How to get by car to Lac des Bouillouses in the Pyrenees?
France, europe
12.8 km
2,016 m
moderate
Year-round
# Lac des Bouillouses: A High-Alpine Adventure
Picture this: a stunning high mountain lake sitting pretty at 2,016m (6,614ft) in the Pyrénées-Orientales, nestled in the Occitania region of southern France. Also known as Llac de la Bollosa locally, this gem was created back in the day to power Le Train Jaune with hydroelectric energy—pretty cool, right?
The road up is entirely paved (it's the D60 if you're checking your GPS), and it's a proper climb. Starting from Mont-Louis, you're looking at 12.8 km (7.95 miles) of ascending, with 418 meters of elevation gain. That works out to an average grade of about 4.18%, but don't let that fool you—there are sections that'll ramp up to 9.2%, so your legs (or your car's engine) will definitely feel it. The payoff? You'll reach what's claimed to be the highest lake accessible by road or cable car in the entire Pyrenees.
Here's the thing though: winter shuts this place down completely thanks to heavy snow. Come summer, there are access restrictions between 7 AM and 7 PM, and the final stretch is completely off-limits to regular vehicles. The area got so popular it needed serious crowd control, so now you can only reach it via shuttle buses from the "les Bouillouses" road or cable car from Font-Romeu or Les Angles (which adds a 2-hour walk if you're coming from there).
Pro tip: get there early to catch the best light and soak in the scenery at your own pace—those afternoon thunderstorms that roll in during summer are no joke.
Where is it?
How to get by car to Lac des Bouillouses in the Pyrenees? is located in France (europe). Coordinates: 46.4733, 2.2382
Road Details
- Country
- France
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 12.8 km
- Max Elevation
- 2,016 m
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Coordinates
- 46.4733, 2.2382
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