Lescun is a small (population 189) village situated at the side of the Aspe valley, in the middle of a beautiful Cirque in the Western Pyrenees of South West France. Lescun is popular with hikers all year round and there are basic facilities available in the village – a couple of places to stay, a post office, a grocery and a bar.
Lescun is a modest bike ride away from Orloron with a good road all the way. This is the view towards the village of Bedous. There is very little climbing until 4km before Lescun. From there, it is a steady climb up to the village.A little closer, passing through the village of Accous, home of two paragliding schools. In August 2006, I signed up for a course but they refunded my money as I was the only student who had signed up.To get to Lescun, (if you don’t have a bicycle) take the bus from Orloron towards Canfranc along the N134. Tell the driver you want to go to Lescun and he should drop you at the bottom of the hill. But what a view when you get to the top! The Cirque of Lescun is pretty dramatic at any time of year. Good weather makes it all the more attractive with the lush green fields, cold grey of the mountains and a blue sky. What more could a hiker/photographer ask for?Although there are a few farmsteads spread around the cirque, the main village is concentrated in one area. This photo was taken behind the village, looking across the Aspe Valley.Le Billare, 2309 metres, one of the most striking peaks in the area.A pleasant afternoon walk from Lescun takes you to the Plateau Sanchèse. Nothing too taxing but still some great views. In the background you can see Les Orgues de Camplong.Autumnal colours and Les orgues de Camplong. The map shows a path from the Plateau Sanchèse to the GR10 but I couldn’t find it.This is the trail leading up to the small cirque below the Pic D’Anie.After some steep climbing it is nice when the gradient is a little more gentle.That peak is the Pic D’Anie, the highest peak in the area. Sadly, it was far too windy on the day I was there to get to the top – we were probably about 300 metres away.But the views from the top were stunning.An amazing valley carved out by glaciers.This is the inside of the refuge below Pic D’Anie. It is pretty basic but it could save your life if you’re caught in a snowstorm.This is the Rando Plume gite which offers simple accommodation in Lescun for around 14 euros a night.
