Ordesa and Monte Perdido National Park
Get to know the peaks of the Spanish Pyrenees
In the west of the Aure valley, in the province of Huesca in Spain, you will find the Ordesa and Monte Perdido National Park. Spend unforgettable moments in one of the most beautiful environments in the Pyrenees. Ordesa Park was created in 1918 by the King of Spain. It is also part of the "Ordesa-Vignemale" biosphere reserve and the "Pyrenees-Monte Perdido" property, classified by UNESCO for its exceptional natural landscapes. Enjoy more than 15,000 hectares of magical hiking all year round. You will discover multiple peaks at an altitude of more than 3000m and the karst reliefs that bear witness to geological transformations, the superb valleys of Ordesa, Pineta, the Añisclo Canyon or the Escuain lookouts. In winter, the Nordic area of Pineta opens its doors and offers you 24km of slopes at an altitude of 1200m. With the Pyrénées2vallées Winter Pass, you benefit from a free day of skiing in Pineta!
Hiking in the Ordesa Canyon
Discover the Ordesa canyon, a true symbol of the park. This glacial valley stops in the east at the foot of Monte Perdido, another essential part of the National Park (see below). In a setting worthy of the Great American West, enjoy many hiking opportunities in the valley, between waterfalls, lawns and small rivers. Look up and admire the many peaks of the National Park at an altitude of more than 3000m: Monte Perdido, Marboré, Cylindre, Taillon, Soum de Ramond... To the north, the most courageous will admire the Roland's Breach, a natural hole symbolizing the border between France and Spain. The vegetation in the Ordesa-Monte Perdido National Park is rich, despite the steep slopes: fir, oak, pine and beech. At higher elevations, they are replaced by hooked pines and white edelweiss. It also presents an exceptional fauna. You will certainly come across isards, which are numerous in the region, as well as deer and the Pyrenean newt, a small amphibian that lives in the purest waters of the mountain lakes. In the sky, in addition to the Sun and the blue sky, admire the griffon vulture, the falcon, the bearded vulture, but also the snow partridges and the owls. Bivouacs are only allowed around the refuges of San Vincenda, Goriz and Lake Tuquerouye. Dogs are allowed on a leash in Ordesa and Monte Perdido National Park.
Monte Perdido, the life-size Sobrarbe
On the northern part of the Ordesa National Park, you can't miss the majestic Monte Perdido, which rises to 3355m. Located between the canyons of Ordesa and Pineta, Monte Perdido invites you to have a front row seat to admire what is perhaps, without modesty, one of the most beautiful panoramas of your life. We recommend that you start from the Goriz refuge, located on the Spanish GR 11 hiking path. Allow 3 hours of walking to complete the 4km to the summit (1200m of positive altitude difference all the same). Although this is the easiest route, it is intended for athletes and not for beginners. Don't forget to bring crampons and ice axes for the last part of the ascent. On the way, you will meet the Pyrenean fauna and flora. The marmots lift their heads over the rocks while the limestone and edelweiss blocks accompany you. You may have the chance to see the Iberian ibex, reintroduced in 2019 almost a century after its disappearance in the region. Shortly before the summit, you will encounter the only difficulty of this hike, a very steep scree corridor where snow remains even in summer. Use your crampons and ice axes to ensure your own safety. Once you reach the top, you are generously rewarded. Enjoy an incredible 360° view of all the surrounding peaks: the peaks of the 3 sisters (of which Monte Perdido is the central peak), the heights of the Gavarnie circus, below the Lac Glacé, to the south the Ordesa Canyon... In short, you have a window on the Spanish Pyrenees.
Recommended for you
Let yourself be tempted by the suggestions of Pyrénées2vallées and enjoy a life-size experience in our destination.