Refine your search for walks in Refuge du Portillon (Jean Arlaud)
Refuge du Portillon (Jean Arlaud) walks
Granges d'Astau - Lac du Portillon
Visorando member 
10.28 km
+1,499 m
-69 m
7h 15
Difficult
Departure from Oô (Haute-Garonne)
Starting from Les Granges d'Astau, there is a long climb with some steep sections, made more pleasant by the presence of several lakes. Lac d'Oô and its inn, and Lac d'Espingo in its magnificent setting are ideal places to stop for a break. After Lac du Saussat (pronounced Sa-ou-sat), the much smaller Lac de la Coume de l'Abesque marks the start of the steep, winding climb that leads to a plateau dotted with smooth rocks and small lakes, and then to the Jean Arlaud refuge.
Walks near Refuge du Portillon (Jean Arlaud)
From the Hospice de Rioumajou to Saint-Lary-Soulan
Visorando member 
17.46 km
+324 m
-1,060 m
5h 55
Moderate
Departure from Saint-Lary-Soulan (Hautes-Pyrénées)
The first stage starts at the Hospice du Rioumajou. You are at the start of the summer pastures, one of the arrival points of the Ténarèze. This ancient path, first traced in prehistoric times and then developed by the Romans, linked the Adour and Garonne basins, avoiding fords and tolls. A major transhumance route, it allowed herds to move between the plains and the mountains, while serving as a commercial and cultural link between Gascony and Spain, notably via passes such as the Ourdissétou.
From Saint-Lary-Soulan to Ancizan
Visorando member 
8.05 km
+97 m
-135 m
2h 35
Easy
Departure from Saint-Lary-Soulan (Hautes-Pyrénées)
The second stage of the Ténarèze, at the bottom of the Aure valley, runs alongside the Neste river through fields. In places, the path widens, suggesting the trace of the old drovers' road, particularly near the Nourde footbridge. A peaceful route that passes through several small rural villages set on a plain ideal for resting herds before the climb to the summer pastures.