Pic de Pinède via the Estaubé valley and the Brèche de Tuquerouye

The route starts from the Lac des Gloriettes car park.

(S/E) Take the path that crosses the dam’s engineering structure and then goes round the lake on the western side.

(1) Do not take the footbridge crossing the Gave d’Estaubé. Stay on the path on the left bank. Follow the path for a good part of the way through the upper Estaubé Valley, climbing alongside the Gave.

(2) At the junction leading to the bottom of the Cirque, take the path that climbs straight up (due south) along the left bank of the Gave d’Estaubé.

(3) Leave the Cabane de Labassa in the distance on your left. The slope becomes steeper. Follow the switchbacks to reach a junction.

(4) Head left (south-southeast) towards the Cirque d’Estaubé (leaving the path to Piméné and the Refuge des Espuguettes on your right). You’ll reach the Y-junction of the paths leading to Turquerouye and Port Neuf de Pinède (elevation 2236m).

(5) Turn right; a yellow sign on a rock indicates the directions. Leave the Deux Bornes on your right and climb the scree slope (well-marked path). Continue up to the small pass of the Borne de Tuquerouye (2,431m), leaving the Borne (2,471m), a striking cone visible from a great distance, on your left.

(6) Continue southwards to reach the base of the Couloir de Tuquerouye, a very steep scree slope, 45° in places, bordered by the remains of a small glacier, between the Pic de Tuquerouye and the Pic de Pinède. Take particular care in the couloir (approximately 300 m long). The final section of the couloir becomes even steeper. Reach the Brèche and the Tuquerouye Refuge. Exceptional views: the Lac Glacé du Marboré and its turquoise waters stand out against the backdrop of Mont Perdu (Monte Perdito) (3,348 m) and Cylindre du Marboré (Cilindro de Marboré) (3,325 m).

(7) Descend the Spanish side of Tuquerouye to the lake via a steep, unmarked but well-trodden path. Reach the northern shore of the Marboré Glacial Lake (an ideal spot for a break).

(8) Find the start of the path on the southern flank of the Tuquerouye-Pinède ridge. It is a shallow gully, ascending diagonally towards the ridge. The OSM Trails map shows its route. On this ascent, depending on the season, you may find carpets of small edelweiss. Reach the ridge and continue over non-exposed terrain. Reach the summit of Pic de Pinède (Pico de Pineta), situated precisely on the Franco-Spanish border ridge. Magnificent 360° views over the Cirque d’Estaubé to the north, the Pimené to the west, Mont Perdu to the south and the Rio Cinca valley to the south-east.

(9) The return journey follows essentially the same route.

(1) Turn right and take the footbridge. Follow a very well-marked path, which goes round the lake to the right (known as the Discovery Route). Return to the car park where you started (S/E).

⚠️The description relates to a solo hike undertaken in summer (Sept 2021). From (8) onwards, no signposting is visible! Most of the route will follow the description accompanied by a GPS track.

?️Parking at the start
The Lac des Gloriettes car park offers around a hundred parking spaces. It is not uncommon for them all to be full during the day in summer. Arrive early (before 9 am) to be sure of a space. Otherwise, you will need to find a spot on the D 176 on the way up.

⏰Estimated time
I completed this route in exactly 8 hours, including breaks and a picnic, setting off from the car park at 8.30 am. I didn’t rush, but that’s still a fairly tight schedule. Allow between 8.30 and 10 hours.

?♀️Difficulty
This hike is classified as Very Difficult due to the significant elevation gain, the very steep sections between (6) and (7), and the entire unmarked section from the lake onwards. It is a challenging route, reserved for mountaineers who are not afraid of these difficulties.
Don’t be afraid to use your hands to reach the ridge of the Pic de Pinède and forget all about the fatigue along the way! Do not take any risks at the summit; the sheer drops are vertiginous.
The IBP index is 158 HKG, which corresponds to a Difficult route for a hiker with a high level of physical fitness.

Water sources
There are no drinking water sources along the route. Springs, lakes, rivers or runoff water are not guaranteed to be safe to drink, due to grazing livestock. Allow 1.5 litres per person.

?Shelter
The Tuquerouye Refuge is the only safe shelter on the route.
It is unstaffed but open all year round. There are 12 beds available.
See the refuge’s website. But be aware that it gets very busy in summer. You may have to sleep by the lake if all beds are taken and weather conditions allow.
In an emergency, you can take shelter at any of the huts mentioned or head for the Hourquette d’Alans; on the descent towards the Refuge des Espuguettes, there is a fine rock shelter that can serve as a temporary refuge for several people.
There are no other huts or refuges offering overnight accommodation along the route.

?Equipment
Bring standard high-mountain hiking gear: hiking boots, suitable clothing, rainwear, sunglasses, water, food, a survival blanket, a knife, a compass, a map, a whistle, sun cream, lip balm, and possibly a walking stick or two. A GPS or the Visorando app on your smartphone can complement your kit to make the hike truly safe.

????Traffic
- in summer, the route is very busy up to the Refuge and the Lake. Beyond that, you may come across a few hikers on the way to the summit of Pic de Pinède.
Whatever the season, don’t forget to let your friends and family know your exact route and inform them of any changes by text or phone.

??Météo-France Mountain Forecast
Check the weather forecast.

If you notice any errors in signposting or place names on your route or on the map you are using, you can become a contributor and report them:
- signposting errors, safety issues, conflicts of use, environment: click here
- mapping errors, place names: click here

Between Lac des Gloriettes (1) and the start of the Couloir de Tuquerouye (6), the views of the Cirque d’Estaubé and the peaks overlooking it are majestic.

(7) At the Refuge de Tuquerouye (2,666 m), views of Lac Glacé and the imposing north face of Mont Perdu (3,348 m) and the Cylindre du Marboré (3,325 m). The refuge is an exceptional site in more ways than one: geologically, geographically, naturalistically and historically.
A 75-kg cast-iron statue of the Virgin Mary has stood above the refuge since 1890, the year it was built.

From the summit of Pic de Pinède, don’t miss the view of the Cascade du Pla d’Ailhet, hidden at the bottom of the Cirque d’Estaubé, 960 m below. From up there, however, you won’t be able to see the carpets of edelweiss growing on its slopes...

Along the route:
- Numerous vantage points for taking photos of the surrounding wonders.

Nearby:
- The Balcon de Pinéta, 1 hour from the refuge on the Spanish side, with its remarkable view over the valley of the same name.
- The village of Gavarnie and its church.
See theGavarnie Tourist Office website.