Pyrénées 2000 Webcam

[Nickie Koskinen]

Checkthe live weather via our Vallter 2000 webcams and view the current snow conditions for Vallter 2000 as they change throughout the day. The live video / webcam images overlook some of the 14 pistes/trails, 11 lifts or the village in Vallter 2000 ski resort. We take a snapshot of the webcams each day and present a rolling daily archive to show how the snow depth, weather and ski conditions have evolved over the past 4 weeks. The archive provides skiers and snowboarders with a simple way to view earlier snowfall events and the subsequent impact the weather has had on the snow quality in Vallter 2000.

The GR 10 is a classic mountain walk, large scale. It crosses France from one side to the other, links the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, and takes a whole range of mountains, the Pyrenees, in its stride.

Most hikers walking a long-distance trek (GR10, GR11, HRP) in the central Pyrenees will pass part of the day between 2000m and 2500m above sea level, descending to 1500m or below at night. Beware, in the Pyrenees you can have three seasons in one day! Typically, if there is going to be a thunderstorm it will start around 16:00. The temperature can descent 15C in as many minutes. Indeed, most rain in summer falls in the evening.

I estimate that from mid-June to mid-September, about 10 people leave Hendaye every day, with the intention of walking a significant part of the GR 10, though most of them will take several years to do it. Only one or two people leave Banyuls in the other direction. Some days I saw almost nobody; other days, particularly around popular centres I met 10-20 other walkers. Many parts of the GR 10 are also suitable for shorter walks.

Statistically speaking, no. You are more likely to be killed in a plane crash in the Pyrenees than by a bear. Nobody has been killed by a bear since the invention of the airplane, but the wreckage on the GR 10 on the slopes of Canigou is testimony to the unreliability of aircraft.

Many refuges will only take cash or cheques drawn on a French bank account. I once spent 100 euros on a taxi because I had run out! There are cash machines (ATMs) on the GR10 in Hendaye, Sare, Saint tienne de Bagorry, St Jean Pied de Port, Arrens-Marsous, Cauterets, Luz Saint Sauveur, Bareges, Saint Lary Soulan, Bagnres de Luchon, Seix (off route), Bolqure, Arles sur Tech, La Jonquera and Banyuls. Source Visa ATM locator (Feb 2018)

However, the best, though not the cheapest solution is a GPS with onboard maps. I have a GPS eTrex Summit HC (229 euros). Although you can just buy the two GPS maps needed for the Pyrenees (258 euros), you might as well buy the whole of France as it only costs 21 euros more.

This used to be a particularly difficult section from the point of view of accommodation, with two consecutive nights in huts, but there is a new gte at the Pla de la Lau. Unfortunately the stage is still a little too far to be done in two days, one after the other.

Better still leave leave the visit to the Cirque until dawn the next day and only walk as far as Gdre that day. After that you have a rollicking roller-coaster path down to Luz-St-Sauveur to rejoin the main route.

Hi Steve, My wife and I finished the GR10 last year (over 5 years in stages) and had the most amazing time. We have a week off after easter and wanted to go back to the lower pyrenees and do some walking if it is possible at that time of the year? Any suggestions for first week of april? Great website btw, regards, Shane

Yes, take a GPS (or a phone with Wikiloc app loaded), see my page on how to use a GPS. You need one that you can put maps onto: Free maps of the Pyrenees. Any recent Garmin will do, though there are may other possibilities. No they are not solar powered, you need spare batteries and a charger. Yes you will need a sim card with sufficient memory for the map you choose.

Hi Steve

I presume you mean crossing over to the GR11. You can hitch/bus/taxi from Bagnres de Luchon to the Hospice de France and then climb to the Refuge de Venasque and down to the Hospital de Benasque and take a bus from there to Benasque. The walking part is spectacular, particularly when you arrive at the Portillon. It is 10km and 1000m of climbing which should take you 6h00. However an alternative option would be to cross over to the GR11 from Gavarnie to Bujaruelo which 13km and 1000m climbing so would take 6h30. The advantage of this option is that there are no roads involved.

Have fun.

I did this last year. The walk from hospice de France to hospital de Benasque is beautiful. I got a shuttle from the office du tourisme in luchon to the hospice, it left at 09:30. The bus from the hospital de benasque to the town runs 3 times a day (at 11:00,14:00 and 17:00 last August)but I hitched into town from the hospital car park easily. Hope you have a good trip.

Hi Steve

Can you delete my post with my email included, I was stupid to post it.

BTW

Solar is getting cheaper by the minute just bought this off Amazon for 30, it charges at the advertised rate, 2-3 hours for a smart phone even on a cloudy day in the UK.

Thanks.

See also my site on the GR11, Senda Pirenaica, this page on cross-border routes, and this page comparing the GR10, GR11 and HRP. There are also reports on the Senda de Camille, the Mountains of Freedom, and a cross-border walk taking in Aneto.

There are three main routes in the Pyrenees going from the Atlantic to the Med. The GR10 on the northern side, the Pyrenean Haute Route (HRP) which is the highest and crosses the watershed on the French/Spanish border many times (I counted 28!), and the GR11 La Senda Pirenaica on the south side. I have written an article on another site comparing the three Pyrenees routes. It sounds like you would be looking towards the HRP (known in French as the Haute Randonne Pyrnenne).

As for accommodation, I have done all three routes and can safely say that you do not need a tent. You will be able to find a roof every night. That said, this needs careful planning, see the refuges in the Pyrenees site. Depending on the route you pick perhaps a quarter of the nights will be in free basic huts, a few on a concrete floor but most with at least minimal comfort. 60% of the nights will be in staffed hostels. And 15% in bed and breakfast or small hotels. The hostels and B&B works out at about 55 euros for bed and breakfast, evening meal and a picnic, so doing the whole route like this works out at over 2000 euros. Camping is naturally cheaper.

I have met quite a few lone women walking in the Pyrenees and none have reported female-specific problems. The only thing you need to look out for in August is the heat, and some refuges may be booked up around the 15 August holiday.

Hi Steve. Thank you so much for alerting me the difficult nature of the path to Maupas. You are absolutely right! My question is the path from Refuge de Portillon to la Renclusa appears to be HRP Etape 21 (on my GPS map). It seems to be along the ridge to the right of Punta Mamy and Pic des Crabioules. The latter was mentioned by other walkers as being challenging. I wonder if climbing ropes are needed for this portion. We are not trained in rock climbing and would like to be aware of our limitations. Your opinion helps a great deal!

Qin Zhu

Hi Steve

Is there an opinion on how snowy this year will be for a 10th June Atlantic start?

Seems lots of chatter about snow earlier in the year but it seems to have been warmer than usual recently.

It may be possible, but it would be wiser to have them just in case. There has been a lot of late snow and you will be heading straight into the heights. See also my page on snow conditions in the Pyrenees in 2018.

Will do Steve. Last question: do you know what the best way to the trail is from Toulouse? It looks like we can take a train to Pau and then a bus to Gourette, or take a bus to Lourdes and then to Arrens-Marsous. Would we be missing something by going straight to Arrens-Marsous?

In the central Pyrenees, last week in June with very little rambler experience? The best idea would be to start at Lescun (train and bus to Pont de Lescun then 1h30 hike to village) and head west. If you are in the central Pyrenees you may have difficulties. But 5-6 days will get you to St-Jean-Peid-de-Port and a train station.

Many thanks for an excellent website, very useful! I am planning to hike part of the GR 10 this summer (mid July to mid August). My plan is to finish in Hendaye. I have not yet decided on a starting point, but I am considering Cauterets. Can you tell me if it will be possible to reach Cauterets by public transport? I plan to fly to Toulouse, or perhaps Bourdeaux. I am also curious to know whether it is required/recommended to book accomodation in advance?

Hi Tommy

Yes you can get a train to Cauterets from Toulouse. Bordeaux would be more difficult. (Check out Pau and Tarbes as alternatives.) As you are travelling alone you should be able to get into most hostels as long as you ring up 2 days in advance and this is the best method as you never know when you will need/want a break. However, around 14 July you should book well in advance (ie now) as this is a national holiday. (14 August is also a national holiday but by that time you will be near Hendaye so there will be a choice of accommodation.

Have fun.

1) How is the internet connection?

2) What are the opportunities to charge a power bank? Plan to primarily tent but sometimes book a hostel/ B&B

3) I have red that you recommend to book a hostel a couple of days in advance by phone. Where do I find an overview with phone numbers for B&B or hostels on my way?

4) Do the hostels typically offer the opportunity of a shower?

5) Your recommended source for local weather forecasts?

6) When do you use water purifying tablets and which can you recommend?

If you are fit and feeling adventurous hire a guide (in advance) to take you from Bayssellance to the summit of Grande Vignemale (stay in Bayssellance two nights). Or stay in Gavarnie (Refuge le Gypate), visit the Cirque coming back via the Refuge des Espuguettes before staying at Saugu. The cirque de Gavarnie is quite something.

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