Vernet-les-Bains: Pic Cogollo, circular return

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A lovely, uncrowded hike above Vernet-les-Bains. Pass above the waterfalls and flirt with the access routes to Canigou.

Details

n°41510982
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 11.61 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 863 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 863 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,497 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 683 m
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Photos

The Pic de Cogollo post box
The valley at our feet
Goat farm
View of the village

Description of the walk

Park near the town hall and the "À l'entente Cordiale" monument or on Route de Fillols.

(S/E) Take the road towards Fillols and descend 100 metres further along Chemin des Escoumeilles until you cross the River Saint-Vincent (Ribera de Sant Vincenç) via a wide footbridge.

(1) Turn right towards Refuge de Bonne-Aigue and continue for about 100 metres.

(2) Turn left (white and yellow markings) onto Chemin de Saint-Jean. Cross Route de Fillols (D27) and continue straight ahead on the cement-lined track towards Massif du Canigó. You will come to a crossroads in an open area (Sant Joan on the IGN map). Take care.

(3) Keep to the right, following the sign for Tour du Cogollo. You will come to a fork at the edge of the forest.

(4) Turn right towards the monument and the viewpoint.

(5) Stele dedicated to the Maquis Henri Barbusse. Turn back to the previous fork.

(4) Continue right along the path, passing in front of a beautiful orri. You will reach a crossroads.

(6) Leave the path that leads to the Bonne Aigue Refuge.
Climb up, keeping to the far left, towards Pic Cogollo (Cogulló). Pass the highest point of the hike (altitude 1503). Descend a little and climb back up to a new viewpoint (altitude 1494).
The true summit of Pic Cogollo is a little further to the left; the rock near the post box is not the summit.

(7) Then descend towards Fillols until you reach another fork.

(8) Turn right towards Fillols and Vernet and you will reach an ambiguous crossroads.

(9) Leave a path on the right that leads to the river and a track.
Continue a little further, passing another path on the right. Turn completely left towards Vernet.

(10) Leave a path on the right and continue straight ahead until you reach the Coll de Juell junction (elevation 899).

(11) The path opposite will take you back to Sant-Joan.
Turn right and head towards the Vieux Col de Fillols (Coll Vell on the map).

(12) Descend to the left towards Vernet, after the goat farm, arrive at the road (D27), turn left onto it for about 75 metres and, just after a road bridge, look for a path on the right.

(13) Turn right onto this path and head towards Vernet. Continue to the large footbridge.

(1) Continue straight ahead and return to the car park near the town hall (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 687 m - Car park near the town hall (Route de Fillols)
  2. 1 : km 0.35 - alt. 684 m - Crossroads of the circular loop. Wide footbridge
  3. 2 : km 0.42 - alt. 692 m - Fork
  4. 3 : km 1.37 - alt. 796 m - Junction. Sant Joan
  5. 4 : km 3.64 - alt. 1,206 m - Fork in the road. Return to the monument.
  6. 5 : km 3.7 - alt. 1,208 m - Maquis Henri Barbusse memorial stone. Viewpoint
  7. 6 : km 4.97 - alt. 1,432 m - Pin and signs. Fork in the road
  8. 7 : km 5.92 - alt. 1,493 m - Junction towards Vernet. Access to Pic Cogulló
  9. 8 : km 7.48 - alt. 1,044 m - Intersection
  10. 9 : km 7.89 - alt. 986 m - Crossroads
  11. 10 : km 8.56 - alt. 897 m - Fork in the road
  12. 11 : km 9.02 - alt. 898 m - Coll de Juell
  13. 12 : km 10.26 - alt. 845 m - Old Fillols Pass (Coll Vell)
  14. 13 : km 10.75 - alt. 743 m - Road bridge
  15. S/E : km 11.61 - alt. 687 m - Car park near the town hall (Route de Fillols)

Worth a visit

Read Cali's book "Seuls les enfants savent aimer" (Only Children Know How to Love), which mentions these places.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 7 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.9 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
mimi6645
mimi6645

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 22, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Lots of forest, which is nice in summer. A few viewpoints, especially at the highest point of the route.
The return journey seems long at the bottom of the hike.

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JPB.33
JPB.33

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 18, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful, shaded hike, as the climb is quite challenging. Beautiful landscapes with views of the Cirque de Vernet. The descent is gentle. A beautiful and enjoyable experience

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Garcilaso
Garcilaso

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 16, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

In point 7, it could be noted that the summit of Pic Cogollo is a little further away and that the route does not specify this, and that the rock near the post box is not the summit.
.

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BADADEI
BADADEI
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 16, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful route, not very busy after the fork (point 6). Beautiful views both on the way up and down. It is possible to shorten the route at point 11 by returning to point 3, which is what we did, as we were familiar with this part. The trail is pleasant, with a steady gradient both on the way up and down, making it easy. However, I wouldn't describe this route as a stroll. We'll do it again.

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Samsong
Samsong

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 26, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

This hike covers nearly 900 metres of elevation gain and could be described as a stroll: the ascent and descent are gradual. There are beautiful views of the Tower of Goa and the surrounding valleys and mountains. On the way up, ruined hamlets, a beautiful orri (traditional barn) and low walls bear witness to the former activity on this mountain. We had a wonderful day.

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Gazoulette
Gazoulette

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 30, 2023
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant route, not too demanding, with fairly easy trails and beautiful panoramic views. Indeed, not very busy. For the return trip, we preferred to go via the Juell and Truja passes, without going through Fillols.
No problems with navigation.

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Philippe Pagès
Philippe Pagès

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 17, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

To the moderators:
Hello, I am the author of this hike and I see that I have made a typo leading to errors in the description between points 4 and 6: the following should be changed:
"(6) Stele dedicated to the Maquis Henri Barbusse. Turn back to the
previous fork.

and indicate
(5) Stele dedicated to the Henri Barbusse Maquis. Turn back to the
previous fork at point 4.

Machine-translated

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