Day 1: Arrival
We will meet you in your hotel in Ax-les-Thermes at 18:00 for a welcome brief followed by dinner at a local restaurant. There are regular train links from Toulouse Matabiau train station to Ax-les-Thermes. There is a 20-minute airport shuttle to Toulouse Matabiau train station from Toulouse airport.
Day 2: Hike to Refuge d’en Beys
After breakfast we will take a short transfer into the steep wood-lined Orlu valley to a road head where we will start our trek. The mountain scenery all the way to the refuge is spectacular. The path ascends steeply through the Reserve d’Orlu, a protected wildlife reserve rich in fauna and flora such as wild mountain goats (issards), marmots and abundant wild flowers. You will be rewarded after your climb to the Refuge d’en Beys with extraordinary beauty. At the refuge we will be welcomed and fed by the guardians. Here, it’s time to take off our boots and soak up the views that surround us and perhaps take a dip in the lake. We will be sleeping in small dorms of bunkbeds. Height gain 1070m | distance 13km.
Day 3: Hike circular route back to start point
We will take a simple breakfast at the refuge and pick up a picnic lunch before we continue our circular hike back to our start point. We continue past many clear, deep lakes overlooked by high, rugged mountains. The scenery we pass through encourages us to to connect with nature and explore! A short transfer at the end of this spectacular day takes us back to our hotel in Ax-les-Thermes. Here, we can visit the spa baths or simply soak our feet in the free sulphur pools in the town before a final dinner and a good sleep. Height gain 485m | height loss 1530m | distance 13.5km.
Day 4: Departure
You can depart on the train of your choice. It’s a short walk to the train station from our hotel.