Parc
National des Pyrénées

Hike in the most iconic spots in France's Pyrenees National Park

Dates

From Mid-May to end of September

Level

2 - 3

Easy to moderate

Guided

Accompanied by a professional guide

Accommodations

Day hikes sleeping in a hotel each night

7 Days/6 Nights

Can be longer or shorter

INTRODUCTION

Our carefully crafted 7-day hiking tour explores the highlights of France’s Parc National des Pyrénées, a national park encompassing much of the French side of the Central Pyrenees. This area is home to some of the range’s most spectacular topography, with some of its highest peaks and most beautiful valleys, its biggest glacial cirques, one of Europe’s tallest waterfalls, as well as many glistening alpine lakes.

This is a magnificent natural environment steeped in traditional culture and fascinating history. For the hiker, the Pyrenees offer some of Europe’s finest terrain, with a well-developed network of paths thanks to the region’s long tradition of hiking and mountaineering. In addition, the Pyrenees are a naturalist’s dream, with an amazing diversity of geography, geology and ecosystems. All of our hikes take place in France’s Pyrenees National Park (Parque National des Pyrénèes) with 1 day also within a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site & Biosphere Reserve that spans the border with Spain.

You’ll be well-taken care-of throughout the trip. Expert mountain guides will accompany you on all hikes, allowing the possibility of adjusting “on the fly” depending on conditions and your desires. We also provide full time transportation for the duration of the itinerary and will arrange comfortable and well-located accommodations in local family run small hotels and inns in quaint villages and towns.

DAY 1 TOULOUSE, ARREAU & NEOUVIELLE NATURAL RESERVE

Fly or train into Toulouse on your own the day before and stay overnight. Your guides will meet you early in the morning at your hotel, from where you will transfer by minivan to Arreau. There will be an introductory briefing session and then head out for your 1st hiking day in the Neouvielle Natural Reserve, as we explore one of France’s Pyrenean jewels, a protected area of high plateaus, granite ridges and over 70 glacial lakes, harboring a rich diversity of flora and fauna. It is especially well-known for its forests of mountain pines which grow here above 2600 meters, higher than anywhere else in Europe and for its over 570 species of algae found in the lakes.

Overnight: 3* hotel in Arreau (1st of 2 nights)

DAY 2 LACS DE BASTAN

After breakfast, transfer to Col de Portet, above the bustling spa town of Saint-Lary-Soulan. From here, we follow easy trails across alpine meadows to a series of pretty glacial lakes called Lacs de Bastan, with superb views of the high summits of the nearby Neouvielle Natural Reserve and other of the Pyrenees National Park.

We’ll stop for a picnic by the Refuge de Bastan mountain hut (2230 m). The most motivated members of the group can continue up to the Col de Bastan (2507m) for expansive views of many other lakes and mountains in the area.

Overnight: 3* hotel in Arreau.

DAY 3 REST DAY - COL DU TOURMALET AND PIC DU MIDI DE BIGORRRE

Today is a total “rest day”, as we leave Arreau, and transfer to our next overnight base in the spa town of Cauteretes. En-route, we drive via the legendary Col du Tourmalet, end point of one of the most challenging climbs in the Tour de France bike race. The col is also at the base of Pic du Midi de Bigorre, whose 2877 m (9439 ft) summit is crowned by an astronomical observatory and museum, offering unparalleled 360º views and reached by cable car. We’ll go up, have lunch at the restaurant at the observatory, then return to the col. After that, continue transferring to Cauterets, in the heart of France’s Pyrenées National park.

Overnight: 3* Hotel in Cauterets (1st of 2 nights)

DAY 4 PONT DE ESPAGNE & VALLEE DE GAUBE

A short transfer takes us to Pont d’Espagne, where we explore the valley leading towards the massive form of Vignemale, at 3298 m, the highest Pyrenean mountain in French territory. This lovely spot is very popular, and there is a hut serving snacks and refreshments. Some of the group might want to spend the rest of the day around the lake and nearby, while the stronger hikers will continue along the GR-10 to reach the mountain hut Refuge des Oulettes de Gaube at the head of the valley, with great views of the impressive north face of Vignemale ahead of us all the way.

Overnight: in Cauterets, as above

DAY 5 GAVARNIE CIRQUE

We begin the day with a transfer to the tiny town of Gavarnie, at the foot of a massive cirque, an impressive natural amphitheater with Europe’s longest waterfall, the most renowned spot in France’s Parc Nacional des Pyrenées.

Our trails leads up through alpine meadows and forest up to the Hotel du Cirque below the waterfall. A restaurant/snack bar at this historic hotel provides a good place to rest. Those who want to, can hike to the base of the cataract itself and feel the spray up close.

Overnight: 3* hotel in Viscos (1st of 2 nights)

DAY 6 CIRQUE DE TROUMOUSE

Our final hike is a really nice one, where we visit the Cirque de Troumouse. With a diameter of 4 km, this is the biggest glacial cirque in the entire Pyrenees and one of the biggest in Europe. Superb views abound on this final hike of the trip, with options for hikers of all levels. After the hike, return to your hotel in Viscos.

Overnight: 3* hotel in Viscos, as above.

DAY 7 HIKING TRIP ENDS – DEPART FOR YOUR DESTINATION OF CHOICE

After breakfast we’ll transfer you to your destination of choice. For example:

Toulouse International Airport – 2 h 20 min. Flights overseas and to other destinations in France

Toulouse Railway Station– 2 h 25 min. Trains to other destinations in France including TFV (high speed train) to Paris

Tarbes-Lourdes Pyrénées airport – 45 minutes. Flights to other destinations in France

Pau Pyrenees Airport – 1h 15 minutes. Flights to other destinations in France

Pau Railway Station 1h 20 minutes – Trains to other destinations in France, including TFV (high speed train) to Paris

ARREAU – Days 1 & 2: A charming family run, 3* hotel in the pleasant little market town of Arreau at the crossroads of the Louron valley and the Aure valley in this region of the Pyrenees, often referred to as Luchon.

CAUTERETS – Days 3 & 4: A quaint 3* family-run hotel in the spa-town of Cauterets, in the heart of France’s Pyrenées National park. Since Roman times, Cauterets has been renowned for its thermal hot springs, and is the gateway to many excellent hikes and climbs among the high valleys, ridges and peaks of some of the biggest mountains in the entire range.

VISCOS – Days 5 & 6: a comfortable family run 4* hotel with an award-winning restaurant in a tiny village set high up in the green hills overlooking the Gave de Pau mountain stream flowing down from the Gavarnie and Troumouse cirques.

We will be happy to provide specific details of our accommodations upon request.

Overall Level: 2 - 3 ("Easy" to "Moderate"). Each day there’s are easier, shorter hikes and longer, more challenging ones. You’ll discuss the options with our guide to decide the best plan!

Distances: from 7.3 km/4.5 mi to 11.2 km/ 6.9 mi depending on route choice

Elevation gain &/or loss: from 230m / 755 ft to 600m / 1968 ft.

Time: from 2.5 to 6 hours, depending on route

Terrain: Mostly hilly with occasional steep and/or rocky ascents/descents (use of hands not required!). Typical walking surfaces include medieval “paved” paths and sheep drovers' trails, forestry tracks, grassy meadows & paths and rocky mountain trails.

We pick you up at trip start in Toulouse, which has a major international airport. The transfer to Arreau (1st overnight lodgings) is approximately 2.5 hours. Toulouse is also on a major high-speed train line from Paris.

At the end of this trip, we normally return our guests to Toulouse, approximately 2 hours 20 minutes by private transfer. However you prefer, you can consider taking you to other nearby towns with small airports, such as Pau (also on a major high-speed train line to Paris) or Lourdes. Both of these airports have direct flights to certain international destinations.

Iconic spots and walk classic trails used throughout the ages by smugglers, pilgrims, travelers and livestock herders in Pyrenèes National Park and Neouvielle Massif Natural Reserve.

Glorious views, exuberant flora, abundant fauna and impressive geology: this is one of the world’s finest locations for alpine flowers, even the famed Eidelweiss. Marmots and chamoix observe us from rocky perches and birds of prey soar overhead, including the Lammergeier –one of the Europe’s rarest birds of prey.

Picturesque villages & towns: our overnight bases feature charming villages deep in the mountains with ancient churches, cobbled streets and traditional architecture.

History & culture: throughout the trip you’ll be immersed in an environment that reminds you of this region’s fascinating past & present as a natural border and barrier, yet also a place of cultural and commercial connection and communication between 2 of history’s most powerful, influential and diverse nations.

Excellent gastronomy: this is France, after all! A diverse variety of cuisine always focusing on the freshest of local products washed down with excellent regional wines.

BOOK, CUSTOMIZE OR CREATE

This sample itinerary has been designed to showcase just some of the main highlights of France's Pyrenees National Park. It can be booked just as described above, but it’s also 100% customizable and can be used as the foundation around which we can build a personalized trip just for you Make it shorter or longer. Add rest days or mix hiking days with other adventure or cultural interest activities. We operate in a variety of areas on both the Spanish and French sides of the Pyrenees as well as northern Spain in general, so we can easily craft a completely personalized trip, combining differing activities and experiences in various locations. We want to create a memorable travel experience just for you! No itinerary is too complicated for us to arrange…any number of days, at any time of year, for any size group. Pick this or another of our suggested itineraries and we'll customize it to meet your party’s criteria...or…let’s work together with you to craft a personalized, tailor-made itinerary to suit your interests, level of physical challenge or technical difficulty, and other criteria. Just send us an email or send in our contact form describing your idea in as much detail as possible and we’ll get back to you…and together we’ll start making your dream become reality!

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Hiking in the Pyrenees near Midi d'Ossau