Maps and guides

These maps are essential to those who want to hike outside the paths or in bad weather conditions (snow, fog) in the French Pyrenees:
IGN Top 25, Gavarnie, 1748 OT, scale 1:25000

IGN Top 25, Vignemale, 1647 OT, scale 1:25000

IGN Top 25, Neouvielle, 1748 ET, scale 1:25000

 

For the less ambitious traveller a map on a slightly larger scale might be more economical. This map also covers, with pretty much detail, the Parque de Ordesa, and for this reason it is a nice addition to the maps mentioned above:
Carte de Randonnées, Pyrénées carte no.4, scale 1:50000

 

For the Spanish Pyrenees there only maps scale 1:50000 kaarten, with only limited detail:
Cartographia Militar de Espana, Serie L, Bujaruelo, no. 30-8 (146), scale 1:50000

 

Guides which I have in use, and find very nice:
Walks & Climbs in the Pyrenees, Kev Reynolds, Cicerone Press, 3rd ed. 1993, ISBN 1 85284 133 8, All important crossings and (serious) climbs in the central and high Pyrenees, plus info about huts etc.
Pyreneeën, M. Stenchlak en A. Meijerman, Elmar, ISBN 90 6120 685 5, (Dutch) routes in the Parc National des Pyrénées and the Parque Nacional de Ordesa. Warning: what these guys consider to be a one day journey might take up to two days!
Pyrenäen, G. Rumplmair, Bergverlag Rother, 2e ed. 1982, ISBN 3 3501 2701 0, (German), the Pyrenees version of the well known AV Führer. Although a little out of date, it proposes fine routedescriptions for experienced hikers and climbers.
Le Tour du Mont Perdu, Benard Clos et al., Randonnées Pyrénéennes SA, 1995, ISBN 2 905521 97 X, (French), a walk around the Mont Perdu in 6 days, plus a number of outings. Nice photographs. Nice to have. Available in the local shops.
Fleur des Pyrénees, Philippe Mayoux, Rando Editions, 1996, ISBN 2 84182 017 3, (French), a neat little pocket book with photos of the most common flowers. Extremely cheap, and available everywhere, even in the supermarket.