Pic de Sauvegarde via Port de Vénasque, return via Pas de l'Escalette

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I'm glad you enjoyed the hike.

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Date of your route : Sep 22, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful route in an area I enjoyed returning to
Well-marked route

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Thank you for your comment.
I'm glad you enjoyed the hike.

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Date of your route : Jun 18, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I left the Hospice de France at 7:15 a.m., feeling energetic. I encountered very few people on the climb. The flow of the Port de Venasque stream (La Pique) was quite strong on 18 June. After hesitating with another hiker about crossing it while looking for a path a little higher up, I decided to put my feet in the water (up to my calves) and face the current (not that strong). There was a slightly tricky section on the snow just after the Venasque refuge, on a slope between the pond (Boum du port) and the mountain. I arrived at the Port de Venasque in 1 hour and 36 minutes despite the hesitations mentioned above. I discovered the magnificent Maladeta massif on the Spanish side. There was no sign on the right for the Pic de Sauvegarde, so I descended a little too far before climbing back up (you have to take the first path on the right after the Port de Venasque). Very pretty steep path to the Pic de Sauvegarde with rocky sections where there are handprints in places (not very useful except to indicate the path to the summit). No problem in dry weather like today, but not to be attempted in the rain! The view from the summit is spectacular! Quick descent (running where possible), then continue at the same pace to the Pas de l'Escalette, before following a sign on the left towards the Hospice de France. Climb to the last "real" summit on the ridge line before starting the descent to the end, finishing with a passage through a forest. Total time: 3 hours 53 minutes, not including stops (about 40 minutes), walking quickly on the way up and running on the way down. With my little "detours", my watch recorded a total of 18.66 km and 1,651 m of elevation gain (positive elevation).

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Date of your route : Jul 14, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Hike completed on 14/07/2024 in good weather.
The scenery is magnificent, with breathtaking views from the Pic de Sauvegarde, as well as from the Col de Picada and Col de l'Escalette.
However, I find the "very difficult" rating exaggerated compared to other hikes I've done on Visorando:
The circular loop, including the climb to the peak, takes 6 hours (without breaks) for a regular hiker. Expect a 2-hour non-stop climb at the start, which really works your thighs!
The climb to the Pic de Sauvegarde is not difficult, but you need to use your hands at one point. In my opinion, the handrails are useless, as the rock is good and provides handholds. However, it is best to avoid this route in rainy weather (sloping slab).

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Date of your route : Jul 05, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful circular. Quite busy. Good trail and good signage. Thank you!
No snowfields at the beginning of July.
The climb to Pic de Sauvegarde must be tricky in wet weather (rock slabs between points 6 and 8).
NB: my watch recorded 19km and 1675m of elevation gain (slightly more than advertised, even though I followed the trail).

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Thank you for your comment.
I am delighted that you had a wonderful day.

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Date of your route : Aug 19, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hike with magnificent views of the Maladeta massif and the majestic Aneto!

The first part is intense up to Pic de Sauvegarde but very well marked with 2-3 overhanging sections on the Sauvegarde climb, which are easily manageable with the help of your hands.

The second part is less steep with several nice places to take a break.
The return journey is a long descent without any major difficulties.

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Thank you for your comment and we are delighted that you enjoyed the hike.

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Date of your route : May 06, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Impeccable, we thoroughly enjoyed this route, which is as magnificent as ever.

Be careful, there is still quite a lot of snow on the north-facing slopes, making the hike more difficult than in the height of summer!

Because of the snow, we had to make our own path in the snow, which sometimes strayed from the trail we had followed in summer.

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Thank you for your comment.
It's true that the climb is easier when it's cool.
I'm glad you enjoyed the hike.

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Date of your route : Aug 01, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I set off at 6am in the cool of the morning and only encountered one other trail runner on the Sauvegarde climb (he was on his way back down).
The climb to the summit is tricky in places but generally accessible. I passed a Spanish family.
The descent was tedious and endless! There were a few people on the Spanish side, but not on this route. On the French side, there were tourists near the Hospice.
Highly recommended!
Thank you for this route.

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Thank you for your comment and additional information.
I'm glad you enjoyed the hike.

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

Very busy due to trail running competitions.
If I take that away, the peak remains very popular, with many Spanish visitors.
The rest, a few people per section.
Superb hike on easy trails, descent not slippery.
A little steep at times, but the switchbacks make the slopes reasonable most of the time.
A few tricky sections on the peak, a little exposed but not vertiginous. There is always good footing and handholds.
Avoid in wet weather, as mentioned, because of the slightly sloping slabs.
Superb views from the top of the peak and from the ladder, I loved it. And also the superb Venasque lakes, especially when seen from above.
I recommend it
Thank you for this route.

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I'm glad you enjoyed the hike.

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