Lac des Bésines (Étang des Bésines)

Étang des Bésines is a rugged alpine lake in the Ariège Pyrenees. This long dammed lake sits tucked in between Pic d'Auriol to the north and Puig Pedrós to the south. Getting there is part of the reward with many photogenic views along the trail. The hike starts from L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre, along N22 where a small car park sits at hairpin bend. From there the trail is well marked as it climbs through woods filled with rhododendrons before opening up at the lake and its dam. You can easily set up along the dam wall to shoot straight down the water toward the peaks, or explore the shoreline where pines sit close to the edge and create amazing reflections. The walk is shaded most of the way, so midday light filtering through the trees can work almost as well as the golden hours. Once you are done shooting at the lake, follow the trail past the lake up to the Refuge des Bésines for its wide views back across the lake. This is a full but manageable day, around thirteen kilometres round trip with steep sections. It gets busy in summer so plan your shooting adventure to start early in the day to beat the crowds or aim to stay later after the crowds head back down. Winter closes the route entirely because of avalanche risk, check before heading out in the late falls. (Mérens-les-Vals, Ariège, France)