Not the most exciting of starts to a day on the GR10 with lots of, albeit quiet, roadwork. However, it improves rapidly once this is left behind and ends in dramatic high mountain scenery.

 

From the gite d’etape above Aunac you drop back down the road to rejoin the GR10 on a bend where there is a Chemin de la Liberte memorial. This commemorates those in World War II who escaped to Spain through the Pyrenees and those who helped them. One of the main routes started in St Girons and passed through Aunac on its way to Spain: today it is a popular 4 day walk, especially amongst those honoring family who escaped that way – one for another day perhaps!

The road follows on round away from the little hamlet of Aunac at 766 m, turning into a grassy track with nice views – Guzet Neige can be seen nestling in the distant mountains and the old ruined keep of Mirabat Castle is quite clear on a smaller hilltop. The route descends to a bridge over the river Salat at 550 m – this is a great swimming or picnic spot.

Here a right turn leads to Moulin Lauga which has some picnic tables. One advantage of walking on the roads in the Ariege is that they are generally quiet and this one runs alongside a particularly attractive river with crystal clear rushing water. For the rest of the day, you will never be far from water or its musical accompaniment.

At Moulin Lauga, the route turns right again and crosses back over the Salat, still on the road for about another hour, this time besides the Estours stream, until it peters out near some old marble quarries (though they are not obvious) and the junction with the Arros stream. There are a couple of good camping spots on the stream towards the end of the road.

Here a short cut variant of the GR10 also comes in from Pas de la Core, having bypassed Aunac and the road section.

Now at 675 m, a gravel road turning into an old track carries on beside the Estours, climbing steadily through the forests. At the junction with the Artigue a short right hand detour leads to the 80m high Arcouzan waterfall: no great swimming hole at the bottom, I’m afraid, but a nice place to cool off.  Camp spots can be found beside the stream or on the flat around the locked cabin. It is really the last option before Cabane d’Aula.

The track now gets narrow and rather scrappy and overgrown as it heads up the side of the valley.  Once back in the woods, it is easy going on a good zig zag path of soft beech humus – keep a look out for another waterfall cascading steeply over gold flecked rock to your left.

A final steep climb leads out to lovely mountain pastures with camping on a stream as you emerge; otherwise the Cabane d’Aula at 1,550 m is another 5 minutes . This is a good sized hut with a stove, table and 3 bunk beds – the mattresses even look quite inviting by candlelight after a long walk!  With the sheer mountain walls of the Spanish border towering above the hut, it is a dramatic place. Mont Valier is also above here; at 2,838 m, it is the sentinel of the Ariege.

If you are feeling energetic, it is possible to climb Mont Valier from here. It is a steep but straightforward climb and much quieter than the more popular approach from the other side. It would make a memorable rest day activity!

 

Ascent: 1,000 m

Descent: 216 m

Time: 5 Hours