The French valleys at north of the area of Benasque had the most important village in Bagnéres-de-Luchon. The maps of this area in 1:50.000 are generally called Luchon for this reason.

The limits:
-In the west the area of Bigorre with the villages of Arreau and St. Lary Soulan.
-In the S.W. the limit is the valley of Chistau, situated in the area of Bielsa with the massifs of Bachimala and Posets. The valley of north, val Louron, is the first of Luchon.
-In the south the limit with the valley of Benasque is the great massif Gourgs Blancs-Perdiguero-Maupas. These mountains had interesting routes in both sides and are included in Benasque and Luchon. This zone had the valley of Lis and the road to Hospice de France, access to the route to Portillon de Benasque, important pass for the mountaineers in other centuries to Maladeta Massif.
-In the north the limit is the city of Montrejeau. It contain the valley of north and south of Bagnères-de-Luchon, the valley of La Pique (or Luchon).
-In the east the limit is the valley of Aran, the valley in the north of Spanish province of Lleida (Catalonya) where's the tunnel of Vielha.

Map of the area of Luchon

Getting There

Spijeoles

French: the approach to the village of Montréjeau had good highways. The access to Montréjeau is in the road A-64 (E-80) between Tarbes and Toulousse.

Spanish: the access is possible at West in tunnel of Bielsa, or at the East, in the tunnel of Vielha.

-Approach to Bielsa: from Huesca to Ainsa. In Bielsa you’ll take the tunnel of Aragnouet-Bielsa to France. It’s necessary to reach the village of Arreau to turn to the east to Val Louron, the first valley of Luchon, or following across the Col of Peyresourde (1569m) to Bagnères de Luchon.

-Approach to Vielha: from the city of Lleida to village of Pont de Suert (N-230), and across the tunnel of Vielha you’ll entry in valley of Aran. Before the village of Bosost is the road to Col du Portillon (1293m) to cross the border to France. The road D-618 go directly to Bagnères-de-Luchon.

Red Tape

Some zones of the south are in the National Park of Pyrenees with rules about the access.

Bachimala-Rioumajou

Bachimala

The valleys of Rioumajou and Clarabide are the French access to some of the peaks of Massif of Bachimala (3174m). This massif generally had easiest and most popular routes from Spain (see the area of Bielsa).

Trailheads:
-Valley of Rioumajou with area of free camping with climbs to Culfreda/ Batoua (3034m) or Lustou (3023m).
-Valley of Clarabides: the best option is the Refuge de la Soula (1710m) with climbs to Abeillé (3029m), Bachimala (3174m).

Mont Né

Mt Né

The mountains of Comminges are situated between the col of Peyresourde and Nistos and has the main peak in the Mont Né (2147m) with very wide landscape of the area. Another peaks: Montagne d’Areng (2079m), Mont Aspet (1849m), Montious (2171m), Pic du Lion (2102m).

Trailheads: Port de Barès (1755m), col de Peyresourde (1569m), station of Nistos (1580m).

Gourgs Blancs

Belloc & Spijeoles

The great massif Gourgs Blancs-Perdiguero-Maupas it’s possible to divide in three sections according with the three most important peaks. The Gourgs Blancs (3129m) is the most important of the western peaks of massif.
Another peaks: Clarabide (3020m), Gias (3011m), Arlaud (3065m), Gourdon (3034m), Spijeoles (3065m), Belloc (3008m), Hourgade (2964m), Seil de la Bacque (3110m), Pic du Portillon d’Oô or Pic Ollivier (3058m).

Trailheads:
-Refuge de la Soula (1710m) to Clarabides, Gias, Gourgs Blancs.
-Refugio de Estós (valley of Benasque) to Clarabides, Gias, Gourgs Blancs, Seil de la Bacque.
-Refuge du Portillon (2571m): the most complete list of 3.000 meters of the area is accessible from this trailhead (4h of walk from the Granges d’Astau). Climbs to Gourgs Blancs, Belloc, Spijeoles, Gourdon, Seil de la Bacque (and the peaks of massifs Lézat and the peak Perdiguero).
-Refuge d’Espingo (1950m): in the same route of Refuge du Portillon with the same peaks.

Lézat-Crabioules

Quayrat & Lézat

Quayrat

Separated to north of the line of massif Gourgs Blancs-Perdiguero exist a little massif with connect with the principal massif in the peak Crabioules (3116m). The impressive ridge of Crabioules go directly to the peak Lézat (3107m) and is one of the most important rock-climbs of the Pyrenees with the good know four Aguilles de Lézat.
At north is the Grand Quayrat (3060m) over the Cirque d’Espingo. Another little peaks to the north are Petit Quayrat (2847m), Hounts-Secs (2698m). The last zone of this range to the north had in the peak Ceciré (2403m) a marvellous observatory, near of the ski resort of Superbagnères (1800m) with a short and nice walk-up.

Trailheads: Refuge d'Espingo, Refuge du Portillon, Valleu of Lis-Refuge de Maupas.

Perdiguero-Maupas

Maupas & Crabioules

Perdiguero or Perdiguère (3222m) is the most important mountain of the area and had ridges what join to many peaks of 3000 meters. It’s joined to Crabioules in the Col Inferior of Literola (2983m), important point to connect the routes from Portillon and from Benasque.
-In the ridge N (Literola) exist some little peaks as Punta Literola (3132m), Pico Royo (3121m) and Tuca de Literola (3095m), with easy rock-climb to the main summit.
-In the west is the pass of Portillon d’Oô, with a great wall over it (not routes from here).
-In the east is the normal route of Perdiguero from benasque with another peaks as Perdygueret (2814m).
-To the east from Crabioules is the impressive Maupas (3109m) and the rocky pyramid of Boum (3006m). The range end with the peaks Mall Barrat (2986m), Mall Planet (2948m), Mall Pintrat or Pic de Port Vielh (2851m), Estauas (2754m) and Sacroux (2676m). The Port de la Glère (2367m) is the separation with the massif of Salvaguardia in the valley of Benasque.

Trailheads:
-France: Refuge du Portillon, Refuge de Maupas, Valley of Lis.
-Spain: Puente de Literola (Benasque), Valley of Remuñe, Hospital de Benasque.

Salvaguardia-valley of La Pique

Salvaguardia

The mountains around the Portillon de Benasque are in the SE of the area before the frontier (the next Valley of Aran in the east is in Spanish side). The most important peak is Salvaguardia (2738m) and had another peaks as La Mina (2708m), , La Pique (2394m), Pic del Port de la Picada (2553m) or Soum de l’Escalette (2466m). The Port de la Picada is the frontier between the Spanish provinces of Huesca and Lleida.
Trailheads:
-French: Hospice de France (1385m)
-Spain: Hospice de Benasque.

External Links

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Camping

The main city is Bagnéres de Luchon with many hotels and lodges.
It exist camping in Arreau, Louron, Bagnéres de Luchon,...

Images