Family Trip with young children

Day 1

Arrival in the Louron Valley

After passing through Luchon, you arrive at the Col de Peyresourde, a cycling classic with over sixty credited passes since 1910. Take the time to stop for a while at the summit. Then plunge into the Louron valley, with Lake Génos-Loudenvielle in your sights. Head to the balneotherapy centre for a moment of relaxation in the thermal water lagoons, in the open air, with your eyes riveted on the peaks and your lungs filled with pure air. At Balnéa, you can disconnect and recharge your batteries… Welcome to the Pyrenees, and your road trip can begin.

On your way :

• The Col de Peyresourde, a wide pass with breathtaking views.
• The village of Mont and its Romanesque chapel, listed as a Historic Monument, and its exterior fresco, which has stood the test of time.
• Lac de Génos-Loudenvielle, the focal point as you descend the Col de Peyresourde, offering a lovely walking route and a host of fun activities.

Your activities :

• Relaxation and well-being at Balnéa, a spa centre with open-air lagoons.

Day 3

Col de Val Louron-Azet to Col d’Aspin

91 km / 2h15

Today you’ll be taking on a spectacular route: the Route des Lacs de Haute Montagne. It winds its way between stone walls and climbs to Lac de Cap-de-Long (2,161 m), Lac d’Orédon (1,849 m), Lac d’Aumar (2,198 m) and Lac d’Aubert (2,150 m). This is the highest lakes route in the Pyrenees and the gateway to one of the most beautiful lakeside landscapes in the massif: the Néouvielle National Nature Reserve, with its countless lakes. The trails are easy to get to, fun for all the family, and take you from lake to lake through flower-filled meadows, pine forests and the highest hooked pine forests in Europe. Created in 1936, long before the Pyrenees National Park, this nature reserve – one of the oldest in France – has the distinction of being home to the highest concentration of lakes in the Pyrenees. Home to marmots, this protected area is also a haven for a multitude of wild species. You might even spot a bearded vulture circling above Néouvielle.

The adventure continues with the ascent of the Col d’Aspin or the Hourquette d’Ancizan, your choice. Both lead to the beautiful Lac de Payolle, nestling in a forest of fir trees. Here it is known as the “Little Canada of the Pyrenees”.

Your activities :

• Free walk and picnic by a lake: Lac d’Orédon (1,849 m), accessible by road. Lacs d’Aumar (2,198 m) and Aubert (2,150 m) accessible by small train for those who don’t want to hike.

On your way:

• The Cap-de-Long dam, a monumental dam over 100 m high, it forms one of the largest water reservoirs in the Pyrenees.
• Arreau, a typical, pleasant village where you can stop off at a café or discover its distinctive architecture.
• The wild and little-travelled Col d’Aspin, offering sweeping views of the Pic du Midi, the Arbizon and the Aure valley.

Day 6

From Viella to Gavarnie

45 km / 1 hour

Today, you’ll discover some intense and spectacular scenery: in Gavarnie, Troumouse or Estaubé, the great cirques of the Pyrenees listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. More than just geological curiosities, their semi-circular walls create grandiose, extraordinary landscapes. They look like pure invention. If you don’t have time to do all three, opt for Gavarnie and then Troumouse.

Your choice of activities:

• Free walk in the Cirque de Gavarnie: In 30 minutes, an easy walk along the Gave de Pau and across the Courade plateau: you reach the cirque’s orientation table on foot, horseback or donkey. Duration: 1h return – Departure from the village of Gavarnie.
• A free walk in the Cirque de Troumouse, a Goliath of circuses, even bigger than Gavarnie. Access by small train.

On your way :

• The Napoleon Bridge – Luz-Saint-Sauveur: A spectacular structure consisting of a single arch 47 m in diameter and erected to a height of 66 m, built in 1860 on the orders of Napoleon III, on a spa treatment at Luz-Saint-Sauveur, with Empress Eugénie.

Well worth the diversions:

• The interpretation trail between the Col des Tentes and the port of Boucharo on the Spanish border: an easy 1.5km walk on a virtually flat panoramic trail offering spectacular views of the peaks and 3000m peaks surrounding the Cirque de Gavarnie.
• Notre-Dame des Neiges (Our Lady of the Snows ): a short 20-minute walk to take in the beautiful views of the village of Gavarnie and its cirque.

Day of departure

Lourdes

Before leaving the Pyrenees, we suggest you linger a while in Lourdes to discover its Sanctuary, obviously a unique place in the world, but also an exceptional architectural site built in just 100 years, on the banks of the river. Once again this year, the Sanctuary has some exceptional attractions not to be missed.

In addition to the Sanctuary, you can also take advantage of Lake Lourdes and its water sports activities, discover the castle perched on its rocky outcrop and climb the Pic du Jer on board the funicular railway.

On your way :

• The Pic du Jer funicular, a charming journey guaranteed aboard this century-old funicular that leads to the summit at an altitude of 1000 m.
• The fortified castle and its Pyrenean Museum, on its rocky peak overlooking the Marian city and offering an exceptional view of the Sanctuary.