Walking holiday

The French & Spanish Pyrenees Breche du Rollan Trek: Cauterets to Gavarnie via Spain
A great Trek through a spectacular region of the Pyrenees taking in both French and Spanish cultures and refuges.

Refuge des Sarradets or Refuge Breche du Roland
Grade: D This is a strenuous trek and you should be very fit and conditioned if you wish to get the most out of this trek. (Remember on this trek you will be carrying all your gear, so travel light, in fact ultra-light.) Most of our equipment was ultra-lite, except for our rucksacks which weighed far too much. Four of us were on this trek and we vowed now to get all light weight gear. Our packs weighed about 13 kg far too much!


Accommodation: (Initially Hotel- Mountain huts (Refuges)- Hotel/Camping )
(As this region is very popular you need to book the huts in advance- the best time to trek is late June/ early September - this is when most huts are open if earlier many are closed because snow is still around- if travelling independently check Refuge opening times)Usually there is no porter or pack animal to support you so you must carry all our own personal belongings plus a share of any communal supplies. As you will be taking breakfast and evening meals in the refuges you are not required to cook or carry food other than some supplies for lunches, but each day you will be carrying all your own belongings and supplies. You can also purchase from the Refuges packed lunches which are reasonably priced.

For our trip we booked the first 3 refuges in advance and tried to book at the Refuge Breche du Roland but it was already fully booked. So the motto is to book early!


Our Itinerary (one week) Monday 19th July -Tuesday 27th July 2004
Conditions- snow a lot of snow about above 2500m - big ice field around Breche Du Roland

Day to Day Itinerary LAND ONLY (7 days) Most companies have land price only for this type of trek. They either meet you in Toulouse, Pau, or Loudres. We were making our own arrangements and decided to fly into Toulouse

Day 1. Arrive at Toulouse Airport transfer to Cauterets (by train to Loudres bus to Cauterets) Booked a Gite de Etape in Cauterets

Day 2. Caught bus from Town centre to Pont D'Espagne then Trekked up the valley from Cauterets to the Refuge Wallon. 1865m (easy day 2hrs 10 min trekking)

Day 3. Trek from Refuge Wallon up to Port du Marcadau 2541m and then onto Banos de Panticosa and Refugio Casa de Piedra (long day 8hrs trekking including stops) Guide book says 5 hrs- you may be able to do it in that time if you weren't carrying a heavy pack, most people we spoke to did it in approx 7-8 hrs.

Day 4. Banos de Panticosa - Refugio Casa De Piedra 1640m to Bujaruelo 1338m via Collado de Brazato (2578).At Bujaruelo Refugio de San Nicolas ( Guide book says 7 hrs- most people with big packs took between 8-10hrs, we took 10 which included a good lunch stop and a few breaks a very long day.

Day 5. Banos de Panticosa to Torla (Rest Day) Took us 2 hrs to walk to Torla -Taxi Back.

Day 6. Depart Refugio de San Nicolas & Bujaruelo(1338m) climb to Port de Boucharo (2270m) then head towards Refuge Breche du Roland also known as Refuge des Sarradets (2582m)via lower part of Glacier du Taillon. Once their rest and then ascend to Breche du Roland and onto Le Taillon (3144m) and back to Refuge Breche du Roland.

Day 7 Depart Refuge Breche du Roland and descend very steep rock side of cirque de Gavarnie. Not for the faint hearted!!! Then head for Camp site in Gavarnie.

Day 8 Depart campsite bus to Lourdes and train to Toulouse Hotel Toulouse

Day 9 Depart Toulouse airport for England

Below are photographs of our second day walk from Refuge Wallon to Refugio Casa de Piedra

  Refuge Wallon                                                              Lac de Pecico (Spain)