Piétat and its fountains

First, discover the site itself, the Sanctuary of Notre-Dame de Piétat, built in 1661 by the inhabitants of the farming community of Pardies. The region is rich in history! Next, enjoy the splendid view of the Nay valley to the south-east of Pau, and another beautiful panorama of the Pyrenees from the sanctuary's orientation table. Finally, you can have fun discovering the fountains and other springs hidden in the woods and hills of the site....

Details

291913
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.49 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 10 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 158 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 165 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 400 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 226 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Departure from the Piétat sanctuary car park.

(S/E) Head towards the chapel on the right-hand side. About 100 metres after the car park, a display stand marked with the number 8 indicates the location of the "healing fountain". Cross the meadow towards the woods on the right, following the telephone line, and walk down the path for 50 metres, still following the telephone poles.

(1) On the left in the woods, you can easily see the fountain nestled in the slope (the vegetation is not dense in this area, and a GPS can be very useful, as the fountain is clearly marked on the IGN map, but 50 metres north of its actual location!
Return to the road to the sanctuary, turn right, admire the building as you pass and continue to the D724, which you take to the right.

(2) At the next junction with the D24, go straight on along the Chemin de Batguzère for 2.5 km. Under the high-voltage line, continue straight on (note the presence of the Couts spring 100 m to the south-east, but there is no path to get there). The second path on the left leads to a water reservoir. Continue straight ahead and at the next junction (Batguzère on the left and a hiking trail on the right). The tarmac road becomes a gravel path, then tarmac again as you approach a hamlet of about twenty villas (Chemin la Viossalaise).

(3) Turn right down the tarmac road of Plaa de Labède, which leads into the woods. Continue for 700 metres until you reach a crossroads with a small path on the left and a fairly wide dirt track opposite on the right.

(4) Take the small path that curves sharply to the left, without any elevation change, for about 120 metres. Just after a 90° right turn, in the vegetation on the left, you will see the Source de Hours, which is not particularly interesting.
Return to the crossroads (4), cross the road and take the dirt track opposite, which climbs into the woods for 100 metres, then descend this long dirt and gravel path, which has been badly eroded by frequent rain. Pass another path on the right and a half-moon shed on the left, and continue for about 150 metres.

(5) Slightly set back from the path, but clearly visible on the left, is the Source de Brouca. Continue downhill for another 500 metres, ignoring the junction with another path. At the bottom, you will come to another T-junction. Turn right and walk along the edge of the woods (Chemin de la Cassourade). Pass a first path on your left, then another path on your right after the "Borde de Hillou" barn. You will then come to a junction with a path on your right. Leave this path.

(6) Take the tarmac road to cross the bridge over the Gest, continue for about ten metres and turn right onto a wide dirt track that crosses the Bois du Bédat forest until you reach the junction with the D24 (Route de Piétat), where you turn right.
Cross the Gest again and turn left at the next junction 150 metres further on. Cross the Debats stream, then walk alongside a barn on your left and continue along the edge of the Bois de Soumirou.

(7) At the next fork, turn right and begin to climb gently into the woods. Pass Grange Auritte on your left and continue climbing a little further along the dirt track (about 250 metres).

(8) At the crossroads, turn left onto the flat path leading into the woods, pass a ruined barn on your right and, after 50 metres, look for a passage through the undergrowth on your left to find the Fontaine de Brèque fountain.

(9) The vegetation is not very dense, so it is fairly easy to find the small fountain thanks to the relief of the ditch. Then return to the crossroads (8) and take the dirt and gravel path on the left that climbs towards the Bois Testamale.

(10) At the crossroads, continue climbing towards the sanctuary by turning left. Pass under the high-voltage power line and come out at the top of the path on the promontory where the three crosses are lined up (see photo). On the left is the orientation table overlooking the Nay valley and the Pyrenees mountain range.
Return to the sanctuary car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 381 m - Parking at the sanctuary.
  2. 1 : km 0.23 - alt. 378 m - The healing fountain.
  3. 2 : km 1 - alt. 373 m - At the junction with the D24, continue straight ahead.
  4. 3 : km 3.28 - alt. 362 m - On the right, the tarmac road to Plaa de Labède.
  5. 4 : km 3.73 - alt. 326 m - Path on the left to the spring
  6. 5 : km 4.58 - alt. 289 m - Source de Brouca
  7. 6 : km 6 - alt. 228 m - Bridge over the Gest
  8. 7 : km 7.26 - alt. 237 m - Turn right at this fork.
  9. 8 : km 7.92 - alt. 283 m - Turn left towards the fountain.
  10. 9 : km 8.03 - alt. 286 m - Brèque Fountain
  11. 10 : km 8.73 - alt. 312 m - At the crossroads, go up to the left.
  12. S/E : km 9.49 - alt. 381 m - Sanctuary car park

Notes

A hike without any major difficulties, very shady, so pleasant when it's hot!

Worth a visit

This route is steeped in the history of this corner of Béarn. Throughout the hike, you will find information boards recounting legends and anecdotes linked to the beliefs and history of Notre-Dame de Piétat. You will also discover the region's rich hydrographic network (springs and fountains hidden in the heart of the woods in the hills).

Reviews and comments

4.2 / 5
Based on 18 reviews

Reliability of the description
3.9 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5
Route interest
4.1 / 5
User 19224960

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The start of the hike was poorly explained. Result: we ended up doing the hike backwards

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lechamoisdespyrenees
lechamoisdespyrenees

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

Only one fountain remains; the other two have disappeared

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Alain Lagrange
Alain Lagrange

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

I invite the visor who created this track to go back and update his comments.
Some of the information is useless and some is missing.
For example: at point 4, the path on the left no longer exists and it is indicated that it is to see a spring 'of no interest'...
Fortunately, the GPS track is correct.

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Patrick Delessert
Patrick Delessert
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very pretty, easy hike, but perhaps best avoided immediately after heavy rain.

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Randopyreneesoceanes
Randopyreneesoceanes

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 29, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

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Jn64
Jn64

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 28, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

we were unable to locate two of the fountains. Otherwise, the route is easy and mostly shaded, which was very pleasant on this beautiful May day (26 degrees). There were few people and picnic areas at the start/finish point. As stated in the description, the views are superb.

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Randopyreneesoceanes
Randopyreneesoceanes

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 03, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike to do in spring because there is often mud and puddles. Easy route

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O2Vi
O2Vi

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 30, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We didn't find all the fountains, but the walk is really lovely. 👍👍👍

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dany3364
dany3364

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 15, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

i did this route today with the track on my phone. I had downloaded the paper instructions and the map: perfect. I had to search around a bit to find the Breque fountain, but it was still very easy.
No problem. Very nice route, varied and easy. Thank you.

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loicgeneau
loicgeneau

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 13, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike with numerous sections through woodland and beautiful views of the Pyrenees, weather permitting.

I did this hike with my 6- and 8-year-old children after a very rainy week. Some sections of the cross-country trails were very wet but still passable.

The GPX track was reliable, so I didn't need to use the explanations in the PDF file much.

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Mortagne
Mortagne

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 24, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A fairly wooded hike, pleasant in hot weather, with a mix of quiet minor roads and paths. We collected lots of chestnuts.
We did this hike for the first time, setting off from the orientation table and following the description, and we got lost.
We did it a second time, following the route on the map, and were able to find the yellow markings. The starting point is not clearly defined.
However, you need to be careful because other yellow markings appear in places, which complicates things a little. Please note that there is ongoing construction work for an agricultural methanisation unit: will this affect the current route?
The numbered signs along the walk provide interesting information about the history of Pietat but do not correspond to the numbers shown on the map.
We only found one fountain: the Brouca fountain, which is located along the path.

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Bizboz
Bizboz

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 06, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Please note that the names of some paths have changed and some barns have disappeared.
Otherwise, enjoy your walk.

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msa8msa
msa8msa
• Edited:

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 09, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Confusing explanations in the PDF.
Significant error in point 2: it is not the Badguzére path,
but the Labindaleste path, which is the one to take

GPX tracks are not 100% reliable.

Very few markings on trees to guide you. The fountains are visible but abandoned, which is a shame.

A beautiful walk in any case.

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ase
ase

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 19, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

An astonishing hike, so close to Pau and yet so exotic. Well worth discovering.

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ilukinti
ilukinti

Hello

The problem stems from the fact that we arrived from the west and parked in the car park behind the chapel, so right and left inevitably get mixed up. Then there is an ambiguity in the description in chapter 1, "back on the road...". You have to understand that you have to turn around, which we didn't do. After about 1 km, we realised our mistake, looked at the map and were able to find our bearings. As we were far from the path, we caught up with it and decided to do the hike in reverse.

We had a good time anyway. We go hiking once a week with our dogs (two huskies).
Best regards
db

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