Pic de Pimené
At 2,801 metres, the Pic de Pimené offers what many experienced hikers consider the single best panoramic viewpoint in the central Pyrenees — a full 360-degree sweep that takes in the Cirque de Gavarnie directly below, the Vignemale glacier to the west, and on clear days the distant plains of Aragon to the south. The ascent is demanding but non-technical.
The Ascent
The standard route begins at the Col de Boucharo car park (2,270 m), reached via the D923 above Gavarnie village, cutting the ascent to a manageable 530 metres of elevation gain over roughly 3 km. The path climbs steeply through scree and alpine grass, marked with cairns above the snowline.
Allow 2 hours up and 1.5 hours down. Start before 9 am in summer to avoid afternoon thunderstorms, which build over the Pyrenean crest with alarming speed after midday.
The View From the Top
From the summit cairn, the Cirque de Gavarnie unfolds directly below like a relief map — you can trace the entire 14 km rim and watch the Grande Cascade as a thin white thread from this height. The scale only makes sense from up here.
To the northwest, the Vignemale massif (3,298 m, the highest Pyrenean peak entirely in France) shows its permanent glacier even in August. On exceptional days of high pressure, the Pic du Midi de Bigorre observatory dome is visible to the northeast, 40 km away.
More of Luz-Saint-Sauveur
Discover where to stay, what to do and the best deals for your trip.
Explore Luz-Saint-Sauveur →
