The 20 Most Amazing Peaks around Lercoul

Fantastic panoramic views all around; this summit is well worth it, as you can see from my two panorama photos. Ascent from Estany de Sotllo via the pass. I took the partly exposed scrambling/climbing ridge via Pic Verdaguer. Beautiful scrambling; you just have to be careful to stay on the right track. Descent around the summit, then back to the same pass and down past the same beautiful mountain lakes, and via the Valferrera Hut into the valley. The length and roughness of this route surprised me. Luckily, I didn't start my ascent from the hut. The section along the mountainside, especially above the hut, was quite challenging. There are frequent short climbs over rocky outcrops, and at one point, I found myself on a side path below the main trail, which then ended in the undergrowth. After a short climb, everything was fine again.

The climb is steep, but manageable. The view from up there, stretching far into France, is definitely worth it!

Solar viewpoint on the Peyraguils pass or summit, a metal structure that allows a 360° view of the valleys of the Andorran Pyrenees and the Aran Valley, with views of Aneto.

Here again: Someone is rating ALL photos of highlights in this region (Northwest Pyrenees) "not accurate," even though they accurately depict the location? Why does anyone need to do that? Is it jealousy? Does someone want to drag down others' "expert" ratings? How pathetic.

The highest mountain of Andorra can be climbed from the country as a day trip. However, you should be careful, as experienced hikers have already made mistakes. 😜 And it's a long way to Spain or France... The easiest climb is rated T3 according to the SAC. I went a little north-east over the summit on the way down and descended there. A little more challenging (T4), but in this case the scree in the upper area made it easier to descend. I saw a few salamanders here.

The summit can be reached from several sides. The direct route from the Spanish side to the summit ridge is challenging (I estimate it to be T5 according to the SAC scale). However, you can "cheat" by first crossing the pass to the left to the north side, after which you have to descend a bit to reach the trail from the French side. The technically easiest ascent is certainly from the north via the Refuge du Pinet (T3). However, from the parking lot at L'Artigue, the total elevation gain is around 2,000 meters, which is why staying overnight at the refuge is a good option (a winter room was open in October 2024, €8 per night). I chose the third option, from the Étang de Soulcem. From there, it's "only" 1,500 meters of elevation gain with a difficulty of T3+/T4-. However, I chose a variant for the ascent (see my tour) that isn't on the map and that I would rate as T4+.

The structure is designed to mark the hours of sunlight throughout the day, allowing visitors to experience how sunlight interacts with the structure at different times. In short, the Tristaina Solar Viewpoint is a work by Rafael Galindo, built in Corten steel and inaugurated in 2021, which celebrates the sun and its daily journey, offering a unique experience in one of the most impressive natural settings in Andorra.

The Pic de Casamanya has an important place in Andorran culture due to its prominence and visibility. For centuries, local inhabitants have valued this peak for both its beauty and its central location. Along the trail and at the summit, it is common to see rich biodiversity, including alpine flowers in spring and summer, as well as birds of prey flying on the warm air currents that rise up the mountain slopes.