Refuge du Portillon

The Refuge du Portillon, also known as Refuge Jean Arlaud, is located at 2,570 m on the Lac du Portillon dam in the Luchonnais, in the municipality of Oô in the central Pyrenees. The hut belongs to the Fédération Française des Clubs Alpins et de Montagne (FFCAM) and is run by CAF Toulouse; the hut manager is Régis Gatti. Surrounded by a wild circle of rocks with numerous peaks over 3,000 m, it is a central base on the Haute Route Pyrénéenne and the starting point for classics such as Perdiguère, Grand Quayrat, Gourgs Blancs, Lézat and Spijeoles. The main season generally runs from late spring to fall; for 2026, the serviced operation has been announced from May 14 to October 18. During this period, the refuge offers half board with dinner, bed and breakfast. According to the official price list, dinner includes a mountaineering menu with soup, meat dish with a side dish of vegetables or cereals, cheese and dessert. In the morning, breakfast is served with bread, butter, jam, hot drinks and cereals, and packed lunches can be ordered. During the day, simple hot meals such as omelettes, sandwiches and plate meals as well as hot and cold drinks are available; there is also a provisioning service for those crossing the HRP. The classic ascent begins at the Granges d'Astau above Oô. A well-maintained former mule track first leads to Lac d'Oô, then on to the Refuge d'Espingo and via the Col d'Espingo and Lac Saussat up to the dam of Lac du Portillon; this involves an ascent of around 1,450 meters and takes around 4.5 hours. An alternative route runs from the Superbagnères station via the ridge and the GR 10 to the Col d'Espingo and on to the hut. Both approaches are purely mountain trails, with no road or direct cable car connection to the hut. The region can be reached by public transport via train and TER bus to Bagnères-de-Luchon; in summer, a Navette runs from there to the Granges d'Astau, and a gondola lift also connects Luchon with Superbagnères, from where it is possible to access via the GR 10. The conditions are usually best between June and September, when the crossings and boulder terrain are largely free of snow; in winter, the Refuge serves as a base for experienced ski mountaineers. Regardless of the time of year, current path and avalanche conditions, closures and the current opening and service times should be carefully checked before the tour. The history of the hut goes back to the construction period of the dam, when the first simple huts from the construction site were used as shelters for mountaineers in the 1930s. In 1996, the current, much more comfortable new building with around 80 beds was opened directly above the lake and named after the Pyrénéist Jean Arlaud. Since then, the Refuge du Portillon has developed into a lively meeting place for mountaineers in the Luchonnais, combining tradition and modern hut services.