The GR10 Trail. Brian Johnson

a minimum, if you are camping, you should have containers capable of carrying three litres of water.

       It is strongly recommended that you use two walking poles. If you are not carrying walking poles you may need an ice-axe to cope with snow on the high passes. Crampons may be needed in early season in a high snow year.

       If you are carrying any electronic devices needing recharging, remember to carry a continental adaptor.

      Safety

      On the GR10, especially in the Ariège, you are often traversing very steep slopes where a fall could have fatal consequences. It is not the difficult terrain – there is very little difficult terrain on the GR10 – but it is the careless slip on an easy, but exposed, path that is potentially dangerous. It is strongly recommended that you use two walking poles and learn to use them effectively to prevent a careless slip on steep traverses. This is in addition to the other uses of walking poles such as crossing snowfields, stream crossings, descending steep slopes, clearing vegetation and fighting off dogs. Poles might also help in the extremely unlikely event of meeting a bear or the more likely encounter with a bull or even for use as an emergency tent pole.

Culture and languages

      Spanish Siesta

      You may not be in Spain, but in the smaller villages you can expect shops to be open in the morning, closed during the afternoon (possibly from 12.00pm to 4.00pm) and open again in the evening. In larger towns they are more likely to be open all day.

      Languages

      French is spoken throughout the French Pyrenees. In addition the locals may also speak Basque or Catalan. English is now spoken much more widely than it was in the 20th century, especially by younger people.

      There is a lot of confusion with place names in the Pyrenees, with many different and inconsistent spellings. Villages, towns and geographical features often have a French name, a Basque or Catalan name and possibly a Spanish name.

      In this guide, the French name has been used unless the Basque or Catalan name is in widespread use.

      Politics

      When they were independent states the Basque Country and Catalonia were much larger than at present and included large chunks of the Pyrenees which are now in France. Independence movements aren’t as active as in Spain, but many people will still think of themselves as Basque or Catalan rather than French.

      Chemin de la Liberté

      Le Chemin de la Liberté plaque

      As you walk the GR10 you will see frequent references to Le Chemin de la Liberté. After the fall of France in 1940 there was a steady stream of military personnel, including escaped prisoners of war and Frenchmen wanting to join the allied armies, as well as persecuted civilians, including many Jews, trying to escape across the border from France into Spain. From November 1942 the security of the border was taken over by the Germans with frontier guards posted along the whole length of the Pyrenees, and a forbidden zone 20km deep was set up into which access was only allowed with a special pass.

      It then became vital to develop more efficient and certainly more secret ways of reaching safety in Spain. The result was the founding of many well-organised escape lines whose aim was to pass not only men but also important military information and documents. This was very dangerous work and more than half of the 2000 known guides were caught and either executed immediately or imprisoned to die later in concentration camps. It is estimated that 33,000 men, women and children escaped successfully to freedom.

      The best known of these escape routes is Le Chemin de la Liberté, which passes through the Ariège from Saint-Girons to Alos d’Isil in Spain. When you hike the GR10 in good summer weather, remember that many of these crossings would have been made at night in appalling weather and in winter over snow-covered mountains.

      Tour de France

      Tour de France riders, 2014, below Barèges after descending the Col du Tourmalet (Stage 21)

      The Tour de France cycle race visits the Pyrenees in July and may impinge on the GR10 with road closures and fully booked facilities. In 2015 stages ended at Arette-la Pierre-St-Martin, Cauterets and the Plateau de Beille as well as passing over the Col du Tourmalet and Col de la Core.

Accommodation

      Cabane de Besset (bothy) (Stage 31)

      There is a wide range of accommodation on the GR10.

       Hotels vary greatly in quality and cost and they have all the facilities you expect of a hotel in Britain. An auberge is the equivalent of an English inn.

       Chambres d’hôtes are private houses offering accommodation similar to the British ‘bed & breakfast’. Many of them depend on weekly or weekend bookings and are reluctant to take advance bookings for a single night.

       Gîtes d’étape are a network of cheap accommodation aimed primarily at walkers. They often have dormitory accommodation, but many also have smaller rooms. Most, but not all, will offer evening meals, breakfast and picnic lunches. Some will be open for snacks and drinks during the day. Most will have a kitchen for the use of visitors. Don’t get confused by the ‘gîte’ designation; these are mainly chambres d’hôtes rather than gîtes d’étape.

       Manned refuges are mountain huts that offer accommodation, possibly in dormitories. They have a drink and meals service, open to both residents and non-residents and will usually provide packed lunches.

       Unmanned refuges are open for the use of mountaineers and walkers. They are equivalent to the Scottish ‘bothy’ and range in quality from purpose-built buildings, which are well maintained by mountaineering clubs, to buildings that are little better than unmaintained cow sheds.

       Some campgrounds will have cabins, static caravans or gîte d’étape accommodation.

      If desperate ask at the bar-restaurant; they will often know locals who are willing to offer accommodation outside the official system.

      It is strongly recommended that you book accommodation in advance. At some gîtes d’étape it may be necessary to book meals and picnic supplies in advance as the owners will often shop daily for fresh food.

      Manned refuges

      Manned refuges vary greatly but as a guideline you can expect the following.

       Basic accommodation for walkers and climbers

       Refuge hours and rules designed for walkers, not for late-night drinkers

       You may be able to get a discount if you are a member of an Alpine Association

       People staying in refuges usually book demi-pension (supper, bed and breakfast)

       Most refuges will supply picnic lunches

       Some, but not all, will have self-catering facilities

       Mattresses and blankets are provided in the dormitories but you may need to bring a sleeping bag or a sheet bag

       Some refuges are open all year and others only during the summer; in the spring or autumn some will only be open at weekends but may open out of season if you make a reservation

       It is recommended that you make reservations in high summer and at weekends

       Refuges offer a bar and snack service to walkers outside of normal mealtimes

       Refuges will normally have a room which can be used as a bothy when the refuge is closed

       Camping is not permitted in the vicinity of most manned refuges