Villa,
Cottage & Apartment Holidays in South West France
Pyrénées Tourism Guide
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Mountains
are not traditionally a place for beach lovers but
the Pyrénées are unusual in
that you are never too far from the sand even when you're
halfway up a mountain. If you want to maximise
the blend of mountains and ocean, however La Côte Basque
is the better option. The Pyrénées
is for those who want the fresh air, scenery and wildlife
of this breathtaking land. Unsurprisingly, therefore, activites
are geared towards enjoying the outdoors.
Ski-ing - Cauterets, Gourette
and La Mongie are the principal ski
stations in the Western Pyrénées.
Our local friends tell us these stations are far less busy
than their Alpine counterparts and the aprés-ski is
just as vibrant.
Hiking - the famous GR10
trail winds its way through the mountains and there are hundreds
of shorter alternatives whether it's a few hours, a day or
a week of walking that you're looking for. You may be interested
in the following article from The
Independent.
Horse-trekking - treks through the Pyrénéan
foothills including overnight camps and special 'junior' excursions.
Fishing - the mountain streams are well-stocked
with plump freshwater fish. International salmon and trout
fishing tournaments are regularly hosted here.
Birdwatching - the Pyrénées is one
of Europe's last natural habitats for golden eagles and there
is a Vulture Look-out Centre.
Watching these birds of prey gliding in the mountain currents
is quite awe-inspiring.
Cycling - the Tour de France carves a particularly
sadistic route through the Pyrénées. In 2005,
the Étape de Tour is took place here. Road racing is
a popular pastime in this area, as is mountain biking or VTT
as it's known in France.
Golf. Continental Europe's oldest course
is located at Pau.
It's a beautiful course which exudes its history. The club
celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2006.
Mountain pursuits - why walk in the mountains
when you could climb up them, absail down them or parascend
over them? Come on, where's your outdoor spirit? There's a
number of organisations based here who can get your adrenalin
pumping. If you want to get wet as well as scared, there are
numerous white-water rafting and canyoning centres. Such adventure
excursions are also offered at one of our Pyrenees
rentals, Maison
Camu. Also take a look at the Pyrénées
Guide
website.
Wine-tasting
- the foothills south of Pau are home to the excellent Jurançon
vineyards. Whites and rosés are the main attraction
- the sweet white is an excellent alternative to the more
famous Sauternes, also of south west France. Rioja
country is not far over the border into Spain. |
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PYRÉNÉES
OUR PERSONAL HIGHLIGHTS |
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Hiking
the beautiful river valleys, Gave d’Ossau and Gave d’Aspe
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The
view at Lescun of the Cirque de Lescun and the Pic d’Anie |
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A
gentle stroll around fortified Sauveterre-de-Béarn |
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A
day trip to Pau for shopping and the mountain views from the
Boulevard des Pyrénées
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A
dégustation visit to the Jurançon vineyards |
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Haut-Béarn - this is the
main attraction and incorporates the spectacularly scenic
Parc National des Pyrénées.
Mountain peaks, forests, lakes and river valleys combine to
create a natural paradise. The vallées Aspe
and Ossau are the two most spectacular. Lescun
is a favourite location for mountain lovers - from here you
can see the famous Les Aiguilles (needles)
d'Ansabère rock formation. Laruns
is another scenic mountain base with a good tourist office
for advice on hiking routes, etc. There's also great views
in summer at the cols Somport and Aubisque.
Bird-lovers will enjoy the Falaise aux
Vautours at Aste-Béon, a protected colony
for native brids of prey incuding kites, falcons, kestrels
and vultures. The scenic train Le Petit
Train d'Artouste is a good way to take in
the landscape if you have younger kids or you simply don't
fancy the long walks! Another worthwhile visit is the Pic du Midi Observatory.
A cable car takes you to the 2877m summit and the views are
incredible. It hardly seems appropriate to go underground
but the Grottes de Betharram
near Lourdes are an option if it's wet outside.
Pau
- somehow Pau (pronounced "Po") is barely
known to those living outside of France. This is slowly changing
thanks to Ryanair's flight to the city. Pau is an compact,
cultured, scenic and historical city worthy itself of a weekend
break. The city hosts international golf, equestrian and motor-racing
tournaments - the Pau Vintage Grand Prix
each May brings thousands of people to the city. If a day-trip
is all you can manage, there are lovely boutiques to shop,
tea-shops for refreshments, the castle of Gascon king, Henri
IV, to visit and the spectacular Boulevard des Pyrénées
to roam. Pau - like much of Aquitaine - has
strong historical links with Britain. Wellington's troops
used the city as a station and after the war, many British
remained in Pau. Golf and horse-racing were introduced by
the British and many of the leafy streets and grand villas
were built by British and American families, seduced by Pau's
genteel lifestyle and climate.
Béarnais villages - arguably, pretty villages
are in shorter supply than in the Basque Country. However,
you should not miss out on Sauveterre-de-Béarn
or Salies-de-Béarn. Fortified Sauveterre
benefits from elevated views of the Gave d'Oloron. It's only
a small village but has an air of history plus some interesting
architecture. Salies is a very pretty spa town whose thermal
cure station remains active today. Historic Orthez
and Oloron-Ste-Marie
are also worth a visit especially on market day. Across the
border into the Pays Basque, Cambo-les-Bains
and St-Jean-Pied-de-Port
are both attractive towns to visit; at Cambo, visit the beautiful
Villa Arnaga, home of Edmond Rostand, author of Cyrano de
Bergerac.
Lourdes - for the Catholic faithful and the plain
curious, the mecca of Lourdes
makes for an interesting spectacle!
Spain - Pamplona is just over the border and also
Rioja country, San Sebastian and Bilbao.
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The
cuisine of the Pyrénées is dominated by its
Gascon roots, and what could loosely be described
as "country cooking". Thus, garlic, stews, game
and poultry are ubiquitous, complemented by liberal doses
of Jurançon and Béarnais reds. Legend has it
that King Henri's grandfather smudged the lips of the newborn
Henri with a little garlic and Jurançon wine just to
make sure he started life as a true Gascon. If there is one
dish that typifies the region it is King Henri's favourite,
Poule au Pot - essentially a chicken stew.
The mountains of course have their impact on the region's
cuisine. Cheese, in particular. Fromages
de brebis or sheep's milk cheeses are the norm.
Restaurant recommendation (from Patricia Michelson, one of Britain's top chefs): L'Hostellerie L'Horizon, just south of Pau..."one of my favourite hideaways in the foothills of the Pyrenees. In the summer you can dine on the terrace with the family cat and dog for companny. All the produce is local, including Bayonne ham, Ossau cheese and Jurançon wine. Bliss".
And a visit to the Gateau Basque Musuem in Sare - a gorgeous village - is well worth it!
Bon appetit!
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