Gavarnie circuit

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From main carpark (5euro) walk up to village road turn right and then left at junction

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Ten metres later branch onto cobbled road on right goes past church

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Pass this sign on chirch

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Head past this sign onto gently rising walk trail with instant cirque views

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After 15mim on track take path on right at fork

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30 min from parking start a more vigorous zig zag uphill climb. Green and white trail markers

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There are even marked viewpoints telling u just where to take a picture

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After a little over an hr from start emerge onto a gently rising plateau. There's a small stone cabin to your right. Continue sw along clear trail

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The plateau is favoured by marmots

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Couple min later arrive at viewpoint of plateau belle vue and it really is... It's 1708m

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From the edge of plateau drop down to south on clear footpath signed for Gavarnie

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After few min of gentle descent path runs for a short way along edge of vertical high cliff. Amazing view but keep hold of children!

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Steep part ends as fast as it began and u pass a gate and wind gently down to small plateau with waterfall

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Ten min from plateau reacha pasture with milk blue river and falls. Cross a bridge but great picnic spot

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On other side of bridge follow signed trail to right plateau de la prade 30min

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Trail slips into scented pine forest and drops gently

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Lower down pine becomes beech

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At junction after 20mon from bridge go right south (or rtn direct to Gavarnie village by going left)

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El Padre is a small tree lined plateau with a wide pebbly stream bed and amazing cirque views many of us would be happy parking up here for eternity

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Hop over main part of stream but don't cross gravel beds instead take small footpath running along low grassy ridge in shade if trees heading toward cirque

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Ten min later cross a cement bridge (broken at time) over fast flowing stream in tight gravely little river bed

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Climb small gravel slope straight after bridge and up some naturally formed stone steps into forest

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After another few min reach the main busy trail to cirque and turn right plodding uphill with masses

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After 5 to 8min come to the hotel and cafe at end of main trail

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Follow path from hotel deeper into cirque after couple min take lower path running just above river

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Path into belly of cirque involves hopping over stream bed and some rock scrambling but is easy and busy views get better

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View from waterfall deep in cirque 39min from hotel much quieter

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Rtn back to hotel in 15min

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Cirque from just past hotel

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Rtn back to hotel and just before veer off on rocky trail heading right side hotel and quickly back onto crowd free trail

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After short sharp climb path finds a ridge and rises more gently along side of fairly steep cliff flirting with pine forest as it goes

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Some steep sided and icy patches

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Path creeps under overhangs off which icy water drips and village and plateau belle vue fill view. Spin round for views of higher mountains

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Wonderful cirque views

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After 45min from hotel walk under a huge rock overhang like a cave mouth. The peaceful trail is now quietly undulating through forest

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After 50min reach gate posts and take upper right trail just after

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Few min later arrive at seasonal unmanned refuge and mountains to east if Gavarnie village burst I to frame

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Dreamy alpine scene

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Cross small footbridge 100m past refuge and 25m later at signed trail junction go left back to Gavarnie going right east takes u to refuge espeguttes

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Few min after junction pass a water source and start long increasingly steep drop back to Gavarnie

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After a 40min descent hit the main Gavarnie trail by a farmhouse and turn right. The village and parking is 10min straight ahead