Destination Fly4free: the French Pyrenees
Places to explore in the French part of the Pyrenees
The snowcapped Pyrenees have always been a source of legend and superstition. This region is culturally varied and less developed than the Alps. The French part of this mountain range offers a gorgeous landscape of high peaks, green valleys, glacial lakes and streams, tiny picturesque towns and sacred pilgrimage sites.
During the last Ice Age, Grotte du Mas d'Azil provided shelter for animals including bears, mammoths, and woolly rhinoceros. Later the cave was inhabited by prehistoric man. A ticket to this cave includes entry to the Prehistory Museum where you can view the prehistoric cave paintings and artifacts. Grotte de Niaux is another fascinating cave with rock paintings from 14,000-10,000 BC. Around Tarascon-sur-Ariège there are also other prehistoric caves including the Grotte de Bédeilhac, the Grotte de Lombrives, and the Grotte de la Vache.
Grottes de Bétharram are a series of French caves located at the border of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques and Hautes-Pyrénées. The entrance to this 2,8 km cave system is located in Asson and the exit in Saint-Pé-de-Bigorre. A walk allows you to visit the three levels of river-dug galeries in the limestone mountain.
Photo: csp, Shutterstock
How to get there:
Take a look at the flight deals to the French Pyrenees:
- 4-night stay in nice cottage in the French Pyrenees ski area + flights from London for just £136! >>
Where to stay:
In Lourdes, we encourage you to stay at 4* Appart’hotel Le Pelerin with very good reviews. This 4-star property is located on the banks of the Gave de Pau River, just 500 m from the Rosary Basilica and 250 m from the sanctuaries in Lourdes. The apartments at Appart’hotel du Pèlerin feature a fully equipped kitchenette and TV with satellite channels. Each one is also complete with an en suite bathroom and a hairdryer and offers views of the Pyrenees, castle and river. You can enjoy the buffet breakfast while reading one of the newspapers from the reception. Free WiFi is available and there is a free public car park 350 m from the property.
In Pierrefitte-Nestalas (3 km from Saint-Savin), we encourage you to stay at Grand Hôtel de France with very good reviews.
What to do:
The Pyrenees Mountains have wonderful hiking trails through forests and gorges, past streams and waterfalls. This region is perfect for nature walks, especially around the Parc National des Pyrénées, with its 3000-metre-high peaks, forests and wildlife. Take a spectacular hike to Breche de Roland, straddling the French-Spanish border.
The high mountain passes and foothill villages offer some of the most outstanding driving scenery. This region is also a good place to try canyoning.
To wash away stress, go to a spa and have a revitalising treatment or just relax in the pool or sauna.
Soar above one of the valleys on a tandem flight or take a course to obtain your licence.
The spring, when the snow melts and makes its way down the valley, is a perfect time to try thrilling white water rafting.
17 km of old tramway line between Lourdes and Pierfitte-Nestalas has been transformed into a safe and scenic route for cyclists, rollerbladers and walkers.
With numerous ski resorts at high and moderate altitude, it is also a great destination for your holiday in the snow. There are lots of sporting options on offer in 9 ski resorts of the Hautes Pyrenees (Grand Tourmalet, Cauterets, Gavarnie-Gèdre, Hautacam, Luz Ardiden, Piau Engaly, Saint-Lary or Val Louron). Luz Ariden is perfect for snowboarding. If you’re not really into skiing, you can enjoy a range of different activities, such as snowshoeing, dog sledding, night-time excursions, ice climbing and ice diving.
Visit Madiran, a wine producing region located just a 45 minute drive from Bidalet. Chateau de Montus, Domaine de Berthoumieu and Domaine de Bouscassé are a few of the wine producers that you can visit to sample their wines.
Explore the Romanesque churches. Go to the Pyrénées-Bernaises with vine-covered rolling hills and ancient castles.
Take your kids to Parc Animalier Des Pyrenees, presenting a number of regional animals cared for in their natural habitat. The park has been built into the side of a mountain. Take a path in the hills for a chance to admire common animals like the squirrel, marmot and otter, but also to approach foxes, wolves, ibex, mouflons, isards or brown bears within a few meters. It is even possible to touch some species.
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Hautes-Pyrénées from Greg Vaughan on Vimeo.
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