Pic de l'Escalette and Cabane de Larreix from the Col de Menté

Date of your route : Aug 26, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Very pretty view from the Pic de l'Escalette
The path downhill is a little difficult to find, but it's easy to navigate with the Visiorando map
The return route along the forest road is easy but not particularly interesting

Machine-translated

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

A very pretty circuit, although not very high. The first climb after the hut at the foot of the Pic de l'Escalette is very steep and slippery, especially after sheep have passed through. Not recommended after rain, especially on the descent. At the pass, we preferred to go via the Col du Pas de l'Âne, following the ridge. A magnificent passage, but very tricky in places, so not for those who suffer from vertigo. Avoid completely after wet weather. The descent to the Lareix hut is quite steep. After that, the return to the Col de Manté is child's play. In summary, a very beautiful walk for us pensioners, but to be undertaken with great caution and avoided in bad weather.

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Aug 06, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

We did the hike in the opposite direction to the one you describe, going via the Pas de l'Âne pass and taking the ridge trail to reach the Col de l'Escalette (1½ hours for our old legs).
This very popular trail is rough, requiring the use of your hands, and you need to be wearing suitable footwear.
At first glance, the trail in the valley that you mention to reach the Larreix hut is very rarely used, unlike the ridge trail.

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Feb 06, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Beautiful hike, done with snowshoes this season

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Jul 16, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We stopped at the Col de l'Escalette because we didn't dare venture down the off-piste descent. No one was going up or down that way. Too bad

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Jan 29, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

We stopped halfway through the route.
At this time of year, it is dangerous to climb to the peak because of the melting snow and mud (a hiker fell 200 metres the day after we passed).
the climb after the refuge is very steep and difficult, and many people turned back.

in my opinion, the hike should be classified as "difficult" because of this section.

the scenery remains sublime at the refuge.

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Nov 20, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

After the forest road, there is a very slippery climb between the Escalette hut and the Escalette pass (the dirt path, which is not very rocky, was icy at 9am this morning), and otherwise you have to walk in the snow alongside it, but it is sloping so it is not safe without crampons on the frozen snow. Walking sticks are very useful, even essential in these conditions to avoid slipping.
Apart from that, there was a snowy landscape on the way up and a great view from the Pic de l'Escalette. It was a good spot for a picnic on a rock, in the sun and sheltered from the wind.
I then went to the Pas de l'Âne pass because the descent was less snowy from there than from the Col de l'Escalette, and it lengthens the circular a little.
Nice snowy section on the flat area shortly after the Col de l'Escalette, then snowy and sometimes icy (north-facing) up to the pass, but doable (again, walking poles are useful).
From the Pas de l'Âne pass, you can either climb up to Cagire or, as I did, descend to the right (south) to join the forest path for the return journey further down.
I completed the circular in 4 hours of walking (excluding a picnic) in these snowy conditions.

Machine-translated

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

A very beautiful hike with superb views thanks to the sunny skies!
Finding the route down from the pass wasn't easy, but we made it without getting lost...

Machine-translated

Walks not yet completed but still in the pipeline.

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Mar 07, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Completed on 08/03/2021
A very beautiful hike with a relatively steep climb from the hut to the Pic de l'Escalette, but without snow on the ascent.
Finding the way down from the pass is not easy, especially at the start, with a lot of snow on the first part, until you find the final trail. Not to be attempted without a minimum of experience of walking in open and steep terrain. However, you will be rewarded with a beautiful snow-covered valley to descend &A la ramasse" :-)
There seems to be an alternative route along the ridges to the north, on better-marked paths... Definitely a better option for hikers.

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Mar 01, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike, accessible to all up to the Escalette hut, where the view is already stunning. It's a little harder to climb up to the peak, but it's well worth the effort. However, in the middle of winter, the section of the route between the peak and the Larreix hut is a little more complicated. As indicated in the description, there is no marked trail at the start of the descent and with the persistent snow (you descend on the north side), given the slope, it seems a little risky. It is possible to reach Larreix by continuing towards the Pas de l'Âne pass, but there the mud makes progress difficult and, to be honest, quite unpleasant and not very reassuring for inexperienced hikers. However, it is worth doing again in summer when this part should be really enjoyable. But in winter, it may be better to turn back once you reach the peak...

Machine-translated

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

Superb
The descent after the Col de l'Escalette was off-piste. At the pass, not the peak, we went straight down the rocks! We always found ourselves parallel to the GPS track. No problem, though, and above all we found ourselves in a magnificent, peaceful valley... A hike that's well worth it!

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Jun 06, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very pleasant hike, starting gently along the forest track to the Escalette hut, then climbing a little more to the Pic de l'Escalette; but once you reach the top... What a view!
It was magnificent, we were above the clouds. We took a short detour along the ridges to Col du Pas de l'Ane, then descended to the Larreix hut where we took a well-deserved break for a snack before returning to the forest track that took us back to our starting point at Col de Menté.
It made us want to come back, but next time to do the Cagire...
And there you have it!

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Mar 02, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A very pleasant circular walk, with a few climbs and steep sections. The signposting after the Col de l'Escalette towards the Cabane de Larraix could do with updating, but there are no problems in good weather.
Superb 360-degree views of the Pyrenees mountain range.
A must-do....

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Feb 02, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Hike completed without snow
Best regards

Machine-translated