The bordermarkers of the Pyrenees : all my trips
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- wednesday 2 august 2017 -
Near Gavarnie: roundtrip along 319 and 318

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Summary: part of 13 day-trips in the Pyrenees, covering various targets from the Basque country up to Llivia.

Today: from Col de Tentes near Gavarnie a roundtrip along bm319 and 218

Weather: cloudy, strong winds

track-20170802.kml
(click to open this trip in Google Earth or copy link to Google Maps; click right on this link to download gpx-version).

The gps-track has not been manually  corrected which explains the inaccuracy and misalignment at some points. For cartographic backgrounds: see the cartography-page
According to Google Earth: 8,7km, max-height 2377m, min-height 2017m, elevation: +605m -605m

Start 9:36 Finish 13:06
Breakfast room in Hotel d'Annecy in Lourdes, my favorite hotel where few things change over the years.
Driving to the parking spot at Col de Trentes above Gavarnie.
The path - former tarmac road of an apparently never accomplished cross-border connection to Spain - to Port de Boucharo.

Panorama: at the port de Boucharo a trail start to iconic Brèche de Roland.
An information board tells more about

the cross-border relations and transportation. The Port de Boucharo has always been an important borderpass
Almost at Col de Boucharo, this is the start of the descent towards Gavarnie.
Approaching Col de Boucharo
The boulder at the Port de Boucharo
with a plaque.
The bordercross 319 is at the other side
Looking towards France
Bm319
Looking into Spain, I descend along the trail.
Having descended a while and looking back to Port de Boucharo.
Approaching a cabin which is at the bifurcation of the main GRPdesBF-trail to Port de Boucharo and the variant via bm318

A bit beyond (downhill) the cabin. To the right: towards Port de Boucharo, to the left : towards the electric transmission tower the variant via bm318. The trail to bm318 is yellow waymarked.
A look into the cabin, could be a bad weather refuge, nothing more.
N of the cabin a trail starts
but if you lose it: no problem.  Just follow grosso modo the electric high-voltage lines which passes the border at Col de Espécières (bm318).
The trail brings you you to this lake
and to Col de Espécières with
bm318
In comparison with bm319 a neatly carved cross and number. It looks like a loose rock.
Looking into France
with a zoom-in to the parking spot at Col de Trentes where my car is parked.
Bm318
Looking into Spain
Descending into France
Enough bivouac opportunities here at Lac des Espécières
An intriguing information board with "NO KILL" which I have seen more often. It means that any fish caught has to be released (see this page).

Many tourists around in this holiday season, I find a camping in Luz Saint Savour.
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