Trekking in Haute Randonnée Pyrénéenne

The Haute Randonnée Pyrénéenne is the high, wild alternative to the well-trodden GR10 and GR11 below it. Rather than following either country's foothill trail, the HRP ignores the border altogether and takes the highest sustainable line along the crest, crossing between France and Spain constantly on its way from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean.

Because it holds that high line, it is unmarked for long stretches and demands real navigation, and it sees a fraction of the people the marked routes do. The full traverse is one of the great European undertakings — around 800 kilometres and some six weeks — but most sensible people take a two-week section and save the rest for another year.

Go in high summer, July to September, once the snow has cleared the passes. Carry GPS and map, be ready to use refuges or camp as they come, and treat a single section as the right introduction before committing to the whole line.

This is an unmarked high route — carry GPS and map, and treat a two-week section as the sane introduction before the full traverse.