GR10 — Grande Traversée des Pyrénées

Information

Distance

900.0 km

Duration

45–60 days

Max elevation

2,734 m

Country

France (FR)

Difficulty

Strenuous — continuous steep ascents and descents; total cumulative elevation of about 53,000 m along the route

Best Season

June–September

Permits & Fees

No special permit required; gîte/refuge reservations are strongly recommended in July–August during peak season

Description

The GR10, or Grande Traversée des Pyrénées, is one of Europe's most demanding long-distance trails, spanning approximately 900 km from Hendaye on the Atlantic coast to Banyuls-sur-Mer on the Mediterranean — entirely on the French side of the Pyrenees. Typically completed in 45–60 days with roughly 53,000 m of cumulative ascent, it requires no technical climbing but demands exceptional endurance. Landscapes transition from the lush Basque forests and open Béarn valleys through the granite cirques of the High Pyrenees to the scrubby Mediterranean hills of Roussillon. The highest point is the Hourquette d'Ossoue at 2,734 m, while the UNESCO-listed Cirque de Gavarnie — a 1,500 m limestone amphitheatre — is the trail's most iconic landmark.

Trail Highlights

A full traverse of the French Pyrenees from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea; passing through the Iraty Forest in the Basque country, Pic du Midi d'Ossau, Cirque de Gavarnie (UNESCO World Heritage Site), Vignemale (3,298 m), the Réserve Naturelle de Néouvielle, and the Massif du Canigou