Chemin d'Henri IV – Cirque de Lescun

The Cirque de Lescun is one of the finest mountain amphitheatres in the Pyrenees, a glacially carved basin ringed by dramatic limestone towers including the Aiguilles d'Ansabère and the Pic d'Anie (2,504 m). The village of Lescun, perched at 900 metres in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, serves as the trailhead for this 10-kilometre circuit that climbs into the heart of the cirque and returns via the high pastoral plateau. The trail is reached by following the D239 Aspe Valley road south from Oloron-Sainte-Marie, then turning onto the D340 to Lescun; parking is available in the village or at the trailhead car park approximately 2 kilometres above Lescun on a narrow lane. The trail begins in open meadows before ascending through mixed beech forest and then into alpine grassland. The gradient is sustained but never technical; the surface is largely good earth path with occasional rocky sections. Elevation gain of 600 metres over 5 kilometres means the upper cirque is reached in approximately 2 hours from the village. The Cabane d'Ansabère, a simple pastoral hut at approximately 1,400 metres, marks the deepest point accessible to day hikers. Above the cabane, the Aiguilles d'Ansabère—three dramatic limestone spires reaching 2,377 metres—dominate the skyline. The return traverses the open Plat de Thé plateau, where isards are commonly spotted grazing, before descending back to Lescun through the beech woods. Wildflowers are exceptional in late May and June, with orchids, gentians, and narcissi covering the lower meadows. The cirque falls within the territory of the reintroduced Pyrenean brown bear population; encounters are extremely rare but bear presence in the area should be respected. No permit is required. Water is available from streams in the upper cirque; treatment before drinking is advised.