HRP: 27 Days in the Footsteps of Pioneers

730 kilometers. 43,000 meters of elevation gain. 27 days.

August 2025. High up there, between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, Mathieu Planche keeps moving. He follows the legendary Haute Route des Pyrénées (HRP). His pace is strong, almost twice the usual speed of most hikers. But for this ultralight trekker, it’s not just about the clock. It’s about freedom.

Mathieu’s HRP (Haute Route des Pyrénées) stats

• Duration: 27 days

• Distance: 730 km

• Elevation gain: 43,000 m D+

• Season: August 2025

• Max temperature: 40°C

• Philosophy: Ultralight (ULT) and self-sufficient

• Total weight: 9.6 Kg (All-in)

• Check out the full stage-by-stage guide and resupply details at the bottom of the article

Mathieu Planche, Ultralight Trekker

Beyond the numbers and the philosophy, what is it like to experience such an epic journey from the inside? Here, Mathieu shares his journal, balancing the quest for performance with introspection.

After exploring the Alpine ranges, I was looking for wilder ground to test both body and mind. My goal wasn’t just a time performance, it was freedom.

To cover 730 km and climb 43,000 meters of elevation gain in less than a month, going “ultralight” wasn’t really an option. It was a necessity.

The Pioneering Spirit: Ribas and Véron

You can’t set foot on this route without thinking of its founders. In 1968, Joseph Ribas and Georges Véron pioneered this remarkable line from Hendaye to Banyuls. Véron, the athlete who saw the mountains as a challenge, and Ribas, more contemplative. Together, they achieved what seemed impossible at the time: reaching Banyuls from Hendaye in 41 days.

“The HRP has outlived its founders,” Ribas once said. Today, I walk in their footsteps with deep respect for that legacy. They set out with heavy packs, paper maps and a compass. I leave with the same thirst for the absolute, but with a modern approach: ultralight trekking. Back then, people carried 20 kilos. Today, we aim to carry only the essentials,to reconnect with the pure effort of the journey.

Ultralight backpacking: a Mindset

For me, ultralight trekking is a way to gain freedom. My gear is stripped down to the bare minimum: a 520 g tent, a highly insulated sleeping mat, and just enough food.

A light pack means I can move faster, so I suffer from less fatigue, and I stay clear-headed, even when the heat becomes overwhelming. It also frees the mind by focusing only on what truly matters.

The Journey

A rough start

The first few days are tough. Under scorching heat reaching 40°C, I go too hard, too fast. My body is pushed to its limits and shuts down. I can’t eat. I remember stopping at a bar along the way and downing three Perriers in one go just to quench my thirst. That’s the HRP’s first lesson: humility. I have to slow down in order to keep going.

Alone on the ridges

Unlike very busy trails, the HRP offers a rare kind of isolation, especially traveling East to West, where I only crossed paths with people briefly. This solitude is both a gift and a burdens. At times it feels heavy, even unsettling in the vastness of the peaks. But it’s also a catalyst for raw emotion. Without the usual social filters, everything is amplified. Fear on technical sections, pure joy at sunset, awe at the sight of an isard. I even catch myself crying, overwhelmed by the intensity of the moment.

Unique landscapes

The HRP is also a land of striking contrasts. I’ll never forget reaching the Tuquerouye breach. The atmosphere felt straight out of a sci-fi film: thick fog, zero visibility, and a stone refuge perched above a frozen lake, in the middle of August. Then suddenly, the storm hits. With hail pouring down, I have to quickly take shelter under a massive boulder in the middle of the rock fall. Fifteen minutes later, when it turns into simple rain, the scene makes me smile: all around me, other hikers emerge from their rocky shelters, just like marmots!

The stable encounter

And then there’s the magic of the unexpected. One evening, as I was literally running through the rain trying to escape the bad weather, morale low, I ran into three hikers, two Danes and an Indian, taking shelter under a tree. One of them called out: “We’re going to sleep in a horse stable over there, want to join us?” That night, dry and warm among the animals, solitude gave way to an unexpected moment of sharing. Encounters like that leave a lasting mark on a long trek.

Daily resilience

Every morning, you have to start again. Whether the body feels broken or rested, the goal stays the same: keep moving forward. “The real summit is within.” That sentence takes on its full meaning when, after a day of struggle, you find comfort in a minimalist bivouac beneath the stars.

Conclusion: 27 days to find yourself

After 730 kilometers, the finish line isn’t just a place on the map. It’s the end of an inner journey.I discovered that performance and contemplation are not opposites. By moving fast and traveling light, I actually experienced the mountains more intensely.

I walked with the ghosts of Ribas and Véron, linking the story of 1968 with that of 2025. Gear evolves, but the spirit of the HRP remains unchanged: carving your own path through wild nature.

Mathieu’s tips for the HRP

• Prepare your mind: The HRP is demanding. It’s not just about walking, you must navigate, manage isolation, and deal with the uncertainty of an unmarked route.

• Dare to go light: Every gram counts over 43,000 meters of elevation gain. Study your gear carefully. If you hesitate about bringing something, you probably don’t need it.

• Manage water: With temperatures close to 40°C, hydration becomes strategic. Identify water sources in advance.

• Manage your food: Just as with water, identify strategic resupply points. For my trek, I mailed myself food parcels to various locations along the route.

• Accept discomfort: Ultralight comfort is minimal, but it offers the ultimate luxury, mobility and autonomy.

Mathieu Planche’s Equipment for the HRP

HRP Daily Itinerary

• Banyuls --> Las Illas - 44 km, 2283 m D+

• Las Illas --> Refuge de Batère - 33 km, 2219 m D+

• Refuge de Batère --> Refuge des Mariailles - 28 km, 1814 m D+

• Refuge des Marialles --> Zone bivouac après Refuge d'Ull Deter - 22 km, 1144 m D+

• Zone bivouac après Refuge d'Ull Deter --> Bivouac Etang noir - 35,5 km, 1531 m D+

• Bivouac Etang noir --> L'Hospitalet (camping la porte des cimes) - 29 km, 1441 m D+

• L'Hospitalet (camping la porte des cimes) --> Bivouac Cabana Sorda - 17,4 km, 1593 m D+

• Bivouac Cabana Sorda --> Refuge de la Fourcat - 25,4 km, 2 335 m D+

• Refuge de la Fourcat --> Refuge de Certascan - 27,4 km, 2 390 m D+

• Refuge de la Fourcat --> Refuge de Certascan - 27,4 km, 2 390 m D+

• Refuge de Certascan --> Alos d'Isil - 23,6 km, 1 458 m D+

• Alos d'Isil --> Salardu - 22,12 km, 1 546 m D+

• Salardu --> Cabana de Pomero - 28,8 km, 2 085 m D+

• Cabana de Pomero--> Refuge du Portillon - 19,6 km, 1 995 m D+

• Refuge du Portillon --> Cabana Borda de Lisier - 27 km, 1 475 m D+

• Cabana Borda de Lisier --> Vallée de Pineta - 24 km, 932 m D+

• Vallée de Pineta --> Gavarnie - 27,8 km, 1 830 m D+

• Gavarnie --> Lac d'Arratille - 27,7 km, 2 100 m D+

• Lac d'Arratille --> lac d'Arremoulit - 21,45 km, 1 314 m D+

• Lac d'Arremoulit --> Lac d'Ayous (lac Gentau) - 20,4 km, 1 539 m D+

• Lac d'Ayous (lac Gentau) --> Refuge d'Arlet - 28,5 km, 1 519 m D+

• Refuge d'Arlet --> Cabane de la Cure - 28 km, 1 729 m D+

• Cabane de la Cure --> Cabane Ardane Gainekoa - 30,5 km, 1 130 m D+

• Cabane Ardane Gainekoa --> Chalets d'Iraty - 18,6 km, 1 081 m D+

• Chalets d'Iraty --> Cabane d'Izandorre - 29,9 km, 1 456 m D+

• Cabane d'Izandorre --> Elizondo - 35 km, 1 134 m D+

• Elizondo --> Col de Lizuniaga - 26,5 km, 965 m D+

• Col de Lizuniaga --> Hendaye - 25,6 km, 900 m D+

Mathieu’s resupply points along the HRP

• Day 2 - Amélie Les bains

• Day 4 - BioCoop Bolquere

• Day 5 - Hospitalet, épicerie

• Day 10 - Refuge du portillon

• Day 12 - Supermercado,Solans

• Day 13 - Colis au camping la bergerie Gavarnie

• Day 20 - Colis chalets d'Iraty