Pic d'Escurets circular route

de fr

This hike has a moderate elevation gain but is a bit long. The Pic d'Escurets is a magnificent viewpoint. From the summit, you can see the towns of Pau, Tarbes and Oloron-Sainte-Marie. And many peaks such as the Pic du Midi de Bigorre (2,872 m), the Balaitous, the Palas, the Lurien, the Gabizos massif, the Pic du Ger and many others.
On the way down, the view of Benou is absolutely beautiful.

Details

n°2980764
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 15.59 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 6h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 707 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 708 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,432 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 834 m
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Description of the walk

From Oloron-Sainte-Marie or Pau, take the N134. Then head towards Laruns. After Arudy, take the D294 to the Chapel of Houndas.
Start from the bend above the chapel.

(S/E) Follow the track heading north-north-east. Continue to the Los Corraus fork.

(1) From the Los Corraus sign, turn left towards the south-west Cromlechs de Lou Couraus. Leave this path 150 m before reaching the Cromlechs.

(2) Follow theGRP® Tour de la Vallée d'Ossau. This path is well marked and heads north-west to the next intersection.

(3) Leave theGRP® on your right and continue west to the Col de la Hount Barrade.

(4) On your right is Bersaout (altitude 1,368 m) and on your left is Soum de Counée (altitude 1,361 m). Continue west along one of the paths leading down to the Cabane de Castillou.

(5) Pass to the left of the hut and descend to rejoin the track. Leave it immediately to climb up, cutting across the hairpin bends. Pass to the right of the Cabanes de Garrietche huts. Rejoin the track at a three-way junction.

(6) Go straight ahead and cut across three hairpin bends in succession to rejoin the track.

(7) Continue along the track for 1.5 km.

(8) Leave the track and continue across the pastures on the ridge to quickly reach the path that climbs to Pic d'Escurets.

(9) After enjoying the view, descend via the same route for about 400 m. Do not rejoin the track taken on the way up, but continue south (marked by stakes). At the entrance to the wooded area, join a track that leads to the Col de Marie Blanque.

(10) Take a grassy path heading north-east. It becomes a trail that quickly veers east then south-east. Descend a small valley to the Plateau de la Técouère.

(11) Find a track that runs alongside the Plateau du Benou (Plateau de Roland on the map) with magnificent hedgerows on its right. Follow it to the Col du Porteigt.

(12) Turn right onto a path that runs alongside the road and leads back to the chapel (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 835 m - Chapel
  2. 1 : km 1.54 - alt. 937 m - Los Couraus junction
  3. 2 : km 1.71 - alt. 963 m - Signposts
  4. 3 : km 3.81 - alt. 1,227 m - GR intersection
  5. 4 : km 4.38 - alt. 1,315 m - Hount Barrade
  6. 5 : km 5.45 - alt. 1,260 m - Castillou hut
  7. 6 : km 5.89 - alt. 1,208 m - Three-way junction
  8. 7 : km 6.54 - alt. 1,306 m - Track
  9. 8 : km 7.96 - alt. 1,375 m - Leave the track.
  10. 9 : km 8.54 - alt. 1,429 m - Pic d'Escurets (1440m)
  11. 10 : km 10.87 - alt. 1,036 m - Col de Marie Blanque (1035 m)
  12. 11 : km 12.25 - alt. 893 m - Técouère Plateau
  13. 12 : km 14.89 - alt. 880 m - Col du Porteigt
  14. S/E : km 15.59 - alt. 834 m - Chapel

Worth a visit

(7) At the next bend, you can climb Senzouens or Brèque (altitude 1392), with a 60 m elevation gain.

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 8 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.2 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
User 27028838
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 15, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A lovely hike with a perfect GPX track.
The final stretch is a bit long and not very interesting for my taste (grassy plateaus and roadsides), but it was a beautiful day.

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User 5348454

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Enjoy your hike. Beautiful scenery.

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Le Taurupt
Le Taurupt

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very classic route snubbed by true mountaineers; I had ignored it for over 15 years. Wrongly so, as it allows for a short outing in a true alpine environment.

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POTTIER Philippe
POTTIER Philippe

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 01, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Beautiful hike, woods, pastures, cows, horses, sheep. Superb views of the plain and the mountains. Lack of landmarks in the pasture areas, but it's doable.

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campiou
campiou

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 24, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Done in foggy weather. The first part is marked, but the second part is mostly a matter of searching in the fog... Slippery terrain.

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Lezarteko
Lezarteko

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 31, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Snowshoeing on thick snow cover.
Partially completed because it was too long in this context. Descent on the Marie Blanque pass not safe enough on the day we attempted it, so we abandoned it.
In addition, before the Castillou hut, there is a traverse on a south-facing slope that should only be attempted after checking the quality of the snow cover.
I recommend this hike preferably in late spring and throughout the summer because the scenery is very rewarding.

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gunam
gunam

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 30, 2021
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful route through low and medium-altitude mountains starting from the Col de Porteigt (parking available on the Plateau de Roland in a large area at the fork between the track and the D294). From the pass, a good path, not marked on the IGN map, leads directly to the magnificent cromlechs, which are perfectly positioned to offer a great view.
Stunning 360° views when the sky is clear.
The route is fairly obvious, confirmed at times by the downloaded GPX track.

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EmilieCout
EmilieCout

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 05, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

This hike is on the border between the Basque Country and the "high mountains". It therefore has the advantage of being quite green while offering views of the high peaks.
During the first part of the hike to the very wild peak, I hardly saw anyone, except for two or three people at the start. It's a hike off the beaten track. The sudden transition to the view of the plain is breathtaking, and the 360° panorama combining plain and mountains invites you to take a moment to rest. Very pleasant! The only downsides to this first part were the horseflies (unusually large bites, never seen anything like it) and the lack of a path in some places. Even though the GPX file makes it easy to find your way, you end up trampling on places you shouldn't...
The second part was less interesting in my opinion (fewer interesting viewpoints) and very touristy along almost the entire route (Chemin du Pic and Plateau de Roland).

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