Tuquerouye Refuge to the village of Gavarnie

Leave the refuge early!

(S) From the refuge, follow the reverse route of the previous day, starting the day with the steep descent down the Couloir de Tuquerouye. Reach the Hourquette d’Alans.

(1) Head towards the Gavarnie Valley: turn right at the pass and descend along the well-marked path, directly beneath the rocky outcrop and the ridge. Reach the junction leading up to the Pimené.

(2) Turn left and descend to the Refuge des Espuguettes.
Caution: do not cut across the mountain pastures, as you risk becoming stranded at the top of an impassable rocky outcrop on the Plateau des Cardous.
Arrive at the Refuge des Espuguettes.

(3) Continue along the path on the right. After a hairpin bend, return to the Bédérou crossroads at the Ruisseau de Pailla.

(4) Keep to the right and continue the descent through the forest. On emerging from the forest, join the track on the right bank of the Gave de Gavarnie or Gave de Pau.

(5) Turn right onto it and cross the Gave at the Pont de Brioude. Continue along the left bank to reach the Gavarnie car park (E).

This description relates to a hike undertaken in summer.

In both summer and winter, check the ‘Bulletin montagne’ weather forecast and, in winter in particular, the snow and avalanche bulletin from Météo-France for the Haute-Bigorre massif in the Hautes-Pyrénées. A call to the Haute-Montagne Gendarmerie unit may also reassure you about current conditions.
I do not recommend this hike in severe autumnal conditions (snow, heavy rain or hail), unless you have extensive mountain experience and are suitably equipped. Indeed, the Couloir de Tuquerouye can be particularly dangerous in the rain or when covered in snow.
For your information, another Visorando route, La Hourquette d’Alans, covers part of the route on snowshoes in snowy conditions.

Estimated time
Allow 3½ hours, including breaks and a picnic, when hiking solo; add half an hour when hiking in a group. This is a fairly generous estimate.

Difficulty
The hike is classified as “Very Difficult” (summer) due solely to the Tuquerouye Couloir (S), which is even more difficult on the descent than on the ascent. It is a challenging route, off the beaten track, where you must keep your cool.
Watch out for rockfalls in the couloir. When in a group, remain vigilant and do not line up one behind the other.

Water sources
From the Tuquerouye Refuge, when there is no snow, Lac Glacé is a quarter of an hour’s walk away, but there is no guarantee the water is safe to drink. Further down, except in the depths of winter, there is an outdoor tap with drinking water at the Refuge des Espuguettes (3).
Don’t forget to allow for around 1.5 litres per person in summer from the Tuquerouye Refuge (S) to Gavarnie (E).

Shelters
(3) The Refuge des Espuguettes is open all year round. In winter, it is unstaffed and has 8 beds available.
See the refuge’s website.
The staff are really friendly and the coffee (€1) is the cheapest in the whole of the Pyrenees!
In the event of bad weather between the Hourquette d’Alans (1) and the fork in the path (2), there is a lovely rock shelter that can serve as a temporary refuge for several people.

Equipment
In summer, bring the usual high-mountain hiking kit (hiking boots, walking poles, suitable clothing, rainwear, water, food, survival blanket, knife, compass, map, whistle, etc.).
In autumn and spring, add gloves and a hat. If there is a risk of snow, add an ice axe and crampons.

Traffic
In summer, the route is relatively busy. However, from autumn onwards, once the Espuguettes mountain hut is closed, it is common not to come across anyone, even at weekends. You should therefore inform your friends and family of the route you are taking and your planned times.

Mobile phone or radio communications
There used to be a radio, but there is now no means of radio communication at the Tuquerouye Refuge (S) (as of 2019). There is also no mobile phone coverage.
Mobile phone coverage is non-existent from the Tuquerouye Refuge (S) to the Hourquette d’Alans (1). From there to Les Espuguettes (3), coverage is very poor. You’ll find a signal (though not necessarily from all operators) at Les Espuguettes.

(1) Some useful information about the Hourquette d’Alans:
- The Hourquette is overlooked by the Pic Rouge de Pailla (2,780 m), which obscures the two Astazous – the Grand (3,071 m) and the Petit (3,012 m) – flanking the Swan Couloir and the Col Swan (2,967 m), as well as most of the Cirque de Gavarnie, except for the Brèche de Roland (2,800 m) in the distance, the ‘false breach’ (Pointe Bazillac, 2,975 m) and the Doigt (2,944 m).
- From the Hourquette, a magnificent view to the east over the Cirque d’Estaubé and, lower down, the Pla d’Ailhet (with its waterfall nestled deep in the background – a must-visit in summer; see the Visorando entry ‘Le Cirque d’Estaubé’), and the prominent peaks overlooking it: Pic d’Estaubé (2,807 m), Port Bieil (2,599 m), Pic Blanc (2,828 m), Col Port Neuf de Pinède (2,466 m), the start of the Brèche de Tuquerouye, but also, looking back westwards, numerous peaks of the main range, in particular: the Taillon (3,144 m), the peaks of the Vignemale Massif, including the Pique Longue (3,298 m). At the foot of the Pique Longue, you can clearly see the largest glacier in the Pyrenees on the French side, the Ossouë Glacier. At its source, in the distance, near the Col de Cerbillonas, on a very clear day you can see the three small white dots against the black rock face of the famous Russell Caves.
- Very close by on the right are the Piméné peaks, the Grand (2,801 m) and the Petit (2,667 m), perfectly aligned behind the ridge connecting us to them.
- In the background, on the plateau to the west, the Espuguettes mountain hut looks very small.

All along the route
There are plenty of vantage points for taking photos of the surrounding wonders.

Nearby
- The village of Gavarnie and its church
See theGavarnie Tourist Office website.

Alternative route on the descent
- Circular route via the Alans hut, at the end of the Alans Plateau (which extends from the Cardous Plateau). See the Visorando page for the Espuguettes Refuge and Alans Plateau
- A return trip to the Balcon de Pineta, descending on the Spanish side and following the north-eastern shore of the lake; the Balcon de Pineta is to the east of the lake.