Lakes, rivers and springs

lakes

Lakes on offer

without delay

In the Hautes-Pyrénées, you don’t always have to make a long effort to reach the great waterscapes. Some lakes can be reached almost seamlessly, at the end of a mountain road or a very short walk. Others require just a little more time, without turning into demanding hikes. This accessibility gives the area a rare generosity: a waterside to contemplate, picnic, stop off at or find a bit of fresh air.

Lac d’Estaing, Lac du Tech, Payolle, Génos-Loudenvielle, Orédon and Cap de Long are all great places to visit that are easy to get close to. Further afield, but still within easy walking distance, are Gaube, Suyen, Isaby, les Espécières, Oncet, Aubert, Aumar and l’Oule. To each his own altitude, light and silence.

Lake Payolle

Lake Génos-Loudenvielle

Cap de Long

Lake Gaube

©
A romantic hike in the Val d'Azun, near Lac de Suyen, in the heart of the Pyrenees ©Antoine Garcia
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Antoine Garcia

Lake Suyen

Lake Aubert

As the water flows

a different way of walking

Slow down. The pace changes at the water’s edge. It skirts paths, crosses valleys, leaps under bridges, cuts across lawns and fills the air with instant freshness. It lures you in for breaks, eases the strain and softens the rhythm of the day.

After a few hours outside, sometimes all you need is a gave to hand. Take off your shoes, let the crisp cold of the water take your feet by surprise, and stay there for a few moments, between tiredness and relief. The mountain then takes on another dimension, simpler, more physical, almost instinctive.

Simple luxury

of a lakeside

A lakeside, a few flat rocks, the shade of a tree, a river running through the grass: that’s often all it takes. In the clear air of the Hautes-Pyrénées, these moments take on a special flavour. A picnic by the water, a light siesta, a few splashes, a lingering conversation, the reflection of a summit trembling on the surface: the water’s edge becomes a real luxury here.

These stops are as important as the route itself. They extend it in a different way, in a calm, fresh and obvious way.

water

When water becomes

show

Sometimes, water gives the landscape its most immediate force. At Gavarnie, the great waterfall draws the eye to the heart of the cirque. At Pont d’Espagne, the waterfalls, torrents and gaves imbue the site with their continuous energy. Elsewhere, it’s the large lakes that set the scene, as at Payolle, Gaube, Orédon and Loudenvielle.

Everywhere, the landscape is altered. It catches the light, animates the lines, attracts the eye and adds sparkle to the simplest pauses.

Sometimes, water gives the landscape its most immediate force. At Gavarnie, the great waterfall draws the eye to the heart of the cirque. At Pont d’Espagne, the waterfalls, torrents and gaves imbue the site with their continuous energy. Elsewhere, it’s the large lakes that set the scene, as at Payolle, Gaube, Orédon and Loudenvielle.

Everywhere, the landscape is altered. It catches the light, animates the lines, attracts the eye and adds sparkle to the simplest pauses.

water points

Lake Payolle-Campan

At Payolle, the mountain becomes lake, forest and light. At an altitude of 1,139 metres, a large mirror of water stretches out at the foot of the fir trees, between open...

Lake Loudenvielle

The peaks of the Louron valley are proudly reflected in the deep blue of Lake Génos-Loudenvielle. Accessible by car, it is a real rallying point in the valley, its shores...

sources

Sources

softness

Extend your day in the warmth of a bath, the calm of a pool, the gentleness of a hammam or the enveloping sensation of a suspended moment. Here again, water soothes and gently puts body and mind back into the right rhythm.

Water also makes its way into spas and balneotherapy areas. After a walk, it becomes warmth, steam, relaxation and care. It’s a different, gentler way of experiencing the region, but one with the same promise of rejuvenation.

near water

Your holidays by the water

in the Pyrenees

Lakes, rivers and springs

As the water flows

Simple luxury

All-inclusive holidays