VDA — Torn Dera Val D'Aran (by UTMB)

This is the shortest road route from France for climbing Aneto in a (long...) day, without camping or staying in a mountain hut.

A magnificent hike in the heart of the Pyrenees, a round trip starting from Pont de Rius, allowing you to discover Lake Era Restanca, then the refuge of the same name, and the superb Lac deth Cap dethPòrt. The route offers stunning mountain scenery, taking in forests, torrents, valleys and high-altitude lakes. A challenging and exotic hike, ideal for making the most of the wild beauty of the Val d’Aran.

A lovely loop from Espitau de Vielha via Tuc deth port de Vielha (2,606 m), the magnificent Lac Redon (2,230 m), Coret deth Redon (2,454 m) and finally Lac de Rius (2,320 m). It goes up and down, and the slopes are quite steep. Very rocky landscape. Hike done in summer. Lac de Rius, which is pumped in summer and during periods of drought, can see its level drop by several metres, which detracts a little from its charm.

The hike starts from the car park near the "Sauth deth Pish" waterfall, after 9 km on a tarmac track. After seeing the pretty waterfall on the left as you arrive, the route starts by heading towards the bottom of the valley. There is a first, slightly steep climb through the woods, then you come out into a treeless area. The difficulty lies not in the elevation gain, but in the section between the end of the forest and the bridge that takes you to the other side, which runs along the side of the mountain on a fairly narrow path. However, if you take care, it's easy to navigate. You then come out onto a tarmac track for the descent, which is admittedly less pleasant and has a few cars passing by, but I wouldn't have done it the other way round.

A classic in the Val d'Aran, an ascent to Lake Besiberri via the Val de Besiberri with magnificent views of the Besiberri, the Sèrra del Molar Gran and the Aneto.

This is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful hikes in the Pyrenees. The climb is long and difficult, but the panoramic views will make you forget your aching legs. Once past the azure blue Boums du Port, the Port de Venasque fault offers the most beautiful balcony overlooking the Maladeta and its lord, the Aneto. The Port de la Picade with its superb panoramic views, the Pas de l'Escalette and the Crabidès ridge complete this unforgettable hike.

This hike is not particularly difficult, apart from a slightly steep climb during the first kilometre, and offers superb views of the Luchonnais mountain pastures (sheep, cows, horses), the climb to Vénasque and the Crête de la Pique.

A beautiful route that is less frequented than those of the Étangs de Boums du Port de Vénasque or the Pic de Sauvegarde. The climb takes place in a pleasant valley, shaded in the morning. From the Soum de l'Escalette (2,466 m), the 360° panorama is magnificent. The descent begins with a beautiful ridge trail that offers magnificent scenery all along the way. This is an easy hike with fairly regular and moderate slopes for the most part.