Overview
Central & Cerbillona
The
Cerbillona (3247m) is the easiest summit to climb of the peaks with glacier of Vignemale Massif and it's probably one of the most climbed after
Grand Vignemale (3298m). In spite of it, it's the most important reference for two of the most classical routes of the massif, the coulouir of
Moskowa (East) and the coulouir of
Cerbillona (North). The exit of coulouirs is in the most accessible cols from glacier d’Ossoue, the
Col of Cerbillona (3195m), with the peak Clot de la Hount (3289m) at N, and the
Col of Lady Lister (3200m), with the peak Central (3235m) at East, tought it's possible to reach the summit directly from the Moskowa as well. Because the normal route cross a glacier it's rare to climb only this peak, because the mountaineers generally have experience and they climb Grand Vignemale as well, but Cerbillona is the best option to the people with less experience in rock climb of F.+ (normal route of Grand Vignemale) if they want an easy summit over 3000m in this massif.
Getting There
Vignemale massif
Access from the
French side by road is from the East-West autoroute E80 (Bayonne to Toulouse) and the National road N21 via Lourdes and the D821 / D920 to Cauterets or the D921 to Gavarnie. There are airports at Pau and Toulouse.
Access from
Spanish side by road from the N.W. or W. of the country: across Irun to cross to France, taking the road to Bayonne and the same French way.
Access from
Spanish side in the centre of Pyrenees (near
Huesca): the best option in the entry in French territory across Col du Portalet or Col du Somport. In winter many days this road is closed by the snow (or it requires the use of chains). D918 to Argelès-Gazost, D12 and D921 to Gavarnie.
Red Tape
No permits are required. If you want to sleep in the Refuge of Bayssellance is advisable the reserve by phone.
Camping
In the National Parks camping is normally not allowed, except in a place of more than 1h of walk of a refuge, but it's very difficult in the route from the North (Oulettes de Gaube) because it exist two refuges (Gaube and Bayssellance). The best option to camp is near Barrage d'Ossoue, in the South approach, with some places indicates near of the dam.
-
Refuge de Bayssellance (2650m, 70 places).
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Refuge des Oulettes de Gaube.
-In the access to coulouir of Moskowa across valley of Ara is the
Albergue de San Nicolás de Bujaruelo (1338m) with two small free huts in bad conditions in the route of approach, the
Cabaña de Ordiso (1.580m, 8 places) and the
Cabaña de Cerbillona (1800m, 4 places more 4 places without door)
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