Vignemale
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| Vignemale | |
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 Vignemale |
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| Elevation | 3,298 metres (10,820 ft) |
| Location | France–Spain |
| Range | Pyrenees |
| Coordinates | Coordinates: |
| First ascent | August 2, 1792 |
| Easiest route | rock climb |
The Vignemale (Occitan: Vinhamala, Aragonese: Comachibosa), at 3298 metres, is the highest of the French Pyrenean summits; the highest in the whole of the range is Pic Aneto.
The Vignemale is the name given to the mountain massif which actually straddles into Spain. It consists of several distinct summits, the predominant ones being Grande Vignemale or Pique Longue (3298m), Pointe Chausenque (3204m) and Petit Vignemale (3032m). The Vignemale is also the site of the largest of the Pyrenean glaciers - the Ossoue - across which is the "voie normale" or standard route to the summit.
One of its most dramatic aspects is the North Face upon which there are a number of serious ascent routes requiring skill and commitment. Below the North Face is the impressively situated mountain refuge - the Refuge des Oulettes de Gaube. The approach from the north entails a delightful walk up to and around the picturesque Lac de Gaube giving increasingly dramatic views of the mountain.
Almost synonymous with the Vignemale is the name of Count Henry Russell, an eccentric of the Victorian era who developed a life-long passion for the mountain.
 North face |
 Approaching from the North |
