Ascent / descent: 640m (15487m) / 1108m (14626m).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 1346m / 878m / 1799m.
Weather: Sunny, thunderstorm in the evening and night.
Today was for the most part just a transport stage, but with a dramatic ending of the day. It's a short walk over to Arrens-Marsous without any big challenge, which suits me fine. I've to wash my clothes which I've neglected for a few days and it would be nice with a shorter day to get some rest. After todays walk I will have walked for two weeks.
Scenery above Gourette.
The biggest climb of the day is up to Col des Tortes (1799m) right at the beginning of the walk, with a great view back only marred by the sight of Gourette. Wonderful characteristic greywhite mountains pointing towards the blue sky. At Col des Tortes I've to take a closer look at the pinnacle that is balancing at the top of the pass, which is requiring some scrambling. I walk together with Jean-Jacques after the pass.
Col des Tortes with its characteristic pinnacle.
Further down from the pass the trail crosses a road and goes down through the valley, instead we choose to take to the 'Chemin de la Voiture'. In my guidebook the road is described as the main route of the GR10. We have to pass through two badly, but short, lit tunnels in the light of our headlights only. Tour de France usually takes place on the road and we're now in the Ossau valley, some cyclists are passing us by.
View towards Col de Saucéde.
For Jean-Jacques Col de Saucéde (1525moh) is the last pass he has to cross before he's finished his walk, from here it's an easy walk down to Arrens-Marsous. Had it not been for the dog barking menacingly at me. I have a place at the Gîte-Aurberge Camelat in Arrems-Marsous; the place is renowned for its food.
Chemin de la Voiture. Walking on the road in the valley of Ossau.
The weather changes fast in the afternoon, from a clear blue sky it takes about thirty minutes before dark clouds comes rolling in and the rain is pouring down while thunder cracks the sky. The dinner at the hostel is absolutely fantastic; gazpacho, skewer with fruit and ham, tart with meat, trout with rice, and gateau Basque with cream. In the evening there is a choir singing in the main square in Arrens, where a man choir sings about the mountains, the mountaineers and their shelters while muted thunder cracks can be heard around in the horizon. Small lights from cabins up in the mountains can be seen.
View over the Ossau valley.
During the night there is a violent thunderstorm above the village, I can hear lightning strike three times at the same time. And then sirens go off in the village, I wonder if the house has been hit by lightning ('course not). Jean-Jacques, which I share the room with, is still sleeping calmly so I'm taking it calm as well (so far). Outside the thunderstorm intensifies, and half an hour later the sirens goes off again. Now Jean-Jacques is waking up as well. The house is shaking a little bit. I'm so glad that I'm not out walking in this thunderstorm. Later on I get to know that the sirens is to alert the voluntary firemen in the village that they have to come, since there aren't any public fire service in the village. The storm finally recedes during the night.
Thunderstorm in Arrens-Marsous.
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