The Hourquette d'Ancizan sits at 1,564 metres between the Vallée d'Aure and the Vallée de Campan — two of the most significant valleys in the central Pyrenees, both heavily trafficked by tourists heading to the Tourmalet or the Aspin. The Hourquette connects them by a road that most of those tourists do not know exists, and receives a fraction of the traffic of the cols on three sides.
The Road — Quiet, Consistent, Genuinely Rewarding
The approach from Ancizan in the Vallée d'Aure is the more interesting of the two: a narrow lane that climbs steeply through woodland before emerging onto open pasture with views north toward the Pic du Midi de Bigorre, the observatory clearly visible on its 2,877-metre summit. The descent into the Vallée de Campan connects directly to the D918, making this the ideal approach to the Tourmalet from the south.
"The Hourquette asks for nothing dramatic in return. It gives you a quiet road, a long view, and the satisfaction of knowing something the crowds don't."
Hourquette d'Ancizan — Practical Notes
- Altitude 1,564m — modest summit, remarkable position between famous cols
- Road surface Narrower and less maintained than main passes
- Best approach From Ancizan (south) — the steeper, more scenic, less-used side
- Traffic Very light — arguably the quietest pass in the central Pyrenees
- Best combined with Col du Tourmalet via Sainte-Marie-de-Campan, or Col de Portet via Saint-Lary
- The Pic du Midi view North-facing approach gives the clearest view of the observatory
