Hiking the GR10 trail in the French Pyrenees

Wildflower meadows covered in butterflies, sheep-filled mountain pastures and sharply-rising mountain peaks are your constant companions along the GR10, more prosaically known as ‘Le Sentier des Pyrénées’, the Pyrenean Way.

Uncompromisingly beautiful it may be, but this coast-to-coast hiking trail from the Bay of Biscay to the Mediterranean Sea is no walk in the park. A Grand Randonée – big walk – this iconic route is aptly named. Expect steep climbs and knee-punishing descents over some of the Pyrenees most dramatic cols. In return you’ll enjoy some of France’s most spectacular mountain vistas and a glimpse into rural Pyrenean culture on a walk that rivals the Tour de Mont Blanc for its beauty, but without the hiking crowds.

Tackle the whole thing, and it’ll take you around 50 or so days, with six to eight hours walking per day. However, our GR10 hiking vacations pick and choose some of the trail’s most glorious routes; condensing the essence of the GR10 into a 10-day or so itinerary. Be warned, though – the flavour of the GR10 is irresistible; get a taste for its highlights and you’ll be cooking up plans to walk more.

Most commonly walked from west to east (although the reverse is certainly possible), the rolling Basque hills offer a gentle introduction before the trail ascends into the heart of the Haute-Pyrenees. Just outside the village of Etsaut, the path follows the dramatic Chemin de la Mâture. This path, for want of a better word, was hewn out of the sheer cliff face in the 18th century to transport tree trunks to be used as masts for French warships. From here, the trail wanders through the shadow of the Pic du Midi d’Ossau, its sharpened-pencil shape an iconic symbol of the French Pyrenees, before passing over the glacier-lined Petit Vignemale and into the Cirque du Gavarnie on its way to the beautiful Néouvielle National Nature Reserve. As you draw closer to the Mediterranean, the Arriège Mountains provide a glorious backdrop for the final days of walking, while the Massif du Canigou watches over you as you head out of the Pyrenees down to the Mediterranean Sea.

The GR10’s cousin, the GR11, runs a parallel route through Spain, while a third option, the dramatic –and somewhat daunting – Pyrenean Haute Route, takes the most hardened of hikers on a challenging peak to peak journey that criss-crosses the border. The ‘ease’ of the GR10 (and that’s a relative term – this is still a demanding trail) comes from its accessibility. There’s no need to camp along the way; a roof over a proper bed awaits you at the end of each daily section of trail, and many of the guesthouses and huts can be reached by road – meaning it’s possible to dip in and out.

Néouvielle National Nature Reserve spreads out before you from the 2,509m top of the rocky Col de Madamète. Walks take you past the turquoise Lacs de Madamète, high up in the pastures of the Aygues-Cluses valley; and the Lac d’Aumer, reflecting the reserve’s eponymous peak. Wildlife in this area is abundant; keep your eyes peeled for the ubiquitous marmotte, alongside Egyptian vultures, griffon vultures and golden eagles.

You don’t need to be superhuman, and most small group vacations will welcome a range of walking enthusiasts on their trips and keep the pace relatively gentle. However, you do need to be confident in your ability to spend six to eight hours walking around 14km per day, for several days on the trot. Ascents and descents here are serious – you can expect to climb between 500-1,200m each day – and while the paths are well maintained, some sections are rough underfoot, or covered in loose scree that may require some scrambling.

Getting some practice in with regular long walks at home – ideally in hilly terrain – will take you a long way, and well-worn walking boots are much less likely to give you blisters on day one.