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Refuge Wallon2022 7280 1
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DAVID COURRIADES

Snowshoe hikes

Kings of the World

In Cauterets-Pont d'Espagne

Luminous glades follow bucolic pine forests along this winter walk that takes us to the world above, the world of wide open spaces shrouded in cotton wool silence, where our brand new refuge awaits us. Yannick, one of the two wardens, welcomes us and sets the tone: “Here we are the Kings of the World! And it’s hard not to believe the sumptuous scenery and the warmth of this cosy nest. Accompanied by Joël, every day we head out lightly, snowshoes on, to discover a valley or a summit, in this paradise where the wonder seems inexhaustible.

From

1020 €

per person

5 days

5 nights

I would like to book my stay

The price includes

Return flight Paris-Tarbes-Lourdes with Volotea
Transfers between Tarbes-Lourdes airport and your accommodation
The 5 nights: 2 nights in a 3* hotel with breakfast and dinner included and 3 nights in a guarded, heated refuge with full board.
4 days snowshoe trekking with a mountain leader (equipment provided)

If you prefer to travel by train rather than by plane, the estimated budget for this trip is €1020/person.

What you’ll love

Four days exploring the heart of the Pyrenees National Park
The anecdotes and knowledge of your mountain leader
Observing wildlife and footprints in the snow
A comfortable refuge with cosy evenings
All-inclusive weekend: flight or train and shuttle to the resort

programme

On the programme for your stay

5 days / 5 nights

Day of arrival

On arrival at your hotel, take time to stroll through the narrow streets of this village with its Belle Époque architecture. The windows displaying berlingots, a local speciality, invite you to taste them.

Continuation of the tour

Accompanied by Joël, your guide, you put on your snowshoes and set off to discover the “world above”.
Each day you’ll explore a different valley or summit, between silent forests and wide open spaces bathed in light.

The itinerary will take you to your brand-new refuge, nestling in the snow. This stay in tune with nature is like a bubble of pure air, filled with wonder and serenity.

Day 1: An initial approach of 4 hours’ walking for 400m of positive ascent. Along the way, you’ll learn how to use avalanche safety equipment.
Day 2: The first area to explore: the Cambalès valley. A five-hour walk with 550m of ascent. You’ll cross a landscape of frozen lakes dominated by the Cambalès peak.
Day 3: A bucolic loop through the Aratille valley to its lake, punctuated by the trickle of the Gave on the way up and a few toboggan-like descents on the way back. Walking time similar to the previous day, with an extra 100m of ascent.
Day 4: You’ll return to your starting point via an impressive route. Vast expanses of white, breathtaking panoramas and the atmosphere of the high mountains where you will climb to an altitude of 2400m. It’s a deserved return, with a 6-hour walk, 600m of ascent and 1000m of descent, but it’s sure to be a sight to behold before you return to civilisation.

expert

Our expert

Stay

©
Julie, creator of holidays and breaks in the Hautes-Pyrénées

As an adventurer and lover of the great outdoors, I specialise in holidays that are full of emotion! Don’t hesitate to contact me to adapt this holiday. See you soon in the Hautes-Pyrénées.

Julie Richard

I personalise this holiday

accommodation

Your accommodation

3-star hotel in Cauterets

Your hotel, classified as a Hôtellerie de Charme et de Caractère, in the centre of Cauterets, a small Pyrenean holiday village.
With their air of English “ladies”, the two sisters, Bernadette and Rose Marie, both natives of the area, have created an environment in their own image in this family home in the heart of the spa town of Cauterets. Lace and embroidery, pink or blue bedspreads and antique knick-knacks make the place a real ‘bonbonnière’. The bedrooms are love nests where every detail – like the lavender sachets hanging from the wardrobe door handles – imbues you with romance. And let’s not forget the charming patio and balconies bursting with flowers.

Wallon-Marcadau refuge

Situated in the heart of the Pyrenees National Park, the Wallon-Marcadau refuge is isolated at the bottom of a valley that feels like the end of the world. Built twice, in 1910 and 1930, it was completely renovated in 2022 to offer greater comfort while retaining its old-world charm. The original foundations of the building and the historic gables of the reception area bear witness to its past, while blending in with the modern architecture.

Somewhere between a mountain hotel and a refuge, the 110 beds are divided into dormitories for 8 – 14 – 16 people, with shared bathroom facilities, optional hot showers and a drying area. Thanks to a drinking water catchment, a small hydroelectric power station and photovoltaic panels, it is completely self-sufficient in energy and blends in perfectly with the landscape of the Pyrenees National Park.

budget

Budget

The estimated budget for this stay is €1020 per person.

Included in this suggestion :

5 nights (2 nights in a 3* hotel on a half-board basis and 3 nights in a guarded, heated refuge on a full-board basis)
4 days snowshoe trekking with a mountain leader (equipment provided)
Plane or train tickets
Transfer airport or station > resort

If you prefer to travel by train rather than by plane, the estimated budget for this holiday is €1020 per person.

All about the resort

Download the piste map
Download the village map

access

Access from Paris

Depending on your choice of transport :

Plane + Airport shuttle > resort

The holiday includes return plane tickets and a return shuttle transfer from the airport to the resort.

– Paris Orly > Tarbes-Lourdes-Pyrénées airport

Flight with Volotea.

– Tarbes-Lourdes-Pyrénées airport transfer > Accommodation

Transfer by shuttle.

Train + Shuttle Station > Resort

The stay includes train tickets (return) and shuttle transfer station > station (return).

– Austerlitz station > Lourdes station

Night train.

– Transfer Lourdes station > Accommodation

Transfer by shuttle bus.

will love

Our commitments

Just give us a call and we’ll organise everything for you: a cosy residence at a good price, a good address for dinner, a snowshoe walk with a guide, a hot bath in the open air, a dog-sledding trip… And we’ll share our tips with you to make sure your holiday is like no other.

Tailor-made holidays and weekends

We listen to you and advise you so that we can work with you to create an ultra-personalised holiday plan.

All-inclusive holidays

Flights, trains, shuttles, accommodation, ski passes, equipment, ski lessons, activities… We can organise it all!

Free service

We offer public prices without intermediaries. With us, you won’t pay more!