Cirque de Cagateille – loop via the étang de la Hillette and the étang d'Alet – Parc naturel régional des Pyrénées Ariégeoises

Nice loop in quite imposing and wild settings. The path begins calmly, almost flat, up to the foot of the cirque. To reach the Etang de la Hilette, we therefore find ourselves climbing 600m in altitude over a short distance. The slope is steep, initially in the forest, with a first sector equipped with a cable. When we emerge from the undergrowth, the circus reveals itself. In places, the path follows large stone slabs. There is another passage equipped with a cable, then a last one, the most impressive, to de-climb around fifteen meters. None of these passages are really difficult to negotiate while remaining attentive. On the other hand, I think we need to be extra careful if we decide to go down this route. The Hilette pond is very pretty, with its peninsulas and its shelter nestled in the middle. The decor looks like a Norwegian fjord. The section to reach the Alet pond crosses some screes, the markings/cairns are sometimes a little distant. We can imagine the depth of this pond by seeing the cliffs that plunge into it. The descent is quite steep in places, then the slope eases away from the forest. At the end of summer, the ground made of dead leaves is soft, pleasant and holds up quite well. We finish with a short climb to reach the parking lot from the stream.