The Vallon d'Aygues Cluses

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This very pleasant and accessible walk takes you through the beautiful Aygues Cluses Valley.
You will walk along the torrent between groves and lawns to the lake of Coueyla Gran.
Located at the gateway to the Néouvielle Nature Reserve, come and meet its emblematic host: the mountain pine. See During the hike or nearby.
Observe the "coueylas", which are old shelters for shepherds and their flocks.

Details

n°24093945
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 12.72 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 703 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 703 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,153 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,450 m
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Description of the walk

From Barèges, head towards the Col du Tourmalet on the D918. Before the first hairpin bends in the road, park in the Tournaboup car park.

White and red markings forthe GR®10

(S/E) Pass in front of the ski resort buildings, under the Tournaboup chairlift, and join theGR®10. You will arrive at the Pont de la Gaubie and the "Voie Laurent Fignon", the historic route of the Tour de France to the Col du Tourmalet, now reserved for cyclists.

(1) Cross over and take theGR®10, which climbs southwards through the summer pastures until it joins a track.

(2) "Pastoral life: on your right are "coueylas", which are old shelters for shepherds and their flocks." Cabanes de la Gaubie.
Follow this track for about 1.5 km and cross the Aygues Cluses stream via the Pountou footbridge.

(3) At the fork that follows shortly afterwards, turn left, still on theGR®10, towards the Vallon d'Aygues Cluses.

The trail gradually climbs and you cross a series of stony valleys and lake plateaus.
After one last climb, you will pass close to the Cabane de la Pègue.

(4) "You are now in the middle of a mountain pine forest (during the hike or nearby)."
Continue on theGR®10. Before reaching a flat, wet area, the trail reaches an intersection.

(5) Turn right, still on theGR®10, ford the Coueyla Gran stream and reach the Cabane d'Aygues Cluses and Lake Coueyla Gran.

(6) Discover the construction site of the future Refuge d'Aygues Cluses (already well advanced). Arrive at Lac de Coueyla Gran

(7) Return via the same route to reach the Tournaboup car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,450 m - Car park - Tournaboup
  2. 1 : km 1.05 - alt. 1,549 m - Laurent Fignon route - Parking Pont de la Gaubie
  3. 2 : km 1.46 - alt. 1,628 m - Look out for "coueylas" on your right.
  4. 3 : km 2.59 - alt. 1,749 m - Turn left towards Aygues-Cluses. Pountou Bridge
  5. 4 : km 4.9 - alt. 2,010 m - The mountain pine forest
  6. 5 : km 5.73 - alt. 2,093 m - GR10 on the right, Coueyla Gran stream
  7. 6 : km 6.19 - alt. 2,141 m - Construction site of the future Aygues Cluses refuge
  8. 7 : km 6.37 - alt. 2,153 m - Lake Coueyla-Gran - Cabane d'Aygues Cluses (2150m)
  9. S/E : km 12.72 - alt. 1,450 m - Car park near the - Bastan (cours d'eau) - Affluent du Gave de Gavarnie

Notes

Hiking equipment recommended, no water sources during the hike except for streams (not recommended for drinking).

Worth a visit

Waters and rivers, wildlife (crossbill), flora (hooked pines).
Lake Coueyla Gran.
"Coueylas": old shelters for shepherds and their flocks.
(1) Pont de la Gaubie: Laurent Fignon route reserved for cyclists (former Tourmalet road).

(4) The mountain pine forest: a tree inseparable from the image of the Néouvielle massif. The mountain pine takes its name from the structure of its cone. Each scale has a small protrusion, the famous hook! Between mountain forests and alpine meadows, the mountain pine forest is a place of transition, a very rich area that is home to a diverse range of flora and fauna.
The crossbill, for example, a small bird belonging to the finch family, is a major consumer of pine seeds and other conifers.
It has even adapted morphologically to the trees that feed it. Unlike other birds, the lower mandible of its beak is crossed with the upper mandible and its joint allows lateral movement. Using its beak as a lever, it can insert it between the scales and, with a rotating movement, spread them apart to extract the hidden seeds!

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

4.6 / 5
Based on 8 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
5 / 5
Route interest
4.4 / 5
pyrene79
pyrene79

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Just a note on the difficulty level of this hike, which I do not classify as difficult.
This circuit is accessible to many hikers with good footwear.
The route descends from the Col de Barèges after two days of hiking in the Néouvielle massif.

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.JCR.
.JCR.

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

I had lunch at the refuge and went back down to Barèges in the afternoon, a 12.8 km round trip according to your tracking, which was very good and sufficient for me (74 years old).
Thank you, I find your maps and routes well done, I recommend them!

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franmo
franmo

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

Magnificent hike

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joselita
joselita

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 12, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Pleasant hike along the GR10 trail to the new Augus Cluses mountain hut...

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GLEPATIO
GLEPATIO

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We did this outing on snowshoes, so you need to add a good hour to the timing... Very nice parish-specific to Brittany refuge where you can eat. The view is magnificent at the refuge... we met four people on the entire route. To be done again in summer...

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Bernard Bessou
Bernard Bessou

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 16, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

I climbed up to the new Aygues Cluses refuge on 9 August 2023. There were lots of hikers. The times posted from Tournaboup are very optimistic (2 hours 15 minutes). You should allow an extra 30 minutes, or 2 hours 45 minutes, or even 3 hours. Similarly, the descent from the start of the trail to Tournaboup is indicated as taking 20 minutes. It takes twice as long! The refuge is a success in terms of its construction and layout, and the warden and his assistants are very friendly.

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Martine A
Martine A

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 24, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

There were many people on this route on Sunday, no doubt attracted by the new refuge that opened at the end of June.

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Tchaps
Tchaps

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 01, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Cabane d'Aygues Cluses... a fabulous sight along the valley after the first snowfall. Follow the GPS route carefully and you'll have no trouble reaching Lake Coueyla-Gran for a break before returning by the same route... or pushing on further to Madaméte and Col de Tracens for a circular route...
This route is quite busy in summer but ideal in the off-season.
Here's a short video of the view.

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