The bordermarkers of the Pyrenees : all my trips
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- 12 september 2010 -
The way of the empress

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 esfr-trip-track-20100912.kml
(click to open in Google Earth or copy link to Google Maps;
click right on this link to download gpx-version)

Summary: part of a 3-days trip around Hospice de France near Bagnères-de-Luchon, exploring bm331 to bm359. Third day: descending to Hospice de France,  continuing to Port de la Glère (bm331), back to the Hospice.

Weather: bright and sunny untill the afternoon when clouds start drifting in.
For explanation of the gps-coordinates and other cartographic backgrounds:
see my cartography page

Start: 9.00, break: 13.45-14.15, finish: 17.15, net walking time: 7.45
 
According to the gp-tripteller:
Distance: 25,5 km
Time moved: 6.53h
Time standing still: 1.35h
In total: 8.28h
Total ascent: 979m
Maximum height: 2360m
According to visugpx
- distance : 22.59 km
- cum. elevation gain : 1378 m
- cum. elevation loss : 1747 m
- total elevation:  3125

- altitude maxi : 2375 m
- altitude mini : 1378 m
- altitude average : 1754 m
From my camping-spot on Col de Barèges, I follow the waymarked trails to Cabane de Campsoure and to Hospice de France.
In between this panorama showing both Port de Venasque and Port de la Glère.

Move the mouse over the picture to see the Ports.
Back at the Hospice de France where  my car is parked.

At this picture: in the background the Port de Venasque and in the foreground another monument
remembering the refugees from France who crossed the Pyrenees in WWII to join the allied forces.
An interesting information panel. It tells us that the Hospice was from the 17th century a refuge and exchange center for the crossborder commerce.
During all the French-Spanish wars it was a military post.
From the beginning of the 19th century it became more and more a tourist refuge 

At my car, I change my backpack for my day-backpack 
and continue on the trail of Chemin de l’Impératrice (the way of the empress) to the Cirque de la Glère (1 ½ h).

Then on a yellow-waymarked trail (nr. 33) in 1 ¾ h to Port de la Glère, quite longer then I thought.

In the final ascent, there's this artificial amelioration of the path. A prove - I think - of the importance of this pass in former days.
Looking back, I can recognize in the distance
the Port de Barèges where I started in the morning.
I had to look around a bit for bm331. On the pass you have to proceed to the highest point (with view on this lake in Spain).
At that point, it’s - say - 20 meters climbing to the SE to bm331.

Also here a F and a E, just like at bm332 (and bm344).
Bm331, looking down at the pass.
Bm331
Bm331, looking to the east
Bm331, in the distance from the pass.

Move the mouse over the picture to see where the bm is.

I descend back in 3 hours (trail 33 and 30) to Hospice de France. By car to Bagnères-de-Luchon and settling in a hotel.
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