Cirque de Lescun in the Aspe Valley

ByTravesía Pirenaica

To the north of the Somport pass, going down the Aspe Valley in France, we will arrive at Lescun. We are in the department of Pyrénées-Atlantiques, in a former French province known as "Bearn". This French village is the entrance to a cirque of Dolomitic character spectacular, with peaks over 2,000 metres high.

The Lescun Circus is a geological marvel sculpted by glaciers. It is crowned by limestone peaks such as the Pic de Laraille (2,147m), the Pic de Petrechema (2,371m) (special mention should be made of the "Aiguilles d'Ansabere" (Ansabere Needles), which leads to the abyss), the Table of the Three Kings (2,444m)the Anie (2.507m) or the Billaré (2.318m), Pene Blanque and the Dec de Lhurs itself, for many people one of the most beautiful peaks in the Pyrenees.

The foot of the cirque is occupied by a beautiful valley carpeted with deep green meadows, filled with beech forests that frame it to highlight its imposing 1,000-metre limestone walls. It is a picture-postcard landscape reminiscent of the dolomitic mountains of the Alps or the Wilder Kaiser in Austria.

How to get there:

The Lescún Cirque is located in the Aspe Valley, in the French department of the Atlantic Pyrenees (Pyrénées-Atlantiques). You can get there from Spain on the N330 through the Somport tunnel (fastest option) or by crossing the pass of the same name (1,640m). Once in France, the road becomes the N134. Go down the Aspe valley in the direction of Pau and pass Cette-Eygun, about 25kms from the top of Somport or 17kms from the tunnel exit, take a left turn to Lescún. From Jaca it is 53 kilometres.

Dec de Lhurs / Photo: Jon Iraola
Dec de Lhurs, Cirque de Lescun / Photo: Jon Iraola

What to visit in the Cirque de Lescun:

Both the village and the cirque of Lescun are listed as one of the most beautiful sites in the Pyrenees.

You can start by visiting the little village of Lescun, an example of traditional architectural beauty. The village is located at an altitude of 900 metres in the Pyrenees National Park and preserves its traditional slate roofs, narrow streets, thick-walled stone houses, wash houses, fountains and water troughs.

Between the mountains and the village you will find beech forests alternating with pastures where goats and sheep graze.

Routes: Hiking and mountaineering in the Cirque de Lescun

The cirque is a paradise for hikers and an ideal setting for excellent walks. It is a place far from mass tourism, ideal for walking, finding peace, tranquillity and a place to talk to yourself and nature. Its varied terrain offers everything from gentle trails that are easy to walk to rugged off-trail ascents.

Ascents

  • Pic d'Anie (2,504m) from l'Abèrouat hut. (Distance: 14,6kms round trip; Approximate time: 6h00min; Elevation gain: 1.080m).
Cirque de Lescun, Le Billare / Photo: _Daniel VILLAFRUELA [CC-BY-SA-4.0] Wikimedia Commons
Cirque de Lescun, Le Billare / Photo: _Daniel VILLAFRUELA [CC-BY-SA-4.0] Wikimedia Commons
  • Billaré (2.318m) from Sanchese (Distance: 11kms round trip; Approximate time: 7h00min; Elevation gain: 1.250m).
  • Peneblanque (2.390m) and Table of the Three Kings (2,444m) from Sanchese (Distance: 19,4 kms round trip; Approximate time: 10h30min; Elevation gain: 1.570m).
Cirque de Lescun, the Table and the Table of the Three Kings/ Photo: Sea Empress (Wikimedia Commons)
Cirque de Lescun, the Table and the Table of the Three Kings/ Photo: Sea Empress (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Petrechema/Ansabère (2,362m) from the Masousa bridge (Distance: 15,7 kms round trip; Approximate time: 9h00min; Elevation gain: 1.400m).
  • Acherito (2.358m) from Masousa Bridge (Distance: 17 kms round trip; Approximate time: 9h00min; Elevation gain: 1.400m).
  • Larraille (2,147m) from the Masousa bridge (Distance: 14kms round trip; Approximate time: 8h00min; Elevation gain: 1.180m).

Easy excursions

  • Car park of Anapia - Plateau de Sanchese (Distance: 6kms round trip; Approximate time: 1h30min; Elevation gain: 120m). From the car park of Anapia, at the exit of Lescun, signposted Lac de Lhurs, you can take a nice walk to the Plateau de Sanchese and visit the waterfall of Anaye.
  • Refuge of l'Abérouat: The Abérouat refuge can be reached by car. From here, a great hike is to follow the GR10 in the direction of the col d'Azuns. At the beginning of the route the views over the Billaré and the other peaks are splendid. Then the path enters a beautiful forest of beech and fir trees. Above it is the terrain of high mountain meadows, rocky areas and steep peaks.
  • Lescun - Cabane d'Ansabère
  • Lescun - Cabane de Pédain

Excursions of medium difficulty

  • Car park of Anapia - Lac de Lhurs / Le Dec de Lhurs (Distance: 12kms round trip; Approximate time: 6h00min; Elevation gain: 700m). In this cirque, Le Dec de Lhurs is one of the emblematic mountains of the Lescun Valley and the Lac de Lhurs is a beautiful lake in the Pyrenees. Leaving the car park of Anapia (Lescun) the ascent to the Dec de Lhurs is the most popular and busiest. A shorter option is to reach the Lac de Lhurs in a walk that can take a couple of hours.
  • Masousa Bridge - Lac d'Ansabère (Distance: 13kms round trip; Estimated time: 7h00min; Elevation gain: 1.100m).
  • Lescun - Labérouat Hut
  • Pedain Hut - Ansabère Hut
  • Lescun (Lamary Bridge) - Ansabere Lake - Acherito Lagoon
  • Ansabère Hut - Col de Burcq - Arlet Hut
  • Lescun to the refuge of Ayous via Etsaut
  • Cirque de Lescun and the border ridge