Most classic excursions around Cauterets begin up the Val de Jéret at the Pont d'Espagne, where the Gave de Gaube and Gave du Marcadau hurtle together in a boiling spume of spray, before rushing down to Cauterets over a series of spectacular waterfalls. In season there are six daily navettes from the town centre to the giant visitor centre and car park here; purists can walk there along an attractive, streamside section of the GR10, which doubles as a parc national path. This starts from the disused satellite spa of LA RAILLÈRE, 3km south of Cauterets, and takes two hours uphill through the forest (90min down).From Pont d'Espagne, you can proceed southwest up the Marcadau valley along a branch of the GR10 to the Refuge Wallon (tel 05.62.92.64.28; open part Feb & Apr, weekends in Mar, May & Oct, June–Sept; about 5hr round trip), or due south up into the alpine valley of the Gave de Gaube, with the lovely little Lac de Gaube backed by the snowy wall and glaciers of Vignemale (3298m). There's even a télésiège (€5.50 return) to save you the first part of the ascent from Pont d'Espagne. Beyond the lake, the path continues to the Refuge des Oulettes below the north face of Vignemale (tel 06.13.70.40.00; open June-Oct; about 3hr from Pont d'Espagne), from where you can return to La Raillère via one of two routes. The HRP from Refuge des Oulettes goes over a high pass to the Refuge de Bayssellance (currently closed for renovation) and then loops broadly around to the Refuge d'Estom (tel 05.62.92.75.07; open June–Sept) in the beautiful and quieter Lutour valley; alternatively you can omit Baysellance and head straight to Estom over the lower Col d'Arrailé. Even with a bus ride at the start and using this lower route, you should allow eight hours for the walking day; if you take in the high country around Bayssellance, it's best to schedule an overnight at Oulettes or Estom. A less-frequented walk from Cauterets is to the Lac d'Ilhéou along the GR10 (about 3hr). To avoid the initial steep climb you can take the Téléphérique du Lys (€5 one way) to the gare intermédiaire de Cambasque, crossing the stream there and continuing up the right bank to the Cabane de Courbet, where you follow a track, first on the left bank, then on the right. After a short distance, the GR10 leaves the track and climbs up the slope to the left, steadily gaining height to cross a chute of boulders beside the long white thread of the Cascade d'Ilhéou waterfall. Over the rim of the chute, you come to a small lake, with the Refuge d'Ilhéou (tel 05.62.92.75.07; closed Oct–May) in sight ahead on the shore – it's very pretty in June, with snow still on the surrounding peaks and ice floes drifting on its still surface.
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