Day 18 – Gourette to Refuge de Haugarou

September 15, 2019 – Departed 8:40 – Arrived 16:10

Starting from Gourette (elevation 1,362 m) it was immediately going up to the Col de Tortes (1,800 m). It was a steep climb and I could feel at once that I was still tired from the day before. I accepted it and took my time, looking back occasionally at Gourette. This is a ski resort with lots of concrete but in a beautiful setting with huge mountains overlooking it. I was sharing my dorm last night with two rock climbers and could understand why they were here!

On the other side of the Col it started raining. I covered myself head to toe in rain gear, but fifteen minutes later the sun came out and I was so hot that I had to take it all off.

Then it was a steep descent to a valley 600 m lower, then an equally steep climb to the Col de Saucède (1,525 m). I left the GR10 immediately after to take the GR101 which will lead me to Lourdes. I literally turned my back to the massive summits of the Pyrénées and started North towards lower mountains and the plain. The path was a little bit easier although by no means flat. It started raining again but, having learned my lesson from the morning, I let it pass while sitting under a tree.

The Refuge de Haugarou where I am staying tonight is an off-grid property – as the owner puts it, “electricity – that’s the solar panels, water – that’s the source, and telephone – that’s satellite”. Half an hour after I arrived a thunderstorm started, and boy was I glad I got here when I did! The owners are a young couple from Lille who have been here only for 3 months. As I was their only guest tonight we had dinner together and they explained to me how they made their decision to take the Refuge over – it’s a courageous move and quite an adventure!