Stage 19: Parzán - Biadós Auberge

Distance/elevation: 21.7 km / (+1580),(-1.000)
Time: 6h15min (walking time without stops).

Difficulty: Medium-low, despite the elevation and distance. The climb follows a track, and the descent via a path is pretty comfortable. The route is well waymarked.

Route/Itinerary:

(0h0min;0km) Parzán (1130m). You head up the road towards France/Bielsa tunnel. After 1.5kms a signal in the road indicates: "Lago Urdiceto 11". Take the signalled track that rises east (coinciding with the unmarked ARP). After 8.5kms you reach Urdiceto dam and power station, and here you take the shortcut to come out again at the track, which you follow (1km) until you come to another shortcut (right), which leads you up to the...

(3h; 11kms) Collado de Urdiceto (2314m). To the south lies Punta Suelza (2,972m), and hidden behind the hillock, the lake-reservoir of Urdiceto. Following the path close to the col, you come to Urdiceto cabin (in good condition). Walk along the flat for a few metres before taking on the long descent. After 1.5kms the track changes valleys (Barranco Montarruegos) and 2.5kms later it passes by Sallena cabin (poor condition, without a roof) where it becomes a path. Little by little you head into the forest, you pass Lisier cabin (good condition, 2kms from the previous one) and come out at a track. Follow it downhill towards the far end of the Valle de Chistau (river Zinqueta) at which point you join another one coming from San Juan de Plan that is open to traffic.

(5h30min; 19.1kms) Track – end of the descent (1540m). Keep left along this new track, until you reach Es Plans, an open field where you come to the Virgen Blanca chapel and camp as well as the Forcallo campsite. Shortly afterwards, you leave the track and head up a shortcut to the...

(6h15min; 21,7kms) Refugio de Biadós (1760m).

Where to sleep:

At the beginning of the stage, in Parzán, there are several options for spending the night. In Bielsa (12kms from Pineta) there is a wide choice of accommodation. We recommend Casa Raspa (+34 974 501 006 / +34 619 717 993; reservas@hotelmonteperdido.com; See map). Affordable and offers discounts to GR11 walkers. They pick you up and bring you back the next day.

During the stage, at Urdiceto col, lies Urdiceto free shelter (built in 2009, in good condition, 2 rooms, 8 places occupying floor space). On the way down to Chistau valley there are two more shelters, Sallena cabin (in ruins) and Lisier cabin, some 40mins down the track to San Juan de Plan (1,760m, 4 places, stove, firewood and water nearby). Close to the end of the stage, you have Es Plans shelter (free, 25 places, in good condition) and El Forcallo campsite.

At the end of the stage, Refugio de Biadós (/).

Where to eat:

In Bielsa, We recommend Restaurante Hotel Monte Perdido (+34 974 501 006 / +34 619 717 993; reservas@hotelmonteperdido.com; See map).

Other services:

In Parzán, next to the petrol station, there is a bar-restaurant and a supermarket selling all kinds of equipment, fruit and food for stove cooking.

In Bielsa you will find other services such as a supermarket, pharmacy, butcher’s, cobbler’s, health centre or ATM. There are also a number of eateries.

Transport:

There is a bus service that operates between Bielsa and Ainsa (in July and August, one per day in the morning, returning in the afternoon/evening; the rest of the year M/W/F).

Biadós auberge is accessible by car via a 10km track between San Juan de Plan and Gistain.

The best way to get around in this area is by taxi, from Bielsa: Taxis 4x4 Bielsa ().