Peyresourde Balestas - Col de la Flamme

de fr

Circular walk starting from the Peyresourde Balestas resort, offering a magnificent 360° panorama

Details

n°13421293
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 5.12 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 360 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 363 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,963 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,595 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐
    Area: Pyrenees
  • ⚐ City: Germ (65510|65240)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 42.79438° / E 0.442617°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 1848OT, 1848OTR
  • Hour-by-hour weather
    Discover Visorando Premium
Downloads
Open in the mobile app
Download GPX GPX
Download PDF PDF

Photos

View of the valley and the slopes from the summit
View of the valley on the climb
View of the Peyragudes resort
The end of the climb.

Description of the walk

Park at the station in the circular car park alongside the D 117.

(S/E) Head to the roundabout and take the small road immediately on the right. Leave it very quickly to follow the path that climbs. Join the access road to the Auroise Farm and turn right before reaching it. Head towards the water tower overlooking the resort.

(1) Turn left onto a dual-track path. Begin the ascent, the only difficulty being the gradient of certain sections. Reach the top station of the Sérias chairlift, which marks the end of the climb.

(2) Continue straight ahead and you will soon reach a large junction at the top of the La Flamme chairlift and the pass of the same name.

(3) Take the west-facing track which passes under the Privilège and Cabanou chairlifts.

(4) Leave the track and cut right towards the buildings. Return to the tarmac and go round the buildings on the right. All that remains is to follow the road which leads directly to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,603 m - Car park alongside the D117
  2. 1 : km 0.66 - alt. 1,696 m - Water tower
  3. 2 : km 2.2 - alt. 1,962 m - End of the uphill section
  4. 3 : km 2.46 - alt. 1,951 m - Col de la Flamme
  5. 4 : km 3.77 - alt. 1,724 m - Turn right
  6. S/E : km 5.12 - alt. 1,600 m - Car park alongside the D117

Worth a visit

La Ferme de l'Auroise: delicious sheep’s milk cheese on sale from July to September.

Reviews and comments

4.1 / 5
Based on 7 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
3.6 / 5
jjd64290
jjd64290

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 31, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

on a beautiful day at the end of August... remember to bring a windbreaker, as it can be a bit windy up there.

The start is very steep for about a kilometre, but then it's fine.

Superb scenery and, for those who visit Peyragudes in winter, it's always nice to imagine the slopes in summer...

Watch out for mountain bikes, they go fast!

Machine-translated

bernardoreyen
bernardoreyen

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 21, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

This hike is very pleasant with beautiful views.
At the end of the loop, just after the resort on the right, you can finish off with a trail through the pine forest, which has information boards about the mountain flora and fauna.
This route is much more interesting than taking the road that connects the resort to the village of Peyragude

Machine-translated

Nairwick
Nairwick

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 26, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Very busy route : No

Done in early autumn; not worth it.
A walk around the resort: we go up via a path and come back down via what you might call a road. The path is unpleasant to walk down.
View of the lifeless resort.

Machine-translated

Juliadelavega31
Juliadelavega31

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 20, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A hike in the great outdoors with stunning views, though it’s in full sun, so make sure you’re prepared.
We climbed (strenuously) for an hour, followed by an hour’s descent.

Machine-translated

DamienB64
DamienB64

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 20, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We did this hike with two children aged 9 and 13 (it’s perfectly suitable) and in winter, so the temperatures were pleasant (the initial ascent faces south, so it must get quite hot in summer).
The initial climb (in hiking boots) is quite steep but offers a magnificent view of the valley (see my two photos), and the descent on snowshoes down the ski slopes is very pleasant with a lovely view of the resort.
The route is perfect.

Machine-translated

marrirando
marrirando

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 26, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A hike that starts off on a ski run with some fairly steep sections.
Good route description.
Beautiful views.

Machine-translated

Neo09
Neo09

Hello
Thank you for your comment. To help improve the route, could you tell me at which point you found it difficult to follow the trail? As it’s just a track, I can’t see it on the GPX file.
Also, the hike is rated as moderate (not easy); I’m referring to the difficulty level, and I did it with my boys aged 8 and 11.
Have a good day

Machine-translated

Ct
Ct

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 09, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A fairly challenging hike due to the very steep slope.
We did it on a very hot day (in the morning, mind you) and really struggled.
Not recommended for young children and/or people who aren’t used to hiking.
The view of the Peyragude resort from the Col de la Flamme is lovely.

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

Walking Boum de Soulas Lake from Peyragudes Resort

Visorando Member
Lac de Boum de Soulas depuis la Station de Peyragudes
↔8.24 km ↗+561 m ↘-563 m ◔3h 55 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Germ (Hautes-Pyrénées)
Circular hike from Peyragudes resort to Lac du Boum de Soulas, without taking the chairlift. Magnificent views of the mountains on the Agudes and Peyresourde sides.

Walking The Balestas fir forest

Visorando Member
La sapinière de Balestas
↔4.91 km ↗+199 m ↘-200 m ◔2h 00 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Loudervielle (Hautes-Pyrénées)
This is a short circular hike starting from the Peyragudes resort, which passes through the Balestas pine forest; as a result, most of the route is shaded.

Walking The Moulor Tower and Lake Genos-Loudenvielle

Visorando Member
La Tour de Moulor et le Lac de Genos-Loudenvielle
↔5.10 km ↗+159 m ↘-163 m ◔1h 55 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Loudenvielle (Hautes-Pyrénées)
Starting from the centre of Loudenvielle, this lovely route offers exceptional views of Lake Génos while recounting the history of the town. It is not particularly difficult and can be enjoyed by the whole family, although it is best to choose a dry day as the stones can be slippery when wet.

Walking Circular Mont in Cazaux-Fréchet

Visorando Member
Boucle de Mont à Cazaux-Fréchet
↔4.85 km ↗+191 m ↘-201 m ◔1h 55 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Mont (Hautes-Pyrénées) (Hautes-Pyrénées)
A short, easy circular, well shaded and suitable for families, with beautiful views of the valley and Lake Génos-Loudenvielle

Walking The slate workers’ path from Génos

Visorando Member
Le chemin des ardoisiers depuis Génos
↔5.17 km ↗+154 m ↘-152 m ◔1h 55 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Génos (Hautes-Pyrénées) (Hautes-Pyrénées)
The view of the mountains and the valley, at the top of Génos, is superb, and the little paths are very charming, with a section along the shore of Lake Génos-Loudenvielle. Thiswalk is also featured on the Vallée du Louron website.

Walking The Lapadé Forest and Roc de Courtalets

Visorando Member
La Forêt de Lapadé et le Roc de Courtalets
↔4.69 km ↗+419 m ↘-422 m ◔2h 30 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Adervielle-Pouchergues (Hautes-Pyrénées)
Starting from the Val Louron ski resort (65), this short, easy hike takes you up to the heights of the resort, through the Lapadé Forest. The hike can be done on foot or with snowshoes in winter. Several viewpoints along the route offer beautiful views of the valley.

Walking Les Granges de Nabias and the Lactoduc

Visorando Member
Les Granges de Nabias et le Lactoduc
↔4.95 km ↗+253 m ↘-245 m ◔2h 10 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Adervielle-Pouchergues (Hautes-Pyrénées)
After exploring the village of Granges de Nabias, you will walk to the Col d'Azet, which offers a superb view of Lac de Génos. As you round a bend, you may spot a marmot. In the 1960s, to prevent their land from becoming a desert, the farmers of Granges de Nabias set up a dairy cooperative. They built a milk pipeline that allowed them to transport milk from the mountains to the village in just a few minutes!

Walking Circular in the Larboust Valley and the Oueil Valley

Visorando Member
Boucle dans la Vallée du Larboust et la Vallée d'Oueil
↔14.81 km ↗+611 m ↘-617 m ◔6h 00 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Poubeau (Haute-Garonne)
Not far from Bagnères-de-Luchon, there is a beautiful balcony walk offering magnificent views of the ridge on the border with Spain. Not to mention two very beautiful valleys and a few charming mountain villages, which hide architectural treasures that are well worth a visit.

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.