The Chemin des Palombières at Saint-Pé-d'Ardet

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This hike, which has no major difficulties, will be great fun to do in autumn in the midst of an explosion of colour. You'll discover superb beech forests, impressive pidgeon hunting huts, a beautiful view of the Pic du Cagire, the Garonne valley and the first Pyrenean peaks dominating the Barousse.

Details

n°842820
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.44 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 445 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 443 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 996 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 593 m
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Photos

Patriarch
Orchids
Fountain
Drill

Description of the walk

Park in the car park alongside the D9.

(S/E) From the car park, take the narrow tarmac road (east).

(1) At the first fork in the road, go straight ahead on the gravel path that veers north-east to reach the Col des Ares (GR®®78).

(2) At the Col des Ares, cross the road and take the path almost straight ahead through a beech forest, following the yellow markings. After around a hundred metres, the path veers to the right and starts to climb.

(3) At the top of the hill, turn right. The path continues to climb in stages to the summit of Juan Malaut.

(4) Pass through the pidgeon hunting huts. Continue to the Col du Hô.

(5) Ignore the wide paths to take the path that descends opposite through the woods. Follow the descent through the beech forest to the D618.

(6) Turn left and continue along the road (take care as this is a busy road), past the hairpin bend (panorama).

(7) Turn left and drive through the village of Antichan-de-Frontignes, skirting it on the left. Pass a small castle and follow the yellow signs back to the D618.

(8) Cross the road to take the path opposite (GR®®86) for 1.7km. Pass a wash-house on the right and continue to the first fork in the road.

(1) Turn left towards Saint-Pé-d'Ardet and return to the car park(S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 595 m - Car park at the north exit of Saint-Pé-d'Ardet
  2. 1 : km 0.36 - alt. 631 m - Carrefour de la boucle
  3. 2 : km 2.03 - alt. 792 m - Crossing the D618 at - Col des Ares (799 m)
  4. 3 : km 2.38 - alt. 837 m - Right towards the summit Juan Malaut
  5. 4 : km 3.72 - alt. 996 m - Juan Malaut (1014 m)
  6. 5 : km 4.23 - alt. 935 m - Col du Hô (941 m)
  7. 6 : km 5.74 - alt. 630 m - D618, left
  8. 7 : km 6.2 - alt. 611 m - To the left, entrance to the village
  9. 8 : km 6.62 - alt. 594 m - Cross the D618, straight ahead on the GR86
  10. S/E : km 8.44 - alt. 595 m - Car park at the north exit of Saint-Pé-d'Ardet

Notes

Access from Toulouse or Tarbes :
- A64 exit n°17 (A645) for 6km to a large roundabout.
- Take the N125 (Bagnères-de-Luchon/Lérida) for 18km.
- Km18 : turn left onto Fronsac and the D618 (Col des Ares) for 4.5km.
- Km4.5: turn left onto the D9 for 1km (Saint-Pé d'Ardet).
- Saint-Pé d'Ardet: go through the village and park in the car park on the right.

Equipment: good shoes.
No water points along the route.

Worth a visit

- Visit the village of Saint-Pé-d'Ardet
- Sainte-Auraille chapel.
- Impressively high pidgeon hunting huts.
- Goshawk shooting station at the Col du Hô.
- Orientation table at Antichan-Frontigne.

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

4.7 / 5
Based on 23 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.4 / 5
Maxcan
Maxcan
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike, very easy to follow, takes 2 hours with a short break. The village of Antichan is very charming.
Be careful, even in summer with just a light drizzle, the rocks are very wet and slippery, and the ground quickly becomes muddy and slippery. There are steep slopes of 25% both uphill AND downhill.

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Kokocaline
Kokocaline

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 17, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk, especially if the weather is fine.

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Vico31700
Vico31700

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 21, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

The starting point of the walk is a little unclear, but the rest of the route is very well signposted and easy to follow. A pleasant route, mostly in woodland, so shady in summer and sheltered in winter. The pidgeon hunting huts perched in the trees are a real plus for the interest of the route.

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lancel01
lancel01

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 18, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

varied route, mostly in undergrowth, with some steep slopes

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Lalalon
Lalalon

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 17, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk, we did it in sporty mode for 2 hours. The descent can be a little slippery, but not really difficult. Lovely beech forest and the pidgeon hunting huts high up on the mountain are very interesting. Very shady.

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bolero
bolero

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 08, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

circuit very shaded.
small diversions at the top, because trees with markings surely cut ...
Otherwise, nice hike for about +500m.

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gerti
gerti

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 07, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful walk that needs no description. Just follow the "yellow" markings from the car park ("official" hiking sign)!

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pioupiou32
pioupiou32

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 05, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

very nice walk in a magnificent forest, wonderful, i recommend it!
yes, as i had read in the reviews, it was a difficult descent to antichan and what's more, it had rained!
on the other hand, I can't congratulate the town of st pé d'ardet! in fact, on their sign at the start of the hike, it's presented as easy, which is a scandalous classification because no, it's not easy! the average grade suits it much better
for me, easy means accessible to all and this hike is not accessible to all, it can even be dangerous for someone who is not used to hiking!

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Philfri
Philfri

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 11, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pretty little loop for the whole family (7, 8 years old) with a very good path, beautiful forest and impressive palombieres.
The Col du Ho almost makes you think you're in the Basque country.
The descent is a little long and can be a little slippery if too wet, but there is no great risk.

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TITITROT
TITITROT

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 26, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We discovered the many pidgeon hunting huts along the way as we approached the summit, and were able to chat with a hunter who expressed his passion for this age-old tradition. The trail passes through magnificent forests of majestic beech trees, under which we were able to pick up a few mushrooms: chanterelles and trumpets of death... Be careful, it's a bit slippery on the descent to Antichan after the thunderstorms.

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OURS31
OURS31

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 08, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A pretty walk with no difficulties.
Best done on a sunny day, as the route is very shady.

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centaurée
centaurée

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 28, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

It's a lovely hike, especially up to the small summit, because the descent after that is steep and very long. And there's a bit of road.

I plan to do this hike again, on a return trip.

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Bruno et Anne
Bruno et Anne

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 02, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant easy walk, with plenty of shade. Allows you to take the time to discover the villages.

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JYM31
JYM31

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 12, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very nice walk!

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liliane.clarens
liliane.clarens

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 25, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

On this beautiful day, we crossed a magnificent beech forest in a calm and cool atmosphere.
Climb along a path lined with hazel ferns, lilacs and orchids and pass through the pidgeon hunting huts to the Col du Hô.
A fine descent in places, with flat stones and low walls
A beautiful panorama on arrival at Antichan- de- Frontignes - a very well-designed route with two historic villages to visit

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