Highlights of the Pyrenees of France and Spain

Superb hiking in the crown jewels on both sides of the range!

Dates

From Mid-May to end of September

Level

moderate

Guided

Accompanied by a professional guide

Accommodations

Day hikes sleeping in a hotel each night

11 Days/10 Nights

Can be longer or shorter

INTRODUCTION

This carefully crafted 11 day tour visits the most iconic spots of the Central Pyrenees in both Spain and France. This region offers superb hiking terrain, with a well-developed network of paths thanks to a long tradition of travel and exploration. You’ll be hiking in a magnificent natural environment steeped in traditional culture and fascinating history of two nations.

All of our hikes take place in national parks and other protected areas in both Spain and France and much of it within a unique UNESCO World Heritage site & Biosphere Reserve that spans the border.

Here is the Pyrenees’ most spectacular topography, including its highest peaks and most beautiful valleys, deepest canyons, Europe’s highest limestone mountain and one of its tallest waterfalls, as well as glistening alpine lakes, massive cirques, and an extinct volcano. The French and Spanish sides of the range are markedly different from one another, with an amazing diversity of geography, geology and ecosystems.

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 & TRANSFER - 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 CIRQUE DE GAVARNIE

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 Parque 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 in France 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 REST DAY & TRANSFER TO SPAIN. OPTIONAL HIKE PIC DU MIDI D’OSSAU

Today is a momentous day as we drive across the international border at the Portalet pass. We’ll stop at the frontier to admire the views of the majestic Pic du Midi d’Ossau, an extinct volcano with an unmistakable twin-summited silhouette, one of the most iconic mountains in the Pyrenees. Depending on the group’s energy levels, there will be an option for a short and easy hike through meadows grazed by flocks of sheep to the Refuge de Pombie hut, set by an alpine lake at the foot of this magnificent mountain. Afterwards, we’ll cross into Spain, through the lovely Valle de Tena on our way to the pretty stone-built village of Torla, gateway to Spain’s magnificent Cañones de Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park.

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

DAY 8 ORDESA CANYON

Today’s hike is a true classic of Spain’s most famous Pyrenean national park, along a faja – a ledge-like trail along the Ordesa Canyon walls on our way to the pretty Cola de Caballo (“horsetail”) waterfall at the head of the canyon. This route has everything a hiker could ask for, with the ascent offering amazing views of the legendary canyon itself and of the national park’s most famous mountains – the Monte Perdido massif, known as “Las Tres Sorores” or 3 sisters. A beautiful beech forest and a succession of lovely waterfalls accompany our descent along the valley floor.

Overnight: in Torla, as above

DAY 9 POSETS-MALADETA NATURAL PARK – HOME TO THE HIGHEST SUMMITS

Transfer to the historic village of Benasque, in the heart of the Posets-Maladeta Natural Park. We’ll make a short stop en-route for a quick visit to explore the cobblestone streets of the historic fortified town of Aínsa with excellent views over the Ordesa National Park. On arrival in Benasque we’ll head out for a light lunch, and then a short afternoon featuring 3 beautiful waterfalls and great views of Pico Posets, 2nd highest summit in the Pyrenees.

Overnight: 4* hotel in Benasque (1st of 2 nights)

DAY 10 THE HIGH PASSES & SMUGGLER’S ROUTES TO FRANCE

Today is our last hiking day and it’s spectacular, following ancient trails used by smugglers, bandits and travelers over the centuries to cross the range. We’ll reach a high pass to France offering fantastic views throughout of many of the highest mountains in the entire range, including Aneto. Depending on conditions, there will be an option en-route to summit Pico Salvaguardia - an easy, non-technical peak right on the France-Spain border, a fantastic viewpoint over the highest peaks in all the Pyrenees.

Overnight: 4* hotel in Benasque (2nd night)

DAY 11 DEPARTURE

After breakfast, we’ll transfer you onwards to your destination of choice. For example, cities in France with airports such as Toulouse (3h 30min) OR cities in Spain with airports such as Barcelona (3h 40 min). We can help arrange accommodations if needed.

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 Cirque.

TORLA – Days 7 & 8: a 2-3* charming family-run hotel. An attractive stone-built medieval village with winding cobblestone streets, Torla has a superb setting on the pristine Ara river, with views of the lower reaches of Ordesa Canyon. As the main gateway to the most popular hiking areas in the Western sector of the national park, including the famous Ordesa Valley and the most well-used approach to Monte Perdido, Torla is also home to the national park's principal visitor's information center.

BENASQUE – Days 9 & 10: A boutique-style 3* family-run hotel in the historic stone-built village of Benasque, with a fabulous setting in the heart of the Benas Valley, Benasque is home to the headquarters of the Spanish Mountaineering School and is the hub of a dynamic local tourism industry centered around outdoor adventure sports, nature and culture; many refer to it as the Spanish Pyrenees version of Chamonix in the French Alps!

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

Overall Level: 3 or "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 19 km/11.9 mi depending on route choice

Elevation gain &/or loss: from 270m / 886 ft to 1295m / 4249 ft. Most "harder" days average 500 - 600 meters.

Time: from 2.5 to 7 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 the trip there are various options: we can transfer you back to Toulouse (3.5 hours) or we can take you to Barcelona or Zaragoza. Benasque is approximately 4 hrs. drive from Barcelona and 2 hours from Zaragoza. There are high-speed AVE trains from Madrid to Zaragoza, taking less than 2 hours.

We can arrange a private transfer to other areas of interest in northeast Spain such as Pamplona, Bilbao or San Sebastian.

Hikes in Spain’s Ordesa & Monte Perdido National Park and the Posets-Maladeta Natural Park; France’s 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, including 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. Geologists consider the Central Pyrenees as an exceptionally interesting area, with a UNESCO Global Geopark established for protection, education and sustainable development.

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 both natural border & physical barrier, yet also point of connection and communication between 2 of the world’s most historically powerful and culturally influential nations.

Excellent gastronomy: a diverse variety of cuisine always focusing on the freshest of local products washed down with the excellent regional wines of both countries.

BOOK, CUSTOMIZE OR CREATE

This sample itinerary has been designed to showcase just some of the main highlights of the Central Pyrenees of France and Spain. 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