The Chistau valley (also known as Gistau) is dominated by the 3,000-metre summits of the imposing Posets massif.
The area is replete with footpaths which lead to glacial lakes, mountain passes and peaks.
Many of them follow wonderful streams which offer the tantalising prospect of a cooling dip, after or during a walk, in pure mountain water arriving from melting snowfields and glaciers.
This verdant, ‘hidden’ Pyrenees valley in Huesca province is reached by road by passing through a gorge, after turning off the main A-138 leading to Bielsa and France.
Beyond the barrier of rock are the villages of Plan, San Juan de Plan and Gistaín.
However, this series of articles concentrates on the higher reaches of the valley, in the area around the Virgen Blanca ‘outward bound’ site and the Viadós (also Biadós) mountain refuge standing at an altitude of 1,760m.
Between the two is El Forcallo campsite at 1,580m, where cool nights can be enjoyed all through the summer by hikers, campers and campervanners.
The site is reached by a wide, unsurfaced track, which starts as a road running out of the back of Plan village.
The final couple of kilometres are also part of the GR-11 trans-Pyrenean footpath, which arrives from the Biesla valley.
Many of those staying at the campsite (me included) will have walked over from Bielsa or Parzán via the Urdiceto pass (also Ordizeto) following a stage of the GR-11 (article on the route to come).
While the local population are tending their livestock on the abundant mountain pasture, walkers are exploring the different footpaths that lead to higher places.
Practicalities
Many will arrive by vehicle on the A-138 road which heads towards France from the historic Pyrenees ‘gateway’ town of Aínsa, turning off for the Chistau valley at Salinas de Bielsa onto the A-2609.
It is also possible to get to Bielsa using public transport, but it does take some time.
For most people it would be a train or bus to Huesca city from Lleida or Madrid.
There are regular buses each day by the company Avanza from Huesca to Barbastro. From there, they operate two buses a day to Aínsa; see their website at https://www.avanzabus.com/
The local company Autocares Bergua have daily buses from Aínsa to Bielsa; see their website at https://autocaresbergua.com/horario-lineas/
El Forcallo campsite is only open in July and August, although they may extend their season to include September (as they did in 2024).
For more information see their website at https://campingelforcallo.wordpress.com/
Or check out their Facebook page for updated information, where they would announce a September extension.
They have fantastic grassy pitches and offer good meals, with a wide variety of dishes on offer (breakfast, lunch, and dinner from 7pm).
Be aware that the campsite currently has no wi-fi and mobile phone coverage ranges from patchy to non-existent at the top of the Chistau valley.
All the information about the Viadós mountain refuge which sleeps 60 people and offers meals, drinks and wi-fi (not free) is available on their website along with photos of the area, a webcam, weather conditions, an intriguing history and reservations. More at https://www.viados.es
Walking routes in the Chistau valley follow after this piece. The Editorial Alpina map named Valle de Benasque 1:30,000 scale shows the routes from the Viadós refuge.
The interactive maps on the Aragon government tourism walking site shows all the routes. See more via this link Senderos Turísticos de Aragón – Ficha de la Ruta
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