Day 1: Arrival
We will meet you in your hotel in Tarascon-sur-Ariege at 18:00 for a welcome brief then eat dinner together at a local restaurant. The hotel is a 20-minute walk from the train station. There are regular train links from Toulouse Matabiau train station to Tarascon-sur-Ariege. There is a 20-minute airport shuttle to Toulouse Matabiau train station from Toulouse airport.
Day 2: Hike to Refuge Juclar
After breakfast we will take a short transfer into the steep and stunning Aston 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 to Porte de Fontargente, a col on the border with Andorra. We look out onto scarped and jagged mountains in all directions. From the col we descend steeply and then traverse to Refuge de Juclar located at 2310m, next to the Juclar lakes. At the refuge we will be welcomed and fed by the friendly guardians. Here, it’s time to take off our boots and admire this spectacular area of imposing granite crests that surround us – the sharp silhouette of the majestic Escobes peak is a view to remember. We will be sleeping in small dorms of bunkbeds. Height gain 1100m | height loss 400m | distance 9km.
Day 3: Hike To Refuge du Rulhe
We will take a simple yet hearty breakfast at the refuge and pick up a picnic lunch before we continue our circular hike. We pass by many clear deep lakes overlooked by high steep imposing mountains, among which the Pic de Rulhe, Picos de Juclar and Pic de l’Alba stand out. Tonight we sleep and eat at Refuge du Rulhe set high in the valley surrounded by sub-alpine meadows. Here, we take time to enjoy the stunning view of Pic de Rulhe from the refuge terrace. Height gain 340m | height loss 550m | distance 5km.
Day 4: Hike from Refuge du Rulhe to parking point
A gentle decent on rocky paths takes us to the end of our trek, every now and then glancing over our shoulder at the splendid mountains behind us. A short transfer at the end of this day takes us back to our hotel in Tarascon-sur-Ariege and a well-deserved dinner overlooking the Ariege river. Height loss 500m | distance 3.5km.
Day 5: Departure
You can depart on the train of your choice. It’s a short walk to the train station from our hotel.