Pic de Madamète via the Aubert and Aumar lakes and the Gourg de Rabas

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A stunningly beautiful route taking you past three lovely lakes, then on to a viewpoint offering a breathtaking panoramic view of numerous lakes and high peaks, including those of the Néouvielle Nature Reserve.
You are entering the Néouvielle National Nature Reserve, which is protected by regulations. Please respect these rules (see practical information).

Details

n°16464844
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 3.78 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 10 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 1,604 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 1,604 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 8,698 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 7,080 ft
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Photos

Pic du Néouvielle seen from Pic de Madamète
Lake Aumar, Les Laquettes and Lake Aubert
Aygues-Cluses Valley
Vallon Dets Coubous

Description of the walk

Park in the car park near Lac d'Aubert.

(S/E) From the car park, head to Lac d'Aubert.
Walk along its right-hand side, keeping a safe distance, following the wooden railing, then take the path towards the Hourquette d’Aubert, Lac d’Aumar and the Col de Madamète until you reach a junction of marked trails. (signs at the centre of the junction).

(1) At the signposts, ignore the path to the Hourquette d’Aubert on the left and take the path on the right towards Lac d’Aumar and the Col de Madamète.
The path reaches Lac d’Aumar just a few metres further on.

(2) At the sign by the lake, turn left onto theGR®®10, heading towards the Col de Madamète.
TheGR®® reaches the end of the lake, then turns left and climbs gradually over the scree to the Gourg de Rabas or Gourguet de Madamète.

(3) Walk along the lake, passing the boulders whilst carefully following the red and white markings of the GR®® on the rocks.
Reach the end of the lake, then climb theGR®® path to the north-west to reach the Col de Madamète, marked by a large cairn.

(4) From the pass, do not take the side paths, whether marked or not, but climb to the left, up the scree slope towards the west on the broad eastern ridge of the peak. (See the video)
Proceed from cairn to cairn until you spot the summit path.
Follow this path to a small pass and then, on your right, the summit of Pic de Madamète, topped with a pretty cairn.

(5) Begin the return journey, in the opposite direction, via the same route as the outward journey to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 7,093 ft - Car park at - Lac d'Aubert
  2. 1 : mi 0.3 - alt. 7,185 ft - Trail junction
  3. 2 : mi 0.33 - alt. 7,188 ft - Lake Aumar
  4. 3 : mi 1.21 - alt. 7,881 ft - Gourguet de Madaméte or Gourg de Rabas
  5. 4 : mi 1.64 - alt. 8,222 ft - Col de Madamète (2508m)
  6. 5 : mi 1.89 - alt. 8,691 ft - Pic de Madamète (2657m)
  7. S/E : mi 3.78 - alt. 7,093 ft - Lac d'Aubert car park

Notes

I’ve made a video that captures the atmosphere of the hike well. You’ll see the route and the various waypoints.
It’s here https://youtu.be/4QMR9T4oKus?si=8ebJRaBd...
The Pic de Madamète, starting from Lac d’Aubert on this southern slope, is easily accessible.
There are no exposed sections, provided, of course, that you do not venture to the edges of the ridge.

On theGR®®10, the section with boulders along the edge of the Gourg de Rabas sometimes requires you to use your hands very lightly.

The summit path is not visible from the Col de Madamète. (Do not rely on the small side paths).
You must first tackle the climb in the centre of the ridge, using the cairns as well as the painted markings of the Néouvielle Nature Reserve symbol, before reaching the path.
This path, which is well marked in places, is sometimes hidden among the scree.
You will therefore need to use the cairns to find your way.

The Lac d'Aubert car park is accessible to all vehicles from June to September before 9.30 am, and from 9.30 am to 6 pm via shuttle buses from Lac d'Orédon every half hour.

Please note that the road is not always accessible. For example, in 2021: the access road to the lakes is closed from the hamlet of Fabian from 2 November 2021 at 5 pm

Regulations concerning the Néouvielle National Nature Reserve:
• Dogs are not permitted in the core zone of the Pyrenees National Park, even if kept on a lead
• Dog kennels – enquiries at Aragnouet Town Hall – Tel: 05 62 39 62 63
• No fires, to prevent wildfires and soil damage
• Please keep quiet to preserve the peace and quiet of the area
• Please bring bin bags with you to take your rubbish back down
• No picking or collecting of plants, minerals or fossils is permitted
• Capturing animals is prohibited
• Controlled camping is permitted more than an hour’s walk from a road access point, between 7pm and 9am
• No camping or overnight parking of motorhomes to preserve the beauty of the sites and prevent pollution
• Hunting and fishing are prohibited

This route passes through a protected area, which may be subject to special regulations:

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

4.9 / 5
Based on 10 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.9 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
Britanicus100
Britanicus100

Unfortunately, I think the road is closed in winter. Please check with the Saint-Lary tourist office.
Thank you very much for your review, guidebook and video. Kind regards.
The author of the hike.

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Vincent31fr
Vincent31fr

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

Superb hike with a 360° view from the top of Pic de Madamète, which is quite incredible on a clear day! The view of Pic du Midi, about fifteen kilometres to the north, is impressive.

I was lucky enough to see two izards during the climb near Gourg de Rabas in the rocks, magnificent.
The description and route are perfect, which is not always the case. The video is just as good .
I think I'll do this hike again in winter with snow, it must be something else (we'll have to see if we can drive up to the lake...).

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Penne André
Penne André

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful, very accessible hike.
However, the final climb to Pic de Madamète (150 m) is rather tricky: there is no clear, pleasant path and it can even be dangerous.
Only for experienced and sure-footed hikers. Most people are advised to stop at the pass.

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arbizon
arbizon

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 11, 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 starting from the car park at Lac d'Aubert (2,158 m), with magnificent views of Pic du Néouvielle (3,091 m) and the surrounding peaks from the summit of Pic de Madamète (2,657 m).

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Leleu
Leleu

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 30, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A superb hike with my 7-year-old daughter. We stopped at the Madamète Pass (magnificent view) for lunch and decided to head back down to swim at Gourg de Rabas, where the water was cool but not freezing in August, and there were enormous tadpoles. A pleasant trail with surprises such as the passage through large boulders at Gourg.

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VeroFlo
VeroFlo

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 25, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike with beautiful scenery and lakes.

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Madininaoursa
Madininaoursa

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 29, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Superb peak in clear weather. An extraordinary view.
It can get very hot, so bring at least 2 litres of water per person.
€9 for parking in Oredon. €4 per person to take the bus to Lake Aubert. It's really not cheap.
Bring change for the bus. Parking can be paid for by credit card. Alternatively, you can drive up to Lac d'Aubert if you arrive before 9.30am.
Once you arrive by bus at Lac d'Aubert, it's easy and beautiful at first.
Once you pass Lake Aumar, the climb is a bit tough on the legs. The lakes are splendid, lunch breaks at Gourg de Rabas, splendid lake, amazing stuff! Once you reach the pass, the view is incredible.
The Pic de Madamète takes 20 minutes to reach from the pass, walking slowly.
You have to stop for a moment because it's so spectacular. You can see the Néouvielle and its lakes, and the Pic du Midi on the other side, and you can even see the Vignemal.
We walked back down to Lake Oregon via the lake trail, which is very beautiful, but it's a long way in the heat.
We did this hike with 10-year-old children, which is possible, but you need to bring plenty of water and slow- and fast-release sugars for when they get tired.

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Tatami
Tatami

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 05, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Well-marked hike except for the end; the peak is difficult to find.

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Britanicus100
Britanicus100

Yes, as indicated in the practical information and shown in the video, the GR10 crosses an area of boulders on the edge of the Gourg de Rabas, and the summit trail, which is often lost in the scree, climbs up through the rubble.
Fortunately, these somewhat technical passages are not very long.

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chasqui
chasqui

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 09, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Beautiful scenery, the slight elevation gain hides a real mountain run with "technical" sections such as rocky terrain and scree slopes on the way to the peak. Swimming in Lake Audemar on the way back is an added bonus (bring your swimsuit). Highly recommended. Great photos guaranteed, depending on the weather.

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RAND19
RAND19
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 02, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Beautiful hike, lovely lakes with the Madamète waterfall

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Camminiamo
Camminiamo

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 29, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Thank you, it was a beautiful hike.
Well marked in white and red up to the pass, I never needed to look at the map.
At the top of the peak, there was a superb 360° panorama with a view of the Pic du Midi.
I hardly saw anyone, but at the same time, much of the climb was in a thunderstorm.

If you arrive at Lake Oredon before 9:30 a.m., be sure to take a ticket even if the barriers are wide open.

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