Sep 29
A hiker gazes at the snow covered Vignemale (3,298 meters), the highest peak in the French Pyrénées.

The Vignemale Massif

A hiker gazes at the snow covered Vignemale (3,298 meters), the highest peak in the French Pyrénées.

Last week I took a group of 5 men on an 8-day private guided hike through the Pays Basque and French Pyrénées in southern France. Here is a shot of our guest Brent gazing up at the Vignemale (3,298 meters), an incredibly good-looking peak that sits on the border of France and Spain. The Vignemale is also the highest peak on the French side of Pyrénées. Ten centimeters of snow the night before made her look absolutely spectacular.

Our group hiked up to the base of the Vignemale which was free of snow by the time we got there. We enjoyed lunch at an alpine club hut consisting of hot homemade soup, omelettes, meats, cheeses and sweet cakes. The hut had wine, beer and coffee too! Then we climbed up and to the left of the peak, over a high pass where another perfectly situated (and well-stocked) French Alpine Club hut (FFCAM) welcomed us for the night.

The Vignemale is the name for the entire massif, which is located in both France and Spain. View more of our private guided  hiking tours here.

You Might Also Like...
A trip to the peaceful Engadine valley located in southeast Switzerland never fails to delight,
Our Favorite Lesser Known Hiking Trips That Avoid Crowds Are you looking for a unique,
Our Favorite Hiking Trips for Food Lovers If you know us at Ryder-Walker, you know
Food and Drink Pairing Favorites from the Alps To celebrate the first few days of
When Ryder-Walker was first founded in Telluride, Colorado, we set out on a journey to
There is nothing better than going for a swim in the ocean after a full
Discovering the best inn-to-inn hiking has been Ryder-Walker’s ambition for decades now. We, like you,
Many hard-core hikers these days are searching out adventures in remote areas where they can
Happy New Year from Your Friends at Ryder-Walker Explore our 2023 catalog with new treks! View
The Gift of Travel 2023 is going to be another epic travel year with most of
Ten Delicious Holiday Cookie Recipes from Across Europe  With the holidays upon us, it’s the
7 Reasons the Algarve is One of the Most Unique Regions in Europe Ryder-Walker’s hike