We had planned to hike to Estany de Sant Maurici National Park and to the lake of the same name today. Here, we can expect stunning mountain views by the lake, at an altitude of 1910 meters.
The starting point for the hike is after the small village of Espot, accessed via a pleasant road following the river. The parking lot is spacious and the destination is relatively popular. Parking itself was free, and there were also restrooms available. So, with our snacks and gear packed, we set off.
The trail from the parking lot to the lake is about 5 kilometers long and can be hiked in about an hour, depending on how much time you spend admiring the scenery along the way. The trail is truly beautiful, with breathtaking views. We took our time to admire the scenery, so it took us well over an hour to reach the lake.
The trail initially winds through the forest on a wooden path before emerging into a more open area in the valley, with sharp-edged mountains guiding the way forward. From here, the path follows along the river and meadow, with the mountains constantly in view. There are freely roaming horses in the meadow, adding to the charm of the mountain landscape. The views are simply stunning.
Towards the end of the trail, it starts to climb a bit more, as up to this point, the journey has been relatively flat. The trail returns to the shelter of the forest, and the river flows more vigorously at times right alongside the path. However, the trail is very easy to walk, and we saw several families with children along the way. Overall, the trail only gains 250 meters in elevation, so it’s not very strenuous.
Upon arrival, the views are absolutely breathtaking. The lake, surrounded by truly impressive mountains, was a sight to behold. There were also horses roaming freely around here, mingling with visitors, which added to the atmosphere. While enjoying our snacks, we had to keep an eye out to make sure a horse didn’t come and snatch our bread ๐
You can walk around the lake, and there are several good spots along the shore where you can enjoy the scenery in peace, so it’s worth exploring the lakeshore to find a peaceful spot for yourself.
It was relatively cool here, so as is usual in the mountains, it’s a good idea to bring something warm with you so you can enjoy the place comfortably without having to leave prematurely due to the cold.
We enjoyed the scenery for quite a while and wandered along the lake’s shore. Definitely a recommended and easy hiking trail in the Pyrenees Mountains. The views were some of the most beautiful we saw in the Pyrenees.
The trail is about 5 kilometers each way, so a total of about 10 kilometers, and overall, it’s an easy trail. It’s a good idea to allow at least about three hours for this hike, depending on your walking pace and how long you admire the scenery at the destination.
After leaving Sant Maurici, we continued driving towards the village of Benas, where we booked a hotel for the next night.
The hotel was Hotel La Neu, and it was overall very clean and spacious, a really good accommodation in every way. In fact, all the hotels we had stayed in so far had been very successful choices, all very clean, well-maintained, and with friendly staff. These qualities were also evident in this hotel.
The village was so tightly built that you couldn’t drive everywhere, so the car had to be parked in parking lots on the outskirts of the village. The alleys were very narrow, creating a cozy atmosphere in the village. Of course, this meant that we had to carry our stuff and walk some distance to the hotel, but it wasn’t much of a hassle.
We arrived at the hotel in the evening, so we decided to save exploring the village for the next day.
