The route: GR10

The GR10 traverses the Pyrenees from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, roughly along the French-Spanish border. It’s approximately 850km, and involves 49,714m of ascent and 49,714m of descent. It’s “equivalent to climbing Mount Everest over 5 times, though not as strenuous or dangerous as the altitude is much lower” (pyreneeshike.com). The highest point is Col de Madamette, at 2,509m.

At various points the trail meets with the Spanish border, and there’s an opportunity to cross over to the parallel route on the Spanish side, the GR11, which is higher, but involves less ascent and descent. There’s a good comparison of the routes on pyraneanway.. Maybe next year, GR11!

Google Map: GR10 route

Thank you to pyreneeshike.com for creating and sharing a Google Map of the GR10 route.

Stages

Enormous thanks to http://www.gr-infos.com/gr-en.htm for the maps, which were shared and made available to embed (on sites without commercial purposes) on Wikiloc.

[N.B. If you’re doing the hike yourself, I’ve linked to the wikiloc site, where you can download the .GPX files on the ‘stage #’ and linked to gr-infos, where there are static maps, on the ‘name of the stage’ above each map. If you’re super keen and following from an armchair, you can also view the GPX files in Google Earth – though I warn you, it is dizzying]

Stage 1: GR10 From Hendaye to Estérençuby (Pyrénées-Atlantiques)

 

Stage 2: GR10 From Estérençuby to Borce (Pyrénées-Atlantiques)

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Stage 3: GR10 From Borce (Pyrénées-Atlantiques) to Cauterets (Hautes-Pyrénées)

Stage 4: GR10 From Cauterets to Oule Lake/Lac de l’Oule (Hautes-Pyrénées)

 

Stage 5: GR10 From Oule Lake/Lac de l’Oule (Hautes-Pyrénées) to Araing Lake/l’Etang d’Araing (Ariège)

 

Stage 6: GR10 From Araing Lake/l’Etang d’Araing to Guzet Lake/l’Etang de Guzet (Ariège)

 

Stage 7: GR10 From Guzet Lake/l’Etang de Guzet to Mérens-les-Vals (Ariège)

 

Stage 8: GR10 From Mérens-les-Vals (Ariège) to Batère (Pyrénées-Orientales)

 

Doesn’t look at all daunting, does it? Let the adventure begin!