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Encircled By Vultures Above a Dangerous Road in the Pyrenees
When the road was scarier than the raptors
With each height gain of a hundred metres, the panorama over the Salat Valley unfolds in a way that only a walker can truly appreciate.
Well, that’s what I tell myself because I’ve chosen to walk rather than drive up to the Col de Pause, the starting point of some classic hikes in the French Pyrenees. The single track road running just below is featured on a ‘World’s most dangerous roads’ website, and a few years ago there was a fatal accident when a minibus carrying hikers drove over the edge. Down and down it rolled, tumbling over the same road far below, thanks to the hairpin bends. Three of the hikers died in the accident.
Admittedly, this happened during winter, but I’m taking no chances in the summer. Luckily, the GR10 long-distance footpath runs parallel to the road, making it possible to opt out of driving and walk instead to the Col de Pause at 1,527 meters (5,010 feet).
An occasional car grinds over the stony road, leading me to wonder if I’ve been ridiculously over-cautious. I’ve also wasted well over an hour retracing…
