Walking grade two -- -- winter conditions

Price: € 730 per person without the flight Single supplement €120

This tour begins at the Clos Enchanté in Ariege. Our guests will be collected from Toulouse airport on Monday 1st February and returned on the Saturday 6th February.

We will explore two different mountains in the Pyrenees Orientals, the Besines in France and the Mont Pedros in Spain.

We will stay in two manned mountain refuges during the tour. The first is the refuge gardeé des Bezines, and the second a smaller Spanish one the Manui refuge, both are comfortable with evening meals and breakfast supplied by the guardians. For the other four nights we will stay in comfortable chambres d’hotes or small family run hotels.

The average walking time during the day will be 5 hours with 500 meters of ascent, except on the last day when we climb the Mont Pedros which is at 2900m and this is a 900m ascent and a 6 hour day. None of the walks during this tour are technically difficult. The scenery is stunning and the terrain is generally gentle with a lot of high mountain plateaux, lakes, and rounded peaks, ideal for snowshoe walking. The lower slopes of these mountains are wooded with thick pine forest. There are many wild animals which we hope to see such as Izard, red Deer, wild Boar, Hares, partridges, Capercaillie. More than likely we see tracks made by the animals in the snow even if we don’t see them in real life.

The program:

Day 1 – Group arrives at Toulouse Blagnac. Transfer back to Castillon en Couserans. Possible afternoon walk locally. Gear check in early evening. Dinner at the Clos Enchanté.

Day 2 – Drive to the Col d'Aspet. Circular 5hr walk with 500m ascent, up to the Puech(1700m). Lunch will be eaten in a picturesque spot. Return to Clos Enchanté. O/n & dinner Clos Enchanté.

Day 3 - Transfer early to Merens le Vals. Walk to refuge des Besines. 700m ascent 5 hrs walking. O/n Besines.

Day 4 – Walk to village of Portet via Col D’Engarcia(2540m) through Coume D'Or & Coume d'en Garcie. 500 meters ascent with 5 hours walking. O/n Gites in Portet or Aine.

Day 5 – Transfer to near Bourg-Madame walk up to refuge de Maniu(1900m) via pine forest & high mountain lakes,400 meters ascent with 4 hours walking. Overnight refuge Maniu.

Day 6 – Walk up to Mont Pedros(2900m) and back down to the van near Bourg-Madame. O/n & dinner Clos Enchanté.

Day 7 – Transfer back to Toulouse Blagnac.

Price includes:
2 qualified winter mountain leaders. Accommodation in gites/hotel or mountain refuges, 6 evening meals, 6 breakfasts, 5 picnic lunches, transfer to and from Toulouse Blagnac, transfers during the tour, use of equipment(snowshoes, poles, arva, spades).

What is not included:
Personal Insurance, airfare to and from Toulouse, drinks, and personal extras. Single room supplement.

 For further information see snowshoe pages.

N.b This tour will only run with a minimum of 8 persons.