb on the Mature path in places, but on the other hand, the descent after the Arras pass was difficult, very steep and slippery, but fortunately not wet.
Arrival on the paved road, another 4.4 km to reach the Cebers bridge car park, although you can park
at a place called Passette.
thank you for everything.
Christian

Machine-translated

User 23067977

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 08, 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 with diverse landscapes. Some thrills along the cliff. Take precautions if you go with children.
I recommend it.

Machine-translated

Pierrette.L
Pierrette.L

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 08, 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! View of the forest, now accessible for a visit 👍 Impressive passage through the rock! This part is best done in the cool of the morning! We thoroughly enjoyed it 😁

Machine-translated

User 10103017

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful hike, climb on the Chemin de la Mature side quite steep in places but good, however the descent after the Col d'Arras is difficult, very steep and slippery, but fortunately not wet.
Once on the paved road, it's another 4.4 km to the car park at the Cebers bridge, although you can park
at a place called Passette.
thanks for everything.

Machine-translated

Patchi61
Patchi61
• Edited:

Very stony path on both the ascent and descent, well signposted, pleasant but very steep climb up to the Col d'Arras.
Few views except at the start, overlooking the gorges and the Pourtalet fort.
Worth doing once, but only in dry weather.
Hike completed in 4 hours.

Machine-translated

User 8900944

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Hike completed in 3 hours without really rushing.

Machine-translated

User 24578815

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 22, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Walk taken with my 11-year-old daughter. Difficult terrain but great memories and magnificent views!

Machine-translated

stephan vallat
stephan vallat

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

A beautiful hike, the first part of which is quite impressive due to the size of the rock formations

Machine-translated

User 8189461

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

Thank you, it was a pleasure to go on this hike. There were five of us and everyone enjoyed it.
We'd definitely do it again.

Stéphane.

Machine-translated

User 8216836

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

A beautiful hike along the historic Mature trail. Be sure to follow the trail carefully, as the descent is quite steep and slippery with lots of rocks. I came across quite a few people walking in the opposite direction, and they were out of breath after less than 400 metres.

Machine-translated

User 25592606

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 23, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Nothing but happiness, but quite challenging

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

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.