Pic de Cabanatous - Étang d'Alate

This hike, accessible to all, offers a taste of the high mountains. After the Étang de Labant, the route leads to the Pic de Cabanatous, a marvellous lookout point over the Étangs de Bassiès and beyond to the great summits of the Ariège. On the way back, the Étang d'Alate is the perfect place to stop for a break before heading back to the Port de Saleix, a very important ancient communication route that facilitated trade between the Couserans and Vicdessos regions.

Details

400630
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.33 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 700 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 694 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,049 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,399 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the small car park with around twenty spaces on the edge of the D8F on the Plateau de Coumebière. If the car park is full, you can park on the grass verge beside the road.

Markings GR® White and Red + PR® Yellow

(S/E) Cross the road and take the GR®, which starts opposite near an enclosure. Walk almost flat until you come to an intersection marked by a signpost.

Yellow PR® signposting

(1) Turn right following the "Étang de Labant" sign. Shortly after the first yellow marker, turn right to cross the ravine where a stream flows; there are no more markers but the path is clearly visible after the torrent. After a section of alpine pasture, the path enters a wood and emerges a hundred metres further on. Further up, don't miss the old rusty sign on the right indicating the presence of an old silver-lead mine. Turn right at the next junction (wooden signpost) and continue as far as Étang de Labant.

(2) Continue along the well-marked path, which rises again before leading to a ridge with a beautiful view of Aulus-Les-Bains and the Garbet valley. Continue left, following the signs. The slope, which is gentle at first, becomes much steeper before easing off again around 200m before the Col de las Fouzès.

(3) The view of the Étangs de Bassiès and the refuge of the same name is sumptuous and the pass makes an excellent picnic spot. Turn left, pass a small, perfectly preserved orri and walk for about a hundred metres.

(4) Shortly before a yellow mark on a rock on the ground, fork left. Be very careful as the start of the path is difficult to spot and easy to miss. Climb straight up (north) along the ridge to quickly reach the Pic de Cabanatous (2053m), the highest point of the hike.

(5) Exceptional 360° view. In the foreground, the Bassiès ponds, the Pique Rouge de Bassiès, the Pic de Belcaire and beyond, the great summits of the Ariège. Return to the previous junction.

(4) Take the path on the left and continue along the slope as far as Port de Bassiès.

Markings GR® White and Red

(6) Turn left to reach the Étang d'Alate, nestling in a very pretty spot at the foot of Mont Garias.

(8) Continue along the GR®, which rises steeply just before crossing a rocky spur. A few stone steps and a steel cable secure the passage.

Then begin the descent, which is very steep and made difficult by the many stones that roll underfoot, to reach the Port de Saleix.

(8) Turn left onto the GR®, which twists and turns and then begins a much steeper descent (the route of the GR® on the IGN map is incorrect here) before coming to a crossroads marked by a large signpost.

(9) Go left for a few metres and then fork right in a hairpin bend. At the next junction (another large signpost), continue left, cross a small wood and emerge onto the beautiful Coumebière meadow, where the path becomes a wide track.

Markings GR® White and Red + PR® Yellow

(1) Continue straight ahead until you reach the road. Cross the road to reach the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,399 m - Plateau de Coumebière car park
  2. 1 : km 0.4 - alt. 1,440 m - Fork, turn right
  3. 2 : km 1.32 - alt. 1,596 m - Etang de labant
  4. 3 : km 3.19 - alt. 1,953 m - Col de las Fouzès (1944m)
  5. 4 : km 3.41 - alt. 1,959 m - Junction - Take care!
  6. 5 : km 3.79 - alt. 2,049 m - Pic de Cabanatous (2053m)
  7. 6 : km 5.02 - alt. 1,933 m - Junction with the GR - Port de Bassiès (1933m)
  8. 7 : km 5.72 - alt. 1,866 m - Etang d'Alate
  9. 8 : km 6.39 - alt. 1,794 m - Turn left - Port de Saleix (1794m)
  10. 9 : km 7.93 - alt. 1,552 m - Turn left at the signpost
  11. S/E : km 9.33 - alt. 1,400 m - Plateau de Coumebière car park

Notes

Water point at the start, just after crossing the road (cement bollard and tap) and 20m after the (1).

High-top hiking boots are highly recommended because of the scree and rocky sections. Poles very useful for the same reasons.

(5) Pic de Cabanatous: there is an alternative route that takes you directly to the Port de Bassiès without going back via the (4). To do this, head sharply east and, by descending the ridges where there are alternating passages on grass and rock, reach the Port de Bassiès without difficulty. As with all off-trail sections, this should be avoided in fog.

Worth a visit

(2) Étang de Labant: a paradise for frogs, newts and insect-eating plants, this pond is filling up more and more and should not be deeper than around 1m.

Former Argentières silver-lead mines on the Coumebière plateau.
Mines

Aulus-les-Bains

Bassiès ponds

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 96 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
User 25105073

Overall rating : 4 / 5

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

We completed the shortest day of the year in 3½ hours (we had to, so as not to end up in the dark) and only encountered two people. There was a lot of snow (30cm to 80cm), so waterproof hiking boots were sufficient. However, a few metres of very icy ground required particular care to avoid falling into a precipice. Be careful, as the path is not easy to follow in the snow (very few markings and very little traffic). The hike is absolutely magnificent in winter.

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Tapioca
Tapioca

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

This route is very busy in summer.

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MarquinhosDoBrasil
MarquinhosDoBrasil

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

Superb hike completed on 19 October 25 in ideal weather (cloudy with sunny spells). After a short stretch through the forest at the start, the entire hike is in open country with breathtaking scenery. (Do not attempt this hike in summer when it is very hot)
Completed in 20 minutes less than the indicated time, the gradients are manageable, and the climb is steady (one uphill section is a little more challenging).
Worth doing again and again!

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User 9314347

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

A lovely walk, a little steep in places but offering splendid views of Lake Bassiès, ideal for a picnic stop. The view from Pic is superb. Three lakes along the route, very pleasant. No difficulties, suitable for families. A pleasant return journey with a rolling descent at the end.

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Michel Doret
Michel Doret

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

After a fairly steep climb to reach the pass above the peak, the discovery of the Bassiès lakes alone is worth the effort. Magnificent view! From the Pic de Cabanatous, on a clear day it is fairly easy to descend straight down, without retracing your steps, to reach the GR10. Be careful on your right, however, as the cliff is an obstacle.
Stop off at Lake Alate and... everything is perfect!

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User 7800829

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Stunning scenery and variety of the route

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Michel Doret
Michel Doret

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

From the pass, the view of the Bassiès lakes is splendid.
The off-trail descent from the peak is very feasible if you head towards the Alate pond. Avoid fog.

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tinoambre
tinoambre

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 25, 2025
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 in slightly overcast and fairly cold weather due to a light dusting of snow the day before.
Some sections are technical, especially in wet weather, so make sure you wear good footwear. But there is a superb view of the Bassies lakes once you reach the top. We didn't climb Pic de Cabanatous because there was no visibility. There is no cable at point 8, but the climb is still manageable.

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User 26963966

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 12, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Very good app, it's a shame you can't share the route you've taken

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manou3109
manou3109

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful hike to avoid in summer as there is no shade.
The view of the Bassiés ponds at the top of the Col de las Fouzes is sublime.

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bruno5m
bruno5m

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful route offering a variety of landscapes, from peaks to valleys. The GPX track, IGN map and signposting ensure you won't get lost!
After the 8, there are no more cables, which is the only really "technical" part of the walk...
When we stopped at the Alate pond, we saw several ibexes resting in the shade on the southern side of the pond!
The only "downside" was that there were a lot of people (Sunday 3 August ) ...

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Toulousains
Toulousains

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 31, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Great route, with some fine climbs and splendid views at the end.
Surprised to still have a bit of snow.
Plan to set off early in the morning, as there's little shade and you're practically on your own along this route.
Enjoy the walk!

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Fa54
Fa54

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 03, 2024
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

It's not easy, but the scenery rewards you

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MeT@lliK
MeT@lliK
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 24, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very pleasant loop indeed.
Magnificent scenery and views! And I was pleasantly surprised to have a good amount of snow on almost the entire route.
I didn't meet many people with my dog, around twenty or so, but I assume that this is a well-known walk at the right times, so I'd rather say so.
I had the honour of seeing a bearded vulture up close at the peak of Cabanatous.

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Guillaume Pouyf
Guillaume Pouyf

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 31, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pretty walk, with a few difficulties, but the view is well worth the diversions.

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