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ОглавлениеINTRODUCTION
Mont Valier from ponds below the Bouche d’Aula (Stage 34)
The north face of Vignemale from Oulètes de Gaube (Stages 18 and 19)
The Pyrenees, the mountain chain which forms the border between France and Spain, stretches over 400km from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea. The GR10 is the easiest, oldest and most popular of the three long-distance routes that traverse the mountain range.
It is an extremely well-waymarked route following good mountain paths, with only a few tough stages with boulderfields to cross and occasional scrambling. Towns and villages are frequent so finding accommodation and supplies is rarely a problem.
Initially the GR10 follows ridges over the steep rolling hills of the Basque Country before reaching the impressive limestone peaks at the western end of the High Pyrenees. The fantastic Alpine scenery of the High Pyrenees includes a number of tourist hotspots, including the Pic du Midi d’Ossau, Vignemale and Gavarnie. After Bagnères-de-Luchon the GR10 passes into the less-frequented Ariège where the route crosses a succession of deep valleys with occasional returns to spectacular Alpine terrain. As the Mediterranean is approached the Canigou massif dominates the scene and the terrain remains mountainous with the final 1000m peak being only a few miles from the route’s end at Banyuls-sur-Mer.
The highlight of the GR10 for many walkers isn’t the mountains or the fauna, but the magnificent wildflower meadows, and the associated butterflies, which you will walk through most days on your traverse of the Pyrenees.
The stages
At 954km in length with a total climb of 53,000m, taking approximately 315 hours to complete, the GR10 is too long for most hikers to do in a single trip and most will break it up into sections and walk it over several years. There are good bus and rail links throughout the French Pyrenees so there is plenty of choice when splitting into sections. For convenience, this guide has been divided into four sections, which fit in well with the rail links. See Appendix A for a route summary table.
For a fit walker, it would be possible to complete the entire trek in around 45 days by combining stages. This would require some planning ahead to ensure daily distances are realistic and accommodation options fit the intended schedule.
Section 1: Hendaye-Plage to Etsaut (Stages 1–12)
As the GR10 leaves the border town of Hendaye on the Atlantic coast it follows ridges over the steep, grassy and wooded rolling hills of the Basque Country. After nine stages there is a rapid transition to the steep limestone peaks at the western end of the High Pyrenees. Section totals: 221km; 11,300m; 68 hours.
Section 2: Etsaut to Bagnères-de-Luchon (Stages 13–26)
This is the most spectacular section of the GR10, passing through the High Pyrenees, which rise to over 3000m, crossing high passes that may be snow-covered well into summer. The fantastic scenery in this section means that you will be passing a number of tourist hot-spots, including the Pic du Midi d’Ossau, Vignemale and Gavarnie. Section totals: 253km; 14,400m ascent; 85 hours.
Section 3: Bagnères-de-Luchon to Mérens-les-Vals (Stages 27–43)
In this section, the border between France and Spain (or Andorra) is well north of the watershed and the GR10 passes through the Ariège. These mountains aren’t quite as high as the High Pyrenees, but the route crosses a succession of deep valleys cut out by the huge glaciers that flowed north from the Pyrenees in the last Ice Age, meaning that there is a lot of climb. The Ariège has never been as popular as the High Pyrenees so there is often a feeling of remoteness, and facilities for walkers are harder to find. Section totals: 265km; 17,600m ascent; 98 hours.
Section 4: Mérens-les-Vals to Banyuls-sur-Mer (Stages 44–55)
The first few days of this section are through spectacular Alpine terrain, after which the mountains become gentler. After the dominating Canigou massif is passed, the terrain becomes drier but remains mountainous, with the final 1000m peak being only a few miles from Banyuls-sur-Mer. Section totals: 215km; 9700m ascent; 64 hours.
Pont d’Espagne (Stage 18)
The route
The GR10 doesn’t pass over many summits, but suggestions are made in the route descriptions for climbing many of the easier peaks along the route, often from cols over which the GR10 passes. If you want to climb some of the higher, more difficult peaks you should ask for advice from the guardians of the refuges.
It would be possible to walk the GR10 from Mediterranean to Atlantic, but this guide describes the route from the Atlantic so that you have the prevailing wind/rain on your back and you have time to acclimatise to the heat before reaching the Mediterranean, with the added advantage that in hot weather the steep climbs can often be done in the shade of early morning.
The author noted a lot of minor changes to the route between 2014 and 2015 as the Fédération Française de la Randonnée Pédestre (FFRP) are continually trying to improve the route, so don’t be surprised if the route doesn’t always fit with the route description. However route changes are well waymarked and can be followed with confidence.
From the Atlantic to the Mediterranean
The Pyrenees is traversed by three long-distance routes coast to coast: the GR10, the High-level Route (Haute Randonnée Pyrénéenne, HRP) and the GR11 (la Senda Pirenaica). All three routes provide varied and scenic treks through magnificent, often remote, high or deserted mountains. The GR11 stays higher and is rougher than the GR10, but there is actually more climb on the GR10. Unless you are an experienced mountaineer you should prefer the GR10 or GR11 to the HRP.
This guide covers the GR10, which remains in France and stays north of the watershed. Well waymarked and following good mountain paths, it is the easiest of the three routes. Although much time is spent climbing up and down steep forested ridges, time is spent above the treeline on every stage. You are able to camp throughout, but it is not a necessity due to the frequent visits to towns and villages and a network of hostel-style accommodation in gîtes d’étape or refuges.
The HRP, which passes through France, Spain and Andorra, is not so much a walk as a mountaineering expedition. The route is not waymarked, except where it coincides with other routes, and you must expect to get lost! There is a lot of very rough terrain, including some very steep, possibly dangerous descents. Visits to towns and villages are infrequent so resupply is difficult and you will have to camp much of the time. You will spend a lot of time on high mountain ridges with serious risk of thunderstorms and even fresh snow. The HRP is particularly demanding in bad weather or in early summer when snow could mean serious winter mountaineering skills are required. The HRP is a daunting route for the inexperienced but is a magnificent expedition for those with the right experience.
The GR11 is a well waymarked mountain path, which passes through Spain and Andorra. Like the HRP, it crosses many high mountain passes where there are boulderfields, scree and some easy scrambling at about the maximum difficulty the inexperienced would want when carrying a heavy rucksack. Thunderstorms are less of a problem than on the HRP as you don’t spend long periods on high ridges. Frequent visits to towns and villages mean that resupply isn’t much of a problem. Those who prefer not to camp or bivouac will find that a few of the stages are rather long and that some alternative routes will need to be taken.
Wildlife
The Pyrenees is a Mecca for the bird-watcher. With the mountain range forming a big barrier to migrating birds, in the spring and autumn they are funnelled along the Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines and through the lower passes. The casual birdwatcher will be most impressed with the large number of birds of prey.
The massive Griffon vulture, with a wing-span of about 2.5m, will frequently be seen soaring on the high ridges, while the smaller Egyptian vulture, which is distinctively coloured with a white body, black and white wings, is also likely to be seen. Arguably, the most beautiful bird you will see is the red kite with its deeply forked tail. You can also expect to see black kites, buzzards and honey buzzards, as well as smaller birds of prey such as the kestrel, peregrine falcon, sparrowhawk and rarer birds such as the black-shouldered kite, the goshawk and even a migrating osprey.
One species, which seems to be thriving, is the Alpine chough, seen in large flocks. This member of the crow family is all black except for a yellow bill and red legs. Wheatear and black redstart are common and rarer small birds to look out for are the wallcreeper, crossbill, crested tit, red-backed shrike, bullfinch and Alpine accentor.
A Patou sheep dog guarding a flock of sheep
The density of cattle, sheep and goats on the French side of the Pyrenees is high. You will often see Patou (Pyrenean mountain dogs) guarding unaccompanied flocks of sheep. These large white sheep dogs have been used for hundreds of years by shepherds. Patou are generally well trained and won’t normally be aggressive as long as you stay calm and steer clear of the flocks.
This concentration of livestock means that other mammals are rarer than they used to be. You will have sightings of chamois (isard/izard), which was hunted to near extinction but is now recovering well. Other mammals you will see include marmot, several species of deer, fox, red squirrel and the reintroduced mouflon. (There are also badgers and wild boar but these are less likely to be seen.) The most notable of these are the marmots, which are large ground squirrels that live in burrows. You will certainly know when they are present when you hear their alarm signals, a loud whistle, that sends them scurrying back into their burrows.
Brown bears have been reintroduced to the Ariège, but it is extremely unlikely that you will see one and if you do it will almost certainly be running away from you! There is only one recorded incident of a bear attacking a human since they were reintroduced when one ‘attacked’ a hunter, who immediately shot it! Presumably, this was just another case of history being written by the winner!
You are likely to see many reptiles and amphibians including several species of snake, lizard, toad, frog and the dramatic fire salamander.
Clockwise from top left: great white Arum lily; Great yellow gentian; Sedum arachnoideum; Pasque; Musk mallow
The weather and when to go
Pic de la Mede seen from the descent from Col d’Auéran (Stage 29)
The hills of the Basque Country and Navarre have a reputation for mist and spells of gentle rain, but temperatures approaching 40°C are not unknown. In the High Pyrenees and the Ariège you are to the north of the watershed and with the prevailing wind coming from the northwest, it is not uncommon to get damp, cloudy weather. If you are lucky there will be long spells of warm sunny weather.
These are high mountains and can be subject to terrific thunderstorms. Thunderstorms in high mountains are usually thought of as being an afternoon phenomenon, but in the Pyrenees the storms are often slow to build up and can arrive in the evening or even in the middle of the night. As the Mediterranean is approached the weather will tend to be sunnier and drier, but you must still be prepared for rain. Summer snowfall is unusual, but snow has fallen as low as 1500m on the GR10 in August.
Snow conditions vary tremendously from year to year. Unless you have confirmed it is a low snow year, the inexperienced would be advised to wait for late June or July before setting off from Hendaye. The berger (herdsman) at the Cabane de la Subera advises that you should not attempt the GR10 in the Ariège until mid July in an average snow year.
The best months to walk the GR10 are July, August and September, but if you are only intending to walk sections of the GR10 in the Basque Country, you may prefer May, June or October when the weather will be cooler. You should be aware that the main holiday season is July and August and that some facilities, especially in ski resorts, are only open during those two months.
See Appendix C for a list of weather related websites to visit for forecasts, weather warnings and advice.
Getting there and back
Access to the GR10 will be by car, coach, train or plane. Useful websites are given in Appendix C.
Car
You could drive down through France or take the car ferry from Portsmouth or Plymouth to Bilbao or Santander in northern Spain. It will be much safer to leave your car in the mountains and then take the train to Hendaye to start your walk rather than leave your car unattended for long periods in popular seaside resorts.
Coach
It is possible to reach the Pyrenees by overnight coach from London (Victoria Coach Station). National Express run links to London and then FlixBus run coaches throughout Europe. The most convenient destination for those walking the GR10 is Irún (in Spain). FlixBus also operate services to Bayonne, Orthez, Pau, Tarbes, Saint-Gaudens, Toulouse and Perpignan.
Rail and bus
Paris can be reached by Eurostar. From there SNCF run high speed trains to a variety of destinations including Hendaye, Toulouse and Perpignan. The main west–east line joins Hendaye, Bayonne, Pau, Lourdes, Tarbes, Toulouse and Perpignan.
From Bayonne there are local trains to Bidarray and Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, from where there are buses to Sare and St-Étienne-de-Baïgorry.
From Pau you can take a train to Oloron-Ste-Marie then bus to Etsaut or Arette-la Pierre-St-Martin. From Pau there are buses to Larun and connections to Gabas and Gourette.
From Lourdes there are buses to Argelès-Gazost with connections to Arrens-Marsous, Cauterets, Luz-Saint-Sauveur, Barèges and Gavarnie.
From Tarbes there are trains to St-Lary-Soulan connecting with buses to Vielle-Aure, or trains to Bagnères-de-Luchon (via Montréjeau).
There are bus services to Sentein, Les Bordes-sur-Lez, Seix, St-Lizier and Aulas-les-bains from St-Girons with connections to Toulouse.
From Toulouse there are trains to Latour-de-Carol passing through Tarascon-sur-Ariège, from where there are buses to Auzat, and through Mérens-les-Vals.
There is also a rail link from Perpignan to Villefranche and on by narrow gauge railway, Train Jaune, via la Cabanasse to Latour-de-Carol, or a direct bus link from Perpignan to Latour-de-Carol crossing the GR10 at the Col de la Perche. There is a bus service from Perpignan to Arles-sur-Tech and le Perthus.
At the end of your walk there is a good rail service between Banyuls-sur-Mer and Perpignan.
Plane
At the time of writing, Ryanair fly from Stansted and some regional airports to Biarritz, Lourdes, Carcassonne and Perpignan, and British Airways fly direct to Toulouse. Air France has flights from London to Pau and a big choice of destinations if you fly via Paris. Easyjet fly from London to Biarritz and Bristol or London to Toulouse.
Equipment
GR10 hikers on the approach to Col d’Auéran (Stage 29)
This is a serious expedition so you should have previous experience of backpacking or long-distance walking before attempting this fantastic route. A few general points are made on equipment here.
Keep your load as light as possible. If you don’t need it, don’t carry it!
You will need a sheet sleeping bag or lightweight sleeping bag for use in refuges or some gîtes d’étape. If you are using accommodation you may still want to carry a sleeping bag and camping mat to enable you to bivouac.
Your waterproofs should be able to cope with thunderstorms in the High Pyrenees or steady rain in the Basque Country.
Shorts are the preferred legwear of most hikers in the high summer.
You should have sufficient clothing to cope with sub-zero temperatures.
A sun hat is strongly recommended and use plenty of sun-screen.
Good quality lightweight boots or sturdy walking shoes are the best footwear. Heavy boots aren’t necessary and trainers aren’t really robust enough for the terrain. Make sure you have a good tread.
As a minimum, if you are camping, you should have containers capable of carrying three litres of water.
It is strongly recommended that you use two walking poles. If you are not carrying walking poles you may need an ice-axe to cope with snow on the high passes. Crampons may be needed in early season in a high snow year.
If you are carrying any electronic devices needing recharging, remember to carry a continental adaptor.
Safety
On the GR10, especially in the Ariège, you are often traversing very steep slopes where a fall could have fatal consequences. It is not the difficult terrain – there is very little difficult terrain on the GR10 – but it is the careless slip on an easy, but exposed, path that is potentially dangerous. It is strongly recommended that you use two walking poles and learn to use them effectively to prevent a careless slip on steep traverses. This is in addition to the other uses of walking poles such as crossing snowfields, stream crossings, descending steep slopes, clearing vegetation and fighting off dogs. Poles might also help in the extremely unlikely event of meeting a bear or the more likely encounter with a bull or even for use as an emergency tent pole.
Culture and languages
Spanish Siesta
You may not be in Spain, but in the smaller villages you can expect shops to be open in the morning, closed during the afternoon (possibly from 12.00pm to 4.00pm) and open again in the evening. In larger towns they are more likely to be open all day.
Languages
French is spoken throughout the French Pyrenees. In addition the locals may also speak Basque or Catalan. English is now spoken much more widely than it was in the 20th century, especially by younger people.
There is a lot of confusion with place names in the Pyrenees, with many different and inconsistent spellings. Villages, towns and geographical features often have a French name, a Basque or Catalan name and possibly a Spanish name.
In this guide, the French name has been used unless the Basque or Catalan name is in widespread use.
Politics
When they were independent states the Basque Country and Catalonia were much larger than at present and included large chunks of the Pyrenees which are now in France. Independence movements aren’t as active as in Spain, but many people will still think of themselves as Basque or Catalan rather than French.
Chemin de la Liberté
Le Chemin de la Liberté plaque
As you walk the GR10 you will see frequent references to Le Chemin de la Liberté. After the fall of France in 1940 there was a steady stream of military personnel, including escaped prisoners of war and Frenchmen wanting to join the allied armies, as well as persecuted civilians, including many Jews, trying to escape across the border from France into Spain. From November 1942 the security of the border was taken over by the Germans with frontier guards posted along the whole length of the Pyrenees, and a forbidden zone 20km deep was set up into which access was only allowed with a special pass.
It then became vital to develop more efficient and certainly more secret ways of reaching safety in Spain. The result was the founding of many well-organised escape lines whose aim was to pass not only men but also important military information and documents. This was very dangerous work and more than half of the 2000 known guides were caught and either executed immediately or imprisoned to die later in concentration camps. It is estimated that 33,000 men, women and children escaped successfully to freedom.
The best known of these escape routes is Le Chemin de la Liberté, which passes through the Ariège from Saint-Girons to Alos d’Isil in Spain. When you hike the GR10 in good summer weather, remember that many of these crossings would have been made at night in appalling weather and in winter over snow-covered mountains.
Tour de France
Tour de France riders, 2014, below Barèges after descending the Col du Tourmalet (Stage 21)
The Tour de France cycle race visits the Pyrenees in July and may impinge on the GR10 with road closures and fully booked facilities. In 2015 stages ended at Arette-la Pierre-St-Martin, Cauterets and the Plateau de Beille as well as passing over the Col du Tourmalet and Col de la Core.
Accommodation
Cabane de Besset (bothy) (Stage 31)
There is a wide range of accommodation on the GR10.
Hotels vary greatly in quality and cost and they have all the facilities you expect of a hotel in Britain. An auberge is the equivalent of an English inn.
Chambres d’hôtes are private houses offering accommodation similar to the British ‘bed & breakfast’. Many of them depend on weekly or weekend bookings and are reluctant to take advance bookings for a single night.
Gîtes d’étape are a network of cheap accommodation aimed primarily at walkers. They often have dormitory accommodation, but many also have smaller rooms. Most, but not all, will offer evening meals, breakfast and picnic lunches. Some will be open for snacks and drinks during the day. Most will have a kitchen for the use of visitors. Don’t get confused by the ‘gîte’ designation; these are mainly chambres d’hôtes rather than gîtes d’étape.
Manned refuges are mountain huts that offer accommodation, possibly in dormitories. They have a drink and meals service, open to both residents and non-residents and will usually provide packed lunches.
Unmanned refuges are open for the use of mountaineers and walkers. They are equivalent to the Scottish ‘bothy’ and range in quality from purpose-built buildings, which are well maintained by mountaineering clubs, to buildings that are little better than unmaintained cow sheds.
Some campgrounds will have cabins, static caravans or gîte d’étape accommodation.
If desperate ask at the bar-restaurant; they will often know locals who are willing to offer accommodation outside the official system.
It is strongly recommended that you book accommodation in advance. At some gîtes d’étape it may be necessary to book meals and picnic supplies in advance as the owners will often shop daily for fresh food.
Manned refuges
Manned refuges vary greatly but as a guideline you can expect the following.
Basic accommodation for walkers and climbers
Refuge hours and rules designed for walkers, not for late-night drinkers
You may be able to get a discount if you are a member of an Alpine Association
People staying in refuges usually book demi-pension (supper, bed and breakfast)
Most refuges will supply picnic lunches
Some, but not all, will have self-catering facilities
Mattresses and blankets are provided in the dormitories but you may need to bring a sleeping bag or a sheet bag
Some refuges are open all year and others only during the summer; in the spring or autumn some will only be open at weekends but may open out of season if you make a reservation
It is recommended that you make reservations in high summer and at weekends
Refuges offer a bar and snack service to walkers outside of normal mealtimes
Refuges will normally have a room which can be used as a bothy when the refuge is closed
Camping is not permitted in the vicinity of most manned refuges
Bothies
Cabanes were built as summer homes for the bergers (shepherds and herdsmen) who look after the sheep, cows and goats. The majority are still used for this purpose, especially during July and August. However, they may be available for use as a bothy when the shepherd is not in residence, or they may be locked. Some have a small side room available for the use of walkers.
A few of these cabanes have been adapted as permanent bothies, especially in the Ariège and Catalonia. Note that the sleeping platform is often in the roof space.
Camping
In this guide the American term ‘campground’ has been used for commercial or organised campsites, to distinguish them for wilderness campsites.
In the Parc National des Pyrénées ‘camping’ is not allowed but you can ‘bivouac’ with or without a small tent between the hours of 7.00pm and 9.00am, provided you are at least one hour’s walk from the access road. There are also aire de bivouac, which you may use, usually close to road access or to refuges. These are official wilderness campsites, occasionally with toilets and water. In practice similar rules apply to other mountain areas.
There is rarely any problem camping high in the mountains but discretion should be used when camping at lower levels. You should ask permission if you want to camp near villages, in farmer’s fields or close to a refuge. The daily stages given in this guide are intended for those using overnight accommodation. Those who are wild camping should ignore these stages and camp well away from the towns, villages and refuges.
If you are accustomed to always camping beside water you will sometimes have difficulty in finding suitable campsites, especially in the Basque Country and eastern Catalonia. If you are prepared to camp away from water, you have much more flexibility and you can often find campsites with spectacular views.
Suggestions have been made in this guide as to the best campsites. These will normally be places where camping is legal, where there is good drainage and good grass which will take a tent peg. The best campsites are often on passes, but these will be very exposed in windy weather. The experienced backpacker will find plenty of other places to camp.
It is often preferable to camp high in the mountains as it’s legal and there is less chance of being disturbed, there will be fewer cows, better grass, fewer mosquitos and other biting insects, magnificent scenery and you can camp above the cloud which tends to persist in the north-facing valleys.
Fuel
The three types of camping gas most commonly available are:
The ones you pierce that have been called the ‘original’ cylinders
The ‘easy-clic’ resealable cylinders, which is the main resealable system used in Southern Europe
Screw-on resealable cylinders, such as those manufactured by Coleman and Primus, are the most widely used in Britain, northern Europe and USA and have been called ‘Coleman-style’ gas cylinders
Where they are mentioned in the text, they were in stock when hiking the route in 2014–2015, but it cannot be guaranteed that they will be in stock when you pass through. ‘Coleman-style’ cylinders are becoming more readily available, but the locals mainly use the ‘original’ or ‘easy-clic’ cylinders and these still have greater availability. Liquid fuels are widely available but make sure you know what you are buying!
Water
‘La Cascade’, Gorges de Kakouéta (Stage 9)
Water can be a problem if it is hot. When walking in temperatures of 25–30°C, you will need at least half a litre (one pint) of water for each hour of walking plus about two litres for a ‘dry’ camp. This is a guideline and will vary considerably from person to person and will depend on the temperature.
Most towns, villages and hamlets in the Pyrenees have fountains with untreated spring water. The locals and most walkers will drink the water without further treatment. You will often find fountains or ‘piped’ water as you walk along the trail. It should be obvious whether this water comes from a spring or a surface stream. Spring water is usually of a high quality and can be drunk with confidence. You should be more cautious about surface streams, especially woodland streams or streams in areas which are well stocked with sheep or cattle.
Unless it states otherwise, the streams, springs and waterpoints mentioned in the text were running in 2014 and 2015 on through-hikes starting from Hendaye in late June. The waterpoints are only shown on the map if they are considered safe to drink without further treatment, however, some hikers will prefer to treat all water, using chemical treatment or filtration. Boiling your water to make it safe to drink only makes sense if you take most of your drinks in the form of tea, coffee or soup.
Eau non potable is widely put on fountains in villages. This generally means that the water has not been treated and probably has not been tested by the authorities. The main reason for the sign is probably the avoidance of any claim for compensation, rather than saying anything about the quality of the water.
Swimming
Hot springs above Mérens-les-Vals (Stage 44)
Swimming is often mentioned in this guide. Pyrenean lakes and streams tend to be distinctly chilly until after snowmelt is complete. They never get really warm but in the good weather lakes can reach 20°C, which is comfortable. Conditions vary greatly from year to year: a lake on the GR11 which provided comfortable swimming in mid July 2012 still had ice on it in late July 2013! There has always been a tradition of skinny-dipping in the mountain lakes and streams, and reliable information suggests that a recent British prime minister has skinny-dipped at over 2000m in the French Pyrenees. A swimming costume is not de rigueur for the ‘lightweight’ backpacker and skinny-dipping seems to be accepted by other users of the mountains.
Using this guide
Waymarking on the GR10
The stages have been organised with the walker who wants to use accommodation in mind. Those who are camping are advised to completely ignore the stages so as to camp well away from towns and villages. There are some stages where those requiring accommodation will have to follow the alternative route rather than the ‘main’ route.
For a fit walker, it would be possible to complete the trek somewhere in the vicinity of 45 days by combining stages. This would require some planning ahead to ensure daily distances are realistic and accommodation options fit the intended schedule.
The GR10 is the best-waymarked trail that the author has walked, and in good visibility, when the ground is free of snow, you should have no difficulty following the trail. In the few places where the waymarking is inadequate, or a waymark goes missing, the route description should be used to aid route-finding. The 1:100,000 maps in this guidebook are mainly to give you a feel for the terrain and to help with the planning but they are not detailed enough for fine navigation. Cicerone always recommends that you carry 1:50,000 maps in the mountains because you will need them if you get lost or you want to deviate from the GR10. Detailed maps are essential if you intend following the route in early season, when there could be extensive snowfields. See Appendix C for further information and company websites from where you can purchase these maps.
Most navigational mistakes occur because the walker does not look at the map or guidebook until they are lost! It is much easier to follow the waymarks carefully than to work out what to do if you lose them. The route descriptions and maps in the guide are designed to prevent you getting lost and they will be of little use when you are lost! Keep the guidebook handy, not buried in your rucksack.
The base maps for this guide have been derived from open source and database information, and as such have not been subject to the detailed checks that would be applied to a map made by a national mapping agency, but have been reviewed by the author.
The terms left and right in the text always refer to left and right of the direction of travel, not the direction of flow of rivers! Places, buildings and other features on the maps that are significant for route navigation are shown in bold in the route descriptions. Throughout the route an indication is given of facilities available (accommodation, bothies, campsites, campgrounds, waterpoints, foodshops, picnic sites, tourist offices), and at the end of the stage facilities are listed with their contact details. A facilities summary table can be found in Appendix B.
Maps
The cheapest way to get a complete detailed map of the GR10 is to buy the FFRandonnée TopoGuides which come in four volumes, complete with map pages at 1:50,000, www.ffrandonnee.fr
The Pyrenees is covered by the IGN Carte de Randonnée series maps at 1:50,000 (Rando edition). Numbers 1–8, 10 and 11 are required. IGN maps at 1:25,000 are available, but they are not needed.
Maps are available to buy at www.mapsworldwide.com, www.stanfords.co.uk, www.themapshop.co.uk and www.themapcentre.com. Complete IGN 1:25,000 and 1:100,000 coverage of France is available for GPS from Memory-map: www.memory-map.co.uk. Viewranger have the 1:100,000 and 1:25,000 IGN maps. Additionally French Apps have complete IGN mapping available.
Timings
The timings given in the guide are the actual walking times recorded by the author. These do not include any time for breaks or breathers, and actual walking time will depend on other factors such as group size, navigational ability, fitness, load and conditions. As a guideline, expect to take a total time about 50% longer than the time given, which means allowing nine hours for a six-hour walking day. This will obviously depend on your walking patterns and how you plan your day. Times to climb peaks assume you are fit and walking without a pack.
Distances, climb and height profiles
Distances don’t mean very much on the GR10 where the steepness and roughness of the terrain is far more important than the distance. Distances and climb have been estimated from the maps. The height profiles are intended to show the general trend of the day’s walk and won’t show all ups and downs.
GPS
A GPS device is not needed to follow the GR10. At the time of writing the ‘free’ maps of the GR10 that you can download from the internet are too inaccurate to be worth bothering with. There are good maps available but you will have to pay for them.
