GR10 // day 41 // Planes - Ras de la Carança

Distance: 14.8km (818.4km), time spent: 7:34 (318:01).
Ascent / descent: 1168m (48313m) / 837m (46816m).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 1500m / 1831m / 2367m.
Weather: Some clouds in the morning, rain and fog, changing weather.

It rained a lot during the night, but when I wake up the weather outside isn't that bad, it's sunny and some clouds. Today I walk together with Claire. We start the walk with a visit to the little church here in Planes; the church isn't big and is only consisting of a very small and round room inside. We can see Puig Carlit behind us in the horizon.

The little round church in Planes.

View from Planes, Puig Carlit in the background.

It's back to the woods today; up towards Pla de Cédeilles (1911m) the trail is going upwards below the trees with small glances out towards the valley. The view from Pla de Cédeilles gives us an overview of the other side of the valley where we are going to, towards Jasse des Collets. The trail is then going in a loop south in the valley below where we walk around Refuge de l'Orry and are crossing the Ribérole river above the cabin.

At Refuge de l'Orry (1810m) we talk with a farmer that is using one part of the cabin, the other part is open to walkers. He's scowling suspicious at the weather and believes it could be a thunder storm on its way. There are more clouds on their way now and some of them are darker than those before.

Claire walking up towards Coll Mitja through heavy rain and fog.

Clouds above Ras de la Carança.

At Prats Balaguer (1685m) there is a small cabane and several marmots that are staring at us. It's steep from here and up to Jasse des Colletts (2073m), where we sit down and have lunch. The sun is looking out from the clouds. From above we hear voices from the forest, and shortly after a large group of walkers are walking by. We can see Coll Mitja and the trail further up.

The journey continues and we walk into the forest again with quite nice weather above us. When we walk out of the forest some few minutes later the mountain is completely engulfed in clouds and shortly after it starts to pour down. Yet another example of how fast the weather changes in the mountains. We're tiring ourselves up towards Coll Mitja (2367m) where the wind is blowing even stronger. On the way down the weather lifts a little bit and the summits are tearing themselves loose from the clouds. The trail is almost going straight down from the pass.

Looking down at Refuge de Ras de la Carança.

Dinner at Refuge de Ras de la Carança, I'm sitting next to the window.

At Refuge de Ras de la Carança (1831m) the rainy weather has passed by and it's quite calm. The farmer we met said it would probably be a lot of people here, since he believed it would be some hunters here. And there are many people here, but no hunters. A large group of Dutch is here, the large group that walked past us earlier was also a part of this group. This wasn't the most exciting day if you look away from the weather. It's nice then that a large bonfire is built outside in the evening.

<- PlanesMariailles ->

GR10 // day 40 // Bouillouses - Planes

Distance: 18.2km (803.6km), time spent: 4:26 (310:27).
Ascent / descent: 167m (47145m) / 677m (45979m).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 2010m / 1500m / 2010m.
Weather: Thunderstorm and rain.

After coming down from Puig Carlit my plan is to continue towards Planes, but first I order a Menu Randonneur consisting of gazpacho, lasagne and a pancake. It starts to pour down outside while I'm eating, the host is looking a little bit compassionate at me. While I'm packing and putting on my rain clothes I can hear thunder in the distance, but it's still a little distance away.

View back towards the Barrage des Bouillouses over Pla Bones Hores La Bolloseta in the rain.

Below Barrage des Bouillouses there is a large plain, Pla Bones Hores La Bolloseta, which now the rain is pouring down upon. I walk fast since I'm not very fond of walking under a thunderstorm and am eager to get under the trees of the Bolquere forest that the trail is passing through as soon as possible. It must be hot in Heaven now, since God is sweating so much that it's a deluge down here on the Earth. There is so much rain that I take a short break in Cabane de l'Étang de la Pradeille to put my camera in my backpack, my small camera will have to do from now on. Outside the cows are staring emptily out into the rain.

View from Cabane de l'Étang de Pradeille with cows and the lake with the same name.

I'm finally entering the woods after having walked past the little lake Étang de la Pradeille (1950m). And just in time, above me the show is starting. Mighty thunder claps are tearing and wearing in the air. The walk through the Bolquere forest isn't the most exciting, though the weather is fortunately hiding most of the ski paraphernalia you walk by. Yet another Super is passed by, Superbolquere.

Thunder storm and rain torrent over the forest of Bolquere.

When I arrive at Bolquere (1620m) the thunder storm has calmed down, but it is still raining. I get to see a lot of the village since I'm trying in vain to find the ATM that is supposed to be here according to my topo guide. In the shop I get to know that there isn't any ATM here after all, so instead of money I get a beer and some candy from the store.

Relieved after arriving in Bolquere after the thunder storm has calmed down.

After Bolquere there is a nice, but short, walk with clouds drifting through the valley. The weather isn't so dense now, but there are no signs that the clouds will lift. After Col de la Perche the little yellow train is rolling on its tracks over the grey landscape, not many passengers today. Before La Cabanasse (1480m) a young boy on a motorbike has been hit by a car in an accident, the motorbike is lying almost under the car, but it appears that both the young boy and the driver of the car are fine.

Drifting clouds in the grey weather outside of Bolquere.

I'm arriving in Planes after a final boring walk in the dull weather. I receive a warm welcome at the gîte (Le Malaza) when I arrive tired and wet; it feels good to get inside. The dinner is almost standing ready, but I've got just enough time to get myself a good and hot shower and put everything in my backpack out to dry. I'm glad that I didn't walk from Refuge des Bésines to Lac des Bouillouses in this weather, it has rained more today than it has all the days together on the walk so far.

A good dinner is served at the gîte and it becomes a nice evening, which it usual becomes after having been out in bad weather and come in to a nice and warm place. Claire is appearing a little bit unexpectedly later in the evening; she'd met a friend of hers that was nearby. What a wet day in the Pyrenees.

Planes, a small village consisting of three parts.

<- Puig CarlitCarança ->

GR10 // day 40 // Puig Carlit

Distance: 13.0km (785.4km), time spent: 4:22 (306:01).
Ascent / descent: 914m (46978m) / 914m (45302m).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 2010m / 2010m / 2924m.
Weather: Cloudy, grey and rain.

To climb Puig Carlit was something I had thought of for a long time, but there wasn't much hope of getting to the summit after the given weather predictions. But when there is a crimson light over the valley beneath Lac des Bouillouses and no signs of rain in the morning, a small hope is lit. I decide to give it a go, I leave my backpack behind.

Grey clouds over Lac des Bouillouses in the morning.

It's a wonderful landscape above Lac des Bouillouses, with lots of nice lakes with now somber mountains above. It looked bright at the start, but there are dark clouds on its way now. The trail is going up between Tossal Colomer and El Tossal Colomer (amusing names), where the path is going upwards over stone towards a mountain shrouded in clouds.

The path up to the summit of Puig Carlit.

In the last part up to the summit the trail is disappearing in the contours, but the torn stone landscape is making it fairly easy to climb up. There is a gusty wind at the summit, at 2924m, and not unexpectedly no view. Only in small glimpses can I look down at the landscape below, otherwise there is a grey mass that keep me with company. I'm satisfied anyway. There are some few others at the summit, and there are more on the way up.

At the summit of Puig Carlit (2924m), no visibility.

It starts to rain a little bit when I begin to go down. The trail down is easier to find, but the rain is making the stones a little bit slippery and hard to go down on. After having climbed down for about fifteen minutes I look up, it has now stopped raining and there is now a tiny patch of blue above the summit for a very short time. Those that climbed up after me did probably get a little bit more view than I did. It's anyway a nice view from where I stand beneath the clouds.

Étangs du Carlit. Great landscape bejeweled with lakes beneath Puig Carlit.

I don't follow the same route back as I went up, I take the route that is called Boucle des Étangs du Carlit (12 étangs). It's a nice walk where you pass by several lakes through a nice landscape. It's clear that there is fish in the lakes here; there are quite a lot of fishermen out. The view today wasn't the best, but still it was a nice climb up to Puig Carlit.

<- BouillousesPlanes ->

GR10 // day 39 // Merens les Vals - Bouillouses

Distance: 27.5km (772.4km), time spent: 9:08 (301:39).
Ascent / descent: 1969m (46064m) / 1009m (44388m).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 1050m / 2010m / 2470m.
Weather: Sunny and blue sky, more clouds in the afternoon and towards the evening.

During yesterday evening I decided to put everything in one card and go straight to Lac des Bouillouses. And even under the threat of the wrath of the sky above me it became a great walk over a beautiful landscape. I was convinced that the route between Refuge de Bésines and Lac des Bouillouses would offer magnificent scenery and hence didn't want to walk it in bad weather.

The small and idyllic lake Lac d'Estagnas that you pass on the way up to Porteille des Bésines.

Above Merens d'en Haut the trail is passing by some hot sulphur-sources which it's tempting to jump into. I find Claire camping in the woods not far above, I convey the not so good news to her. I started walking early today so when I walk up the valley alongside the Ruisseau du Nabre towards Jasse de Préssassé (1832m) there isn't much sunlight down in the valley. I'm walking quite fast at the moment.

View from Porteille des Bésines, Pic Pedrous to the left in the picture and far below is Refuge des Bésines.

A small and idyllic lake is passed by, Lac d'Estagnas (2056m), where I probably would have taken a break next to under normal circumstances. It is steep up to Porteille des Bésines (2333m), with the mountainsides now more and more illuminated by the sunrays. There are almost no clouds on the sky. It's hard to believe that there is bad weather coming, it's so hard that I don't believe it and decides to not walk so fast anymore.

My original thought was to go to the Refuge de Bésines and then climb up to the summit of Pic Pedrous (2842m). Now the mountain is visible in its entirety from the top of the pass, well aware that I won't be setting my feet at the summit this time. I arrive at Refuge de Bésines (2104m) just after half past eleven, and has used one hour shorter on the walk from Merens than is estimated. That opts for a break.

Clotes de Bésineilles, the sky and the mountains are reflected in the clear water.

Up towards a nice lake with little water in it, Clotes de Bésineilles, where the blue water almost blends into the blue sky there is a nice walk. At Coll de Coma d'Anyell (2470m) I've officially left the Ariege behind me and put my first steps in the Pyrénés Orientales. The view is up there among Col d'Ayous, Col de Madaméte and Col de Bassiés. Below Étang de Lanos is swallowing my attention with Puig Carlit in the background, magnificent.

Étang de Lanos with Puig Carlit in the background.

After having walked down to Étang de Lanos (2213m) it's time for lunch, which is taken on a promontory with a great view of the lake, but a sour wind has started to blow over the mountain. And in the horizon there are now more clouds coming, but nothing that is threatening the peace of mind at the moment. A sparse Cabane de Rouzet is passed by before a green mountainside has to be negotiated up to Porteille de la Grava (2426m), with lovely view towards lakes on both sides.

Down the Coma de la Grava-valley there is a nice, but long walk. There are more clouds behind me now, but it is still the blue colour that the sky is most fond of. In the air there are several vultures circling, at one point I counted over twelve of them.

Nice walk down Coma de la Grava.

Lacs de Bouillouses (2016m) is a large lake where the sides of the water are covered by woods and the rest of the walk went on a nice path through the woods next to the lake. All the way at the end of the lake I can see the huge building of Hotel des Bones Hores. When I come to the end of the lake there is a huge dam that awaits me, in addition to considerably lot more people than I've met so far today. The dam is crossed before I arrive at the Chalet-Refuge des Bouillouses.

Lac des Bouillouses.

A very varied and undeniable great walk today, where I made no mistake in that it would be magnificent scenery along the way. I think I made a good choice by going straight here today. Good food and a nice host here, but the dinner feels a little bit solitary since my French isn't that good to keep up with the rest of the guests. The expected thunder storm I didn't see anything of, but during the evening it clouded over. I didn't see Claire anymore during the day.

<- Merens les ValsPuig Carlit ->

GR10 // day 38 // Rulhe - Merens les Vals

Distance: 12.6km (744.9km), time spent: 7:15 (293:31).
Ascent / descent: 511m (44095m) / 1646m (43379m).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 2185m / 1050m / 2439m.
Weather: Great.

Today there was a shorter trip, which I walked in a leisurely way. Another day with great weather, but the guardians at the Refuge de Rulhe said we should enjoy it while it last, the upcoming weather was 'terrible' according to them. Claire has camped a little way away from the refuge and I walked over to her to say hello after having eaten a large breakfast inside.

View from Col des Calmettes.

When I left the refuge the prayer flags were swaying lightly in the wind outside. The first part of todays walk towards Merens les Vals started with a climb up to Col des Calmettes (2318m). Pic de Rulhe is now above the trail to my right and I can hear voices in the air without being able to determine where they come from. On my left side I can see the ridges I walked over yesterday.

A rockslide barred the trail above Étang Bleu, seen below, and a deviation was made to get back on track.

Above Étang Bleu there had been a large rockslide and the trail was caught right beneath it, a deviation has been made through the boulder field (marked with cairns) to lead wanderers past the unsecure part you have to pass. I had to do some scrambling over and around large boulders to be back on the GR10 again. There is a nice green valley below the grey field of large boulders.

Crête de la Lhasse.

The finest view of the day is up at Crête de la Lhasse (2439m). Me and a little bird is relaxing next to the cairn at the highest point and enjoying the view. From the top the ridge is continuing further over some green meadows that I very much wanted to walk over, but the trail wants it otherwise. It wants to go down again, and from now on it goes down all the way to Merens les Vals. Further down there are rocks scattered all around as if someone has dropped them over the landscape from high above.

The trail is going across a field with some wonderful violet flowers before I can look down upon Étang de Comte from above. The little lake isn't lying next to the trail, but I walk up to it after having come down to Ruisseau de Mourguillou. Here I pitch my tent so that it can dry in the nice weather, while I eat lunch and relax in the lovely weather.

View back towards Col des Calmettes and Pic de Rulhe from Crête de la Lhasse, a helicopter is flying over the mountains.

When I'm again on the way down alongside Ruisseau de Mourguillou after the long break at the lake I can see Claire coming down from the mountain, so I stop next to the river and wait for her. We walk together the remaining and less exciting route down to Merens les Vals. On the way down we encounter a man begging for food, this is the first time I've experienced something like that in the mountains (I'm out of food so I didn't have anything to give away anyway).

At Étang de Comte I pitched my tent to dry it, while I relaxed in the nice weather.

In Merens les Vals I find me a place at the Gîte d'Etape de Soula which is located a little way away from the center of the place. Claire is a tough girl with a heavy backpack, she is continuing further (but not after we both are having a break at the gîte with some refreshments). The road up to Andorra is passing through Merens. I buy some more food in a small country shop at the place and have a beer at the one bar here. The dinner at the gîte was very good; aperitif, salad, sausages with gratinated potatoes, cheese and cake.

The ruins of the church in Merens les Vals. The outer walls are still standing, but the inside of the church is razed.

Everything is good, except the weather forecast for the coming days, which got me thinking. A thunder storm is predicted for tomorrow afternoon and on the Saturday after there is supposed to be thunder storms all the day. Not good news when you have to cross over some passes of high altitude on those days. But let's deal with it then, now I have to enjoy my time here.

<- RulheBouillouses ->

GR10 // day 37 // Clarans - Rulhe

Distance: 18.0km (732.3km), time spent: 8:33 (286:16).
Ascent / descent: 1773m (43584m) / 688m (41733m).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 110m / 2185m / 2358m.
Weather: Magnificent.

I wake up after a restless sleep, due to an uneven ground under the tent. A lot of sounds during the night, but it are quiet and calm again in the morning. Nice weather, so everything is set for another great day, the bad weather from the first days in the Ariege is now forgotten. The dinner yesterday and breakfast today has made a solid toll on my food bag. I leave some food behind for the benefit of other wanderers that would happen to arrive here without, since my plan today is to go to Refuge de Rulhe, where food is available.

Cabane d'Artaran. In the background Sirmont which I walked over yesterday.

My backpack is considerably lighter when Claire and I leave Cabane de Clarans at the start of todays stage, so I walk much faster than her up the nice ascent to Jasse d'Artaran. It is always nice to be able to look back to where you have walked before, from here across the valley to Sirmont and even further back Pla de Montcamp. Cabane d'Artaran (1695m) has nothing but an empty room to stay in and nothing else, but is located in a great spot.

At Centre d'Accueil du Plateau du Beille (1817m) there is a restaurant, which gives something of a back to the civilization feeling. But since I want to wait for Claire, I find it convenient for a stop for some refreshments. The view is at least excellent, in the horizon the mountains of Andorra are reaching for the sky. Next to the restaurant is Angaka Village Nordique, where you can stay the night in a yurt-tent or a Sami-tent among others. I walk together with Claire after she has arrived coming up from the path.

Magnificent landscape at Plateau de Beille.

After having followed a trail up alongside Piparlan todays magnificent mountain landscape is beginning to reveal itself. When we have walked around Cabane de Beille-d'en-Haut (1939m) the lovely Plateau de Beille is unfolding before us. The trail is primarily following a vehicle track, which is getting more and more overgrown the further we go, bit it's the last that is on our minds as it crosses over wonderful, green, lush and round mountains. In the horizon jutted peaks and blue sky.

Claire at Col de Didorte.

Claire is stopping for lunch at Prat Moll (1999m), but I don't feel hungry and are eager to continue the great walk so I go on. But the magic word has been said and it doesn't take long before my stomach (that stayed completely calm before) now nicely asks for more food. After a small climb up from Col de Finestres (1967m) I walk out on a spur below Crête des Génibres to eat. Claire is passing by on the trail while the steam from the tea is mixing with the leaves on the tree above.

View back towards Plateau de Beille from Pic de Campalou. Pla de Montcamp visible far back in the background.

I catch up with Claire just before Col de Didorte (2093m) where there is a short and steep ascent before the trail passes over a green field up to a junction at 2278m. And the scene for todays outing, I set off on the Tour de la Montagnes d'Ax and up to the Pic de Campalou (2132m). I'm met with a great view back to Plateau de Beille and the landscape around.

With Pic de Rulhe (2783m) now dominating the horizon the last part of the stage is going over several undulating ridges, with Crêtes des Izards the most significant. A lovely valley below with a symphony of cow bells. It's a great walk, but heavy. I run out of water. At Col de Terre Nègre (2304m) I can finally look down upon Refuge de Rulhe, Claire is now behind me again after having to take a break while receiving a phone call.

Grand mountain scenery from Pic de Campalou. Crête des Izards where the path passes over and Pic de Rulhe in the upper right in the picture.

I arrive at Refuge de Rulhe (2185m) quite thirsty after a fantastic walk today (I drench down a coke and an orangina upon arrival); Claire is arriving a little bit later. The evening at the refuge was nice. And tomorrow I will be at the last page of the Pyrénées Ariégeoises topo guide.

Looking down at Refuge de Rulhe from Col de Terre Nègre.

<- ClaransMerens les Vals ->

GR10 // day 36 // Siguer - Clarans

Distance: 18.7km (714.3km), time spent: 8:43 (277:43).
Ascent / descent: 1855m (41811m) / 1495m (41045m).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 740m / 1100m / 1959m.
Weather: Sunny.

Better rested in the morning than I've been for a long time am I ready for what has been advertised as a hard day. Until the restaurant at Plateau de Beille and thereafter Refuge de Rulhe there isn't any place to get food at on the trail in the next days. Fabrice at Le Petit Gîte is doing something to improve that situation, but more on that later. A well-organized walker shouldn't have any problems though. Anyway, I still got food in my backpack after supplying in Bagneres and Seix, so my backpack is a little bit heavier but I've got food for the next days.

Ruined farm on the trail between Siguer and Pla de Montcamp.

It's back to the solitary walking again, I still haven't seen Claire again after St Lizier, and apart from the random day trippers I haven't met many others. I meet some of these again up at Col de Gamel (1390m) after walking up the hill above Siguer through Gestiès and past several derelict remains of old farm buildings.

Up Crête de la Bède and on Col de la Lène (1695m) there are sheep running everywhere. The woods are left behind and in front of me a green field is swaying upwards towards Pla de Montcamp. When I look back at Lercoul on the other side of the valley I can't help wonder about how strange the location of the village really is. The summit of Pla de Montcamp (1904m) is a flat meadow, to get the best view in every direction on the summit you have to follow the edge of the meadow around. Mountains all around, but to the north you can all see down towards the lowlands. Great, had it not been for the bothersome flying ants that bite.

Pla de Montcamp. View back towards Pic de la Bède and further back in the horizon Port de Saleix.

In the direction I'm going I can see Plateau de Beille and in the horizon the mountains of Andorra. Down towards Col du Sasc (1798m) I pass some tents, a camping wagon and Cabane du Besset d'en Haut, an odd collection. At the remains of an old orri that now has been made into a cairn I let go off my backpack and walk fast away from the small biting blighters. The summit above at 1959m was tempting, Pic du Col Taillat with a nice view over to Pla de Montcamp and Crête de la Bède.

View south from Pla de Montcamp, Plateau de Beille to the right and in the background the mountains of Andorra.

The next part of the GR10 could be difficult in weather with bad visibility. A large herd of cows has gathered around Cabane de Courtal Marti (1812m) and then the trail is going down in a valley where the trail is hard to follow. The ruins of Cabane de Balledreyt (1600m) is a fitting symbol of the trail that goes past Jasse de Sirbal (1350m) and then up again to Col de Sirmont (1693m), cluttered and unclear. The cowbells of a herd of cows are making a peculiar sound when they resonate through some formations in the mountainside above.

I've moved up in the terrain again, to Col de Sirmont and there I take a food break before the trail goes down on the last descent of the day. Up to nearby Sirmont (1730m) I scare up a herd of paranoid cows that are running scared away. But not smart enough (clearly) to see that they are running straight to the summit that I'm walking towards, and so they have to run scared away from there as well. This was to be a repeating theme.

View over to Pla de Montcamp from Pic du Col Taillat above Col de Sasc.

It's miles away from being flat on the way down, the trail has been changed but I still follow the old way marking that crosses the Ruisseau de Calvière further up than the newly marked route. By the river I fill up water and add some water purifiers. You can't just drink straight from the water here in the Pyrenees, there are so many grazing animals here that you need to know where the water is coming from to be sure if you can drink it or not. By adding a water purifier now the water will probably be ready to drink when I've arrived at Cabane de Clarans.

Cabane de Clarans is a small hut with nothing else than a flatbed, a small table and a small fireplace inside. And the hut gives you the feeling of being located in a somewhat remote valley, there is tall grass outside the hut and quiet. Today I pitch my tent, I've used my tent way too little than I've both wanted to and could have, even though I've been anxious to use it because of the tent pole breaking early on the walk. After having relaxed for a while outside the hut with cup of freshly cooked tea, I go for a walk up to a small dammed lake above Coudènes (1040m), Barrage de Riête. On the way back I gather firewood for the evening.

Paranoid cows on the top of Sirmont. Pic du Col Taillat on the other side of the valley.

As said, there isn't any food to get at any place on the way after Siguer, but wait that isn't entirely true. Because Fabrice is doing what he can to make life easier for walkers on the GR10 in this area, he's carrying up food to another cabane nearby. Tin cans, but are you short of food this would be much appreciated. Fabrice had also promised me there would be beer there, but when I walk there this stock has been sold out (not that it mattered). Instead I buy myself some dessert for the dinner, rice cream and a fruit cocktail.

It's quiet in the evening and while I'm sitting and using my gas stove while making dinner I can hear the distinct sound of two sticks hitting the ground. I arise and in the end of the meadow I can see Claire coming. And me that didn't believe I would see her again, it's nice to meet her again. She'd taken another route than I had after St Lizier d'Ustou, but she'd apparently stayed in Siguer as well.

Camping outside Cabane de Clarans.

We then had a nice evening, even though the Pyrenean fauna wanted it otherwise. While I'm making a fire in the fireplace inside the cabin we hear some wrenching screams in the dark outside. Sounds no one of us has heard before. The screams are however forgotten when there is a fire in the fireplace and we can relax inside in the light of the flames. When it's bedtime after a great day I sneak outside to my tent and listens to the sounds of the nature in the night.

We should later on get to know that the sounds we heard were just the sound of deer screaming.

<- SiguerRulhe ->

GR10 // day 35 // Goulier - Siguer

Distance: 13.2km (695.6km), time spent: 4:24 (269:00).
Ascent / descent: 618m (39956m) / 988m (39550m).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 1110m / 740m / 1685m.
Weather: Sunny and nice weather.

Just a short walk today and that fits me fine. I've felt a little bit tired the last days and the next two days after this one are supposedly long and hard. After a good breakfast at the hostel I start the day with what I didn't do yesterday, by visiting the village. I have no need to get too early to Siguer either.

A fountain in the center of Goulier. Pay notice to the elaborate street signs.

Goulier is a nice small village, with small streets and little passages that are named. The number of inhabitants in the village doesn't equal the size of it; there are about 90 people living here throughout the year, but there are houses to a lot more. The temperature is often high between the villagers I've been told. Which maybe could be due to the lack of anything here, there aren't any facilities here, Mounicou had at least a bar.

View from Col de Rizoul, with Auzat and Vicdessos below.

I'm not getting away from the mandatory ascent through woods, but today the walk feels a lot brighter than before. A horse is standing grazing while looking at me on my way up. Col de Rizoul (1330m) provides an opportunity to climb up a distinct hill to gaze upon the mountains. Port de Saleix is visible and Goulier, Olbier, Auzat and Vicdessos are situated below.

Port de Saleix in the horizon.

The majority of todays walk didn't offer the most exciting nature. Col d'Esquérus (1467m) is just a glimpse in the forest before you come down to a forest track that takes you to Col de Grail (1485m), the walk on the track reminding me of the fields outside Oslo back home. Col de Lercoul (1549m) is also an overgrown clearing in between the trees. I climb up to the summit of Pic de la Bède (1685m) through thicket and scrub for the best view of today.

View from Pic de la Bède.

When I eat lunch below Col de Lercoul where I can look down towards Lercoul and Siguer, as well as over to Gestiès, a small butterfly is landing on my knee and relaxes there for a while. The trail is going down past tranquil Lercoul (1120m) on the way down. As expected I arrive at Siguer (740m) early, but today I have no problems with it. And Le Petit Gîte is an unusually cozy and small hostel. I'm the only one visiting today.

View from Col de Rizoul, with Auzat and Vicdessos below.

The gîte is run by Fabrice Scheffer and he will give you a warm welcome if you come on a visit. Fabrice is making dinner for both of us while he tries to pronounce my name correctly; my name is not easy for them. There aren't living more than 18 persons in Siguer and like at Goulier there aren't many facilities in the village, there is another bar/café here but the opening hours were somewhat vague. Not the most exciting walk today, but a nice evening in Siguer.

Inside Le Petit Gîte in Siguer.

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