Chalet Hôtel d'Orédon - Tournaboup

Third stage of the Three Days in the Néouvielle Reserve and its lakes
From the Chalet-Hôtel d'Orédon to the Tournaboup car park.
The multi-day hike is coming to an end, but the beauty of the 20 lakes remains.
You are entering the Néouvielle National Nature Reserve, which is protected by regulations. Please respect these regulations (see practical information).

This walk is part of a multi-day hike: Three days in the Néouvielle Reserve and its lakes

Details

n°25364

Creation:
02 May 2013

Last update:
25 Jan 2026

Last review:
31 Jul 2023

Activity: Walking
Distance: 14.56 km
Average duration: 6h 00
Difficulty: Moderate
Back to start: No
Ascent: + 639 m
Descent: - 1,065 m
Highest point: 2,497 m
Lowest point: 1,450 m

Country: France
Areas: Pyrenees, Massif de l'Arbizon, Massif du Néouvielle
City: Aragnouet (65170)
Start: N 42.826253° / E 0.169375°
End: N 42.90386° / E 0.102108°
IGN map(s): Ref. 1747ET, 1748ET, 1748ETR, 1748OT, 1748OTR
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Photos

Climbing towards the Hourquette d'Aubert

Description of the walk

(S) From the Refuge Hôtel d'Orédon (1,852 m) Head north, passing under the car parks and following the Lac d'Orédon (do not go towards the dam or follow the road where the shuttle buses run).

(1) Climb through the forest heading north-west, overlooking Lac d'Orédon. Continue climbing, following the stream with its beautiful spots (waterfalls).

(2) Altitude 2085. Walk alongside the road without taking it, leaving it on your right. Soon the first Laquettes (2079 m) come into view.
After the third Laquette (2089 m), the Lac d'Aubert dam comes into view. Leave this dam on your left (2150 m) and head towards the winter shelter, which marks the end of the regulated road to the lakes (car park 2158 m).

(3) Leave the car park on your right and head north (2,189 m). On your left is Lac d'Aubert and on your right is Lac d'Aumar. A short break to take in the view is welcome.

(4) Leave the^{GR®®10 trail}, which heads towards the Col de Madamète, on your right (2,208 m). Follow the north-west path that passes above Lac d'Aubert. Climb up to the Hourquette d'Aubert at an altitude of 2,498 m.

(5) Turn around to admire the natural surroundings and numerous lakes.
A well-deserved rest at the Hourquette will do us good. Then descend northwards towards Lac Estagnol (2,260 m) on your left. Head towards Lac Nère on your right (2,246 m).

(6) Continue on, and Lac Blanc will soon appear on your left (2,120 m).

(7) Fork in the road (at an altitude of 2125). Take the left fork. Leave the path that leads up to the Col de Tracens. Pass to the right of the Lacs de La Jonquère (2000 m). You will soon arrive above Lac Dets Coubous (2041 m) on your left.
Cross the dam and arrive at the Dets Coubous hut.

(8) Continue along the path that descends to Pountou (1,741 m).
Follow the path without cutting across, as erosion is causing serious damage to the mountain and the paths. Think of the other hikers who will also have the chance to find this path in good condition.

(9) At Le Pountou, follow the red and white markings of^{the GR®®10}to the left. Take the stony track to the Pont de la Gaubie bend.

(10) Cross the road and follow the red and white markings of^{the GR®®10}to the Tournaboup car park (E).
The 3-day hike is now complete.

Waypoints

S : km 0 - alt. 1,876 m - Refuge d'Oredon
1 : km 0.95 - alt. 1,899 m - Climb up into the forest. - Lac d'Orédon
2 : km 1.96 - alt. 2,073 m - Les Laquettes
3 : km 3.84 - alt. 2,159 m - Parking on a tarmac road. - Lac d'Aubert
4 : km 4.51 - alt. 2,207 m - Fork in the road, left
5 : km 6.45 - alt. 2,497 m - Hourquette d´Aubert
6 : km 7.94 - alt. 2,237 m - Lac Nère
7 : km 8.97 - alt. 2,126 m - Fork in the road, left - Lac Blanc (Pyrénées)
8 : km 10.39 - alt. 2,040 m - Cabane dets Coubous - Lac Dets Coubous
9 : km 11.84 - alt. 1,756 m - Le Pountou. On the left. GR10
10 : km 13.43 - alt. 1,551 m - Parking Pont de la Gaubie
E : km 14.56 - alt. 1,451 m - Arrival. Tournabou car park. - Bastan (cours d'eau) - Affluent du Gave de Gavarnie

Notes

Regulations concerning the Néouvielle National Nature Reserve:
• Dogs are not allowed in the core area of the Pyrenees National Park, even on a lead
• Dog kennels - information available from Aragnouet Town Hall - Tel: 05 62 39 62 63
• No fires, to prevent fires and damage to the ground
• Please keep quiet to preserve the peace and quiet of the area
• Bring bin bags with you to take your rubbish back down with you
• No picking or collecting of plants, minerals or fossils is permitted
• Capturing animals is prohibited
• Regulated camping is permitted more than an hour's walk from a road access point, between 7 p.m. and 9 a.m.
• No camping or motorhome parking overnight to preserve the beauty of the sites and prevent pollution
• Hunting and fishing are prohibited
• Stay on the paths; do not cut corners

At the car park (3) at the end of the Route des Lacs, toilets have been built and there is a drinking water tap. There is a winter shelter at this location. In summer, there is no roof to provide adequate shelter in case of bad weather.
The Cabane du Lac Dets Coubous can be used as a shelter in case of bad weather.
You are in a high mountain area, so proper equipment is essential. Bring at least 2.5 litres of water, lunch and some dried fruit. A compass and at least one 1:50,000 scale map (No. 5 Bigorre).

This route passes through a protected area, which may be subject to special regulations:

Réserve Naturelle Nationale Néouvielle - more information

Worth a visit

At the Chalet-Hôtel d'Orédon, there are a few short evening walks you can take if your legs are still up to it.
There is another place to stay: Refuge Oredon
In the evening, when the car park is closed, calm returns and the mountain charm takes over.
On the way back, from the Tournaboup car park, you can climb up to the Col du Tourmalet and descend via Bagnères de Bigorre.
The old access road to the pass is closed to motor traffic. It has become the Laurent Fignon Way.
Taking advantage of the creation of a new road to climb the Col du Tourmalet (Barèges side), the Hautes-Pyrénées General Council and the town of Barèges decided to dedicate the old access road, which has seen the Tour de France pass through since 1910, to cyclists. As a result, 2.4 km and 200 m of elevation gain are exclusively reserved for cyclists.
Otherwise, stop off in Barèges if you are leaving via this valley.
Town of Barèges

Reviews and comments

4.9 / 5

Based on 8 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5

Ease of following the route
4.9 / 5

Route interest
5 / 5

Badping

31 Jul 2023 at 19:15 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

The most beautiful of the three days of hiking! We were blessed with perfect weather. The view of the Aumar and Aubert lakes is simply magnificent. Afterwards, we enjoyed a beautiful view of the valley where we started, which made us realise how far we had come from the Tournaboup car park.

It took us 8½ hours to complete the route, including plenty of time to take lots of photos of the magnificent landscape.

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halden

22 Aug 2021 at 14:11 7200

Hello,

Thank you for posting this route, which looks great.
Do you know if it is possible to do this hike in the opposite direction, i.e. starting with the Chalet-Hôtel d'Orédon?
This seems more manageable for the first day of hiking, given that I first have a three-hour drive to get to the starting point at the Tournaboup car park.
Thank you for your help!

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cdenervaux

27 Aug 2018 at 19:57 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 27, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Superb hike, thank you for the route!

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Nono756

04 Jul 2018 at 09:37 7200

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 02, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Stunning landscapes

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lulutortue

28 Sep 2015 at 15:14 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 23, 2015
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

We did this route in reverse, so this was our first day.
It was impossible to access the Pont de la Gaubie car park, so we started a little further down at Touneloup in the rain.
We loved the view from the Hourquette d'Aubert!! SUBLIME!!
We spent the night at the very pleasant Lac d'Aubert bivouac.
Thanks to the author!

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Franckeclaire

31 Jul 2015 at 09:34 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 28, 2015
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

I did the route in the opposite direction (Pont de Gaubie-Orédon). The trail is well marked and presented no problems. The descent to Nouvielle between Lake Aumar (in my opinion, one of the most striking lakes in the western Pyrenees) and Lake Aubert is a highlight.
Thanks to the author for the route.

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GwadaStFelix

17 Jul 2015 at 02:11 7200

Great, thank you very much. I checked the refuges, and they are open throughout September. The bus link is brilliant. I'm delighted. I'll be able to prepare my "guide" map. I'll be back later for various details. See you soon.

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GwadaStFelix

16 Jul 2015 at 20:49 7200

Hello,
I am interested in the Néouvielle circular reserve. I am planning to do it in September (second half of the month?). I am a retired hiker and will be travelling directly from Guadeloupe to the site! (Orly-Montparnasse-Bordeaux-Lourdes). Then I'll take the bus from Lourdes to Barèges. But I have some doubts... Are they open all year round? And will the refuges still be open? If you could send me as much practical information as possible, or the contact details of someone who can provide me with information, I would be extremely grateful. Thank you.

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christophe64680

15 Jul 2015 at 15:41 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 15, 2015
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Having made some progress the day before... it only took a short morning to reach the car park at the Gaubie bridge.

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Garrigues

11 Sep 2014 at 19:03 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 09, 2014
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

After the Gaubie bridge, we continued on to Barèges, where we took the bus the next day to Lourdes and then the train to Bordeaux. So, as far as we were concerned, the mileage was significantly higher.
This stage was the last of the following route:
Friday 5th morning: Bordeaux-Barèges by train + bus; afternoon: climb to the Glère refuge (2,103 m).
Saturday 6th: Refuge de la Glère to Refuge Chalet d'Orédon (1,856 m) via the Brèche de Chassenque.
Sunday 7th: Refuge Chalet d'Orédon to Refuge de Campana (2,225 m) via the GR10 trail, passing by the lakes and Refuge de Bastan.
Monday 8: Campana refuge to Chalet d'Orédon (1,856 m) via the Hourquette de Nère (2,464 m) via Port Bielh and descent to the Aygues Cluses hut (2,150 m), then climb up to the Madamete lakes and the Madamete pass (2,509 m), then descent to Orédon via Lake Aumar.
Return from Orédon to Barèges on the 9th as described in the reference hike.
This 5-day route provides a more complete overview of the Néouvielle massif.

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trifond

19 Aug 2013 at 20:15 7200

No problem with the gateway.

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trifond

19 Aug 2013 at 17:04 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 19, 2013
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Great route, it's a shame to "return to civilisation" in Oredon, but the lake is really beautiful and you can go for a swim. The times given are generous.

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