The GR11 Trail. Brian Johnson
Stage 7 Ochagavía to Isaba (Izaba)
Stage 8 Isaba to Zuriza (over Peña Ezkaurri, GR11-4)
Stage 9 Zuriza to La Mina
Stage 9A Zuriza to Hotel Usón (Puen de Santana) (GR11-1)
Stage 10 La Mina to Refugio de Lizara (GR11)
Stage 10A Hotel Usón to Refugio de Lizara (GR11-1)
Stage 11 Refugio de Lizara to Candanchú
Stage 12 Candanchú to Sallent de Gállego (Sallén de Galligo)
Stage 13 Sallent de Gállego to Refugio de Respomuso
Stage 14 Refugio de Respomuso to Baños de Panticosa
Stage 15 Baños de Panticosa to San Nicolás de Bujaruelo (Buxargüelo)
Stage 16 San Nicolás de Bujaruelo to Refugio de Góriz
Stage 17 Refugio de Góriz to Refugio de Pineta
Stage 18 Refugio de Pineta to Parzán
Stage 19 Parzán to Refugio de Biadós (Viadós)
Stage 20 Refugio de Biadós to Puen de San Chaime (Puente de San Jaime)
Stage 21 Puen de San Chaime to Refugio de Cap de Llauset
Stage 22 Refugio de Cap de Llauset to Refugi de Conangles
Stage 23 Refugi de Conangles to Refugi dera Restanca
Stage 24 Refugi dera Restanca to Refugi de Colomèrs (by Port de Caldes, GR11-18)
Stage 25 Refugi de Colomèrs to Espot
Stage 26 Espot to La Guingueta d’Àneu
Stage 27 La Guingueta d’Àneu to Estaon
Stage 28 Estaon to Tavascan
Stage 29 Tavascan to Àreu
Stage 30 Àreu to Refugi de Vallferrera
Stage 31 Refugi de Vallferrera to Refugi de Comapedrosa
Stage 32 Refugi de Comapedrosa to Arans
Stage 33 Arans to Encamp
Stage 34 Encamp to Refugio de l’Illa
Stage 35 Refugio de l’Illa to Refugi de Malniu
Stage 36 Refugi de Malniu to Puigcerdà
Stage 37 Puigcerdà to Camping Can Fosses, Planoles
Stage 38 Camping Can Fosses, Planoles to Núria
Stage 39 Núria to Setcases
Stage 40 Setcases to Beget
Stage 41 Beget to Sant Aniol d’Aguja
Stage 42 Sant Aniol d’Aguja to Albanyà
Stage 43 Albanyà to Maçanet de Cabrenys
Stage 44 Maçanet de Cabrenys to La Jonquera
Stage 45 La Jonquera to Els Vilars
Stage 46 Els Vilars to Llançà
Stage 47 Llançà to Cap de Creus
Appendix A Route summary table
Appendix B Facilities table
Appendix C Glossary
Appendix D Sources of information
PUBLISHER’S DEDICATION
Punta Gabedallo over Ibón d’Estanés (Stage 10)
This new GR11 guide is dedicated to the memory of Paul Lucia.
Paul pioneered La Senda and the Spanish Pyrenees for English-speaking trekkers nearly 20 years ago. Paul’s first edition came out in 1996 under the aegis of Walt Unsworth, my predecessor as Publisher at Cicerone. New updated editions that I worked on with Paul followed in 2000 and 2004, with a final posthumous edition in 2008, the proofs of which were checked by Paul’s son, P-J, and daughter, Anna.
Paul brought a lifetime’s precision to his passion for the Spanish side of the Pyrenees, the result of which was a guide that Cicerone was proud to publish for many years. Many trekkers have commented that Paul had very long legs and his timings were referred to as ‘bold’ by some, ‘unattainable’ by others! I particularly remember well Paul’s frustration with the continual re-routing in Navarre, although he was delighted to have an excuse to return to the route.
In the 2008 edition, P-J and Anna wrote: ‘If asked to describe our father, the word “indomitable” invariably springs to mind. Dad’s exploits formed a thread of marvellous adventure through our upbringing.’
My thanks to Christine Lucia for agreeing to let us build on Paul’s work, to Paul’s family and the many Cicerone trekkers whose comments have helped the GR11 and our guides to it go from strength to strength.
Jonathan Williams
AUTHOR’S PREFACE
Limestone outcrops, Sierra de Abodi (Stage 6)
The first Cicerone guide to the GR11 was published in 1996. At that time the route was ill-defined with little waymarking; navigation was a serious problem and there was much walking on tarmac and dirt roads. Constant changes and improvements in the route kept Paul Lucia busy producing updates and his fourth edition was published in 2008. Since 2008 there have been major route changes to the GR11, especially in the Basque Country and Navarre. Road walking has been reduced to a minimum, the route has been well signed and waymarked and the GR11 has now developed into a magnificent route through largely unspoilt and wild mountains. The author walked the main route again in 2017 for this updated guide but has not walked all the alternative routes since 2013. This update includes the new route between La Mina and Candanchu, the only major change since 2013.
It is now possible to walk the GR11 without camping or using bothies and this new guide is organised into 47 stages for the benefit of those who are using accommodation along the route. Walkers who, like the author, prefer wild camping in the mountains will find much greater flexibility in their planning.
Brian Johnson
Lac Redon and Lac Long (Stage 25)
INTRODUCTION
Punta Chistau (Stage 20)
The Pyrenees is the mountain chain which forms the border between France and Spain, stretching over 400km from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea. The GR11, which stays on