Etsaut to Gabas
Into the Ossau
A mast road carved into a cliff, then a long climb to the lake where the Pic du Midi d'Ossau stands reflected in the water.
GR10 Section 3: Etsaut to Cauterets
Your walk from
Etsaut to
Cauterets
You'll walk 84 kilometres across the central French Pyrenees, taken over high cols and through pastoral cirques rather than along valley floors, with the Chemin de la Mâture carved into the rock at the start and the Pic du Midi d'Ossau reflected in a high lake on day two. One of the more serious sections of the GR10.
French Pyrenees
France
Trail Essentials
- Start
- EtsautBéarn
- End
- CauteretsBigorre
- Distance
- 84 km52 miles
- Total Ascent
- 5,650 m18,537 ft
Difficulty
Demanding
Hilliness
Mountainous
Time to Complete
Hiker
5 days ~16 km/day
When to Walk
Best
Good
Avoid
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Section 3 of the GR10 runs 52 miles from Etsaut, in the Aspe valley of Béarn, to Cauterets, a Belle Époque spa town on the Bigorre side of the central Pyrenees — over the eighteenth-century mast road of the Chemin de la Mâture, up to Col d'Ayous beneath the Pic du Midi d'Ossau, across the working passes between Béarn and Bigorre, and over the section's highest col into Cauterets. You climb on six of the seven walking days, and the country — limestone gorge, beech forest, pastoral cirque, mountain lake — repays it.
Walking the GR10 Section 3: Etsaut to Cauterets
How The Trail Unfolds
Your section divides naturally into three parts — not by day, but by country. You climb out of the Aspe valley into Béarn's most photographed corner; you cross through working passes to the boundary with Bigorre; and from there you climb to the section's highest col and drop into Cauterets.
Gabas to Arrens-Marsous
Between Béarn and Bigorre
Three working days of cols and pastoral cirques, with the boundary between Béarn and Bigorre tucked into the middle of them.
Arrens-Marsous to Cauterets
Toward Cauterets
The section's highest col, then a long descent past stone bridges and waterfalls into the Belle Époque spa town of Cauterets.
Included with every trip
Your personalised
Trail Book
Everything you need for every day of your trail — built around your exact itinerary. Your route, your accommodation, your packing list. Ready before you leave, works offline when you're out there.
Tonight's accommodation
Check-in time, room type, phone number and directions — all in one place
Day-by-day trail description
Route map, elevation profile and written description for each stage
Packing list and pre-trip checklist
Everything you need, nothing you don't. Tick items off as you go
Works offline
Open it once with data and it's yours — no signal needed on the trail
Included with every trip
Your route on every device you use
Your custom GPX file is built around your exact itinerary — day by day, door to door. Load it onto any device or app before you set off and navigate with confidence.
Works with
Talk to a Specialist
Knows the trail. Plans yours.
Craig
Trail Specialist
The kind of GR10 section I send people on when they've done the West Highland Way and want a proper mountain trail. Walk it slow — six days, not four — the climbing each day is more than the distances suggest. Book Refuge d'Ayous early; the dorm above Lac Gentau fills up fast.
Craig has spent over ten years in adventure travel — most of it talking walkers through trails like this one. He'll talk you through the GR10 from Etsaut to Cauterets: where the Chemin de la Mâture comes early, where the Col d'Ayous day is the one most walkers misjudge, and which refuges to book the day they open.
Ask Craig about the GR10 Section 3: Etsaut to Cauterets
If you want to talk through your timing, your fitness, your pace, or anything the planner can't answer — call. Most of our customers do, and Craig's the one who'll answer.
The Practical Side
Before You Book
The things walkers ask us most often — answered plainly, so you don't have to ring to find out.
How fit do I need to be?
You'll want to be comfortable walking around 14 kilometres a day with a daypack — but the more honest measure is the ascent. This section climbs 5,650 metres total, sometimes 1,500 metres in a single day, often above 2,000 metres. The Hiker pace gives you six walking days; the Explorer pace stretches that to seven. Either way, this is a serious mountain section. Walkers who've done one of the Scottish hill trails or a section of the Camino through the Pyrenees are usually ready.
When should I walk it?
Mid-June to mid-September is the reliable window. The Refuge d'Ayous opens mid-May and closes mid-October, but snow can hold on Col d'Ilhéou and Col d'Ayous into early June — May is possible with caution but the high passes might still be banked. July and August are the most settled months. September is quieter and the colours start to turn, with the trade-off of shorter days. October is for experienced walkers only: refuges close, weather changes fast.
Do you include luggage transfer?
On the lower stages — Etsaut, Gabas, Eaux-Bonnes, Gourette, Arrens-Marsous, Cauterets — yes, your bag is moved between accommodations, up to 20 kg per bag. The exception is Refuge d'Ayous: it's only reachable on foot, three hours' walk above the road, so you'll carry an overnight pack with you for that night. The refuge has bedding; you'll need a sleeping bag liner, your own evening kit, and toiletries. The next morning your main bag is waiting for you in Gabas.
What kind of accommodation do you book?
A mix of family-run mountain inns, small village hotels, and one night in a guarded refuge. In Etsaut, Gabas, Eaux-Bonnes, Gourette, Arrens-Marsous and Cauterets you'll stay in inns and small hotels with breakfast included, en-suite where the building allows. The night at Refuge d'Ayous is dormitory — a Parc National des Pyrénées refuge above Lac Gentau, shared sleeping space, half-board with the other walkers. It's the one night of the section where the trail dictates the accommodation, and it's also the one most people remember.
Can I walk it solo?
Yes — the GR10 is well-waymarked with red-and-white blazes, and you'll meet other walkers most days during the main season, especially around the Ayous lakes and on the popular middle stages. The two longer days — Etsaut to Refuge d'Ayous (1,580 m of ascent) and Arrens-Marsous to Refuge d'Ilhéou (1,570 m of ascent) — are the ones to plan carefully if you're solo. Forecast and an early start matter; both are big mountain days. We book single rooms where available, with a supplement at the inns that don't have singles.
What's the realistic total cost?
Our Classic package starts at £749 per person for the six-day Hiker pace, based on two people sharing. That covers all accommodation including the refuge night, breakfast on the inn days, half-board at the refuge, baggage transfer between inns, a route pack with maps and notes, and 24-hour support. On the trail, budget around €30–45 a day per person for lunches, drinks, and an evening meal — French Pyrenean mountain villages are reasonable by alpine standards, and most inns will do you a packed lunch for €10–12.
Still not sure? Ring us on 0131 560 2740 — Craig usually answers.
Still Thinking?
Speak to Craig
If you've scrolled this far, we need to help you get onto this trail. The bit the planner can't help with — "is the pace right for me?", "is August really that busy?", "can we add a rest day in Keswick?" — that's a two-minute phone call. Most people who book the GR10 Section 3: Etsaut to Cauterets ring first.