Pyrénées hiking

Beginning of July was the dog days in France. 

So I took this opportunity, Jul 7, 2015, to make an hike in the Pyrénées mountains trying to find a colder place.

But I was wrong due to a temperature inversion. 

The GPS screen confirms the temperature inversion

First destination: the cirque de Troumouse

The Cirque de Troumouse is a cirque in the central Pyrenees, in south-western France.


It is located close the commune of Héas, 
department of Hautes-Pyrénées.

On the way to the cirque you can see 

a beautiful waterfall 

It’s also very known for its summer pasture

A mountain road will bring you to the cirque with parking slot ...

Hiking loop made

...and start point for a number of short (30 mn) and long (04h00) walks in wild mountain nature

The Cirque de Troumouse is a large rock amphitheater formed at the head of a valley glacier by erosion.  Situated at the border of France and Spain, it extends for over 10 km, bordered by several peaks of over 3000m

17 peaks form the 270 degree "wall" of the cirque, all of them well over 2500 m and this wall also forms the French Spanish border. The culmination of summits reaches 3,000 meters.The highest, Pic de la Munia, is 3133 m

The French part of the cirque de Troumouse  is part of the Pyrenees National Park 

a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Major features of the cirque are la Vierge de Troumouse (Virgin of Tremouse) and the lac des Aires (lake of Aires) 

Other destination:barrage des Gloriettes (Gloriettes dam)

Located not very far from Gavarnie
 and its famous Cirque

The Gloriettes dam, a concrete arch structure on the Gave d’Estaubé River, operated by Electricité de France (EDF) is located in the French Pyrenees. It was constructed between 1949 and 1951.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Four Spillways: channels that carries excess water over the dam

                                               

A typical Pyrenean house built in stones with its roof covered with shingles

Two odd candidates for going back with me into my car

Don’t make a mistake for your next destination!

Behind me... 

the Lake Gloriettes Dam in the Pyrénées Mountain 

or 

its homonym in the USA: Lake Gloriette Dam, New Hampshire Latitude: 44.8667145   Longitude: -71.3028578 County: Coos Area: Dixville Notch Elevation: 564 meters - 1850 feet ?