Distance

7.2 km to summit

14.3 km total

Elevation

2,110 m start

Vertical

770 m gain

Time

2 hr 40 min to summit

4 hr 30 min total

Thursday 2nd August 2018. An ascent of Pic du Midi de Bigorre 2877m/757m, from Col du Tourmalet, Hautes Pyrénées, France. 14.3km, with 770m of ascent. 4hrs 30mins.

Pic du Midi de Bigorre (see at https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pic_du_Midi_de_Bigorre) is one of the most notable of the peaks in the Pyrenees, for a number of reasons. It sits on the northern extremity of the range, close to the low-lying plain to the north, and therefore dominates the view from that direction. In the days before the techniques for mountain surveying were developed in the 18th Century it was considered to be one of the highest peaks in the range. The true highest mountain is, of course, Aneto (in Spain) at 3,404m – considerably higher. The Pic du Midi is further notable for the large meteorological and astronomical observatory that sits on the summit, vying for space with the tourist facilities created following the building of a two-stage cable car route to the summit in the 1950s. This makes the summit rather a built-up area, resembling, when seen from below, one of the settlements pictured on other worlds in science fiction stories.

After spending the last few days hiking on and below the lower peaks and foothills of the Pyrenees, it was time to go higher. We had taken the cable car up the Pic du Midi on our last visit in August 2016, when I had noted that there was a good hiking trail to the summit that took in some magnificent high mountain scenery en route, much better appreciated on foot.

We parked at the Col du Tourmalet (2,115m), a road col made famous as one of the classic stages in the Tour de France, and the highest paved col in the whole of the Pyrenees. From there a grit road winds north below the Crête du Tourmalet to end on the west shoulder of the mountain at the ruined refuge of the Hôtellerie des Laquets. A steep path heads from there up the west ridge through the scree to the summit, a tiring ascent at the altitude, but without technical difficulty. It was a calm hot sunny day, so a hike at a cooler altitude was welcome.

The view that enfolded to the south as we gained more height was greatly to be admired, as the notable 3000 metre peaks of the main ridge came into view. The nearest was the Pic de Néouvielle 3091m, still carrying much snow and the remnants of glaciers on its northern flanks. To add interest, the grit road passed through a number of short tunnels, providing a cool place to stop to catch one’s breath.

Eventually the trail passed into the south-western cirque of the mountain, in which nestled the ice-blue waters of the Lac d’Oncet, encircled by a rugged semi-circle of subsidiary peaks to the north and west. Higher still, we reached a ruined refuge upon the Col de Sencours (2,378m). For a moment we thought we had been transported to the Andes, as a group of llamas were shading themselves in the ruins.

The grit road continued, steeper now, in a series of six long zig-zags until we eventually reached the extensive ruins of the Hôtellerie des Laquets. This had been the principle refuge on the main route up the mountain before construction of the cable railway. It is now planned to restore the place, with a 6m Euros renovation project in the offing (see at https://www.lepetitjournal.net/31t-toulousain/2018/02/22/lhotellerie-des-laquets-sera-transformee-en-annexe-du-pic/). Above the ruin, we watched a griffon vulture, one of the three great raptor species of these mountains, wheeling on the thermals above our heads.

ALT decided to continue no further, as the path to the summit looked steep and unpleasant. I left her there admiring the view. She was right about the path. It did prove arduous in the heat, and I had to stop every hundred metres or so to rest. I did not have it to myself, as a stream of people were ascending and descending.

I reached the highest natural point on the mountain, tucked in between the observatory and the cable car complex. A kind person offered to take a summit photo for me. It was not a place of peace and tranquillity like most mountain summits, but the expansive view made up for this. Not keen to leave ALT for too long, I headed down again to join her.

Our route down was as our route up. Some cloud was now beginning to bubble up from the south over the frontier ridge from Spain, but nothing that looked thunderous as yet. The cloud did at least provide a little shade from the fierce sunlight, and made for better photos, with more contrast between light and shadow.

We reached the Col du Tourmalet again in just over an hour and three quarters. It was too late for lunch, but we enjoyed drinks and crêpes in a local restaurant before heading back.

Obstacles

none

Key gear

trekking poles, GPS device