The Baronnies
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The price includes
Plane + Car from €1095 / person
Plane tickets and car hire included
Arrival in Arreau
Arreau is a large Pyrenean village at the foot of the ascent to the Col d’Aspin, at the confluence of the Nestes d’Aure and the Louron. It is unjustly overlooked by summer visitors who flock to the Saint-Lary and Loudenvielle valleys, taking the road that bypasses the village to preserve its tranquillity. We invite you to stop off and discover the charm of this little-known village, with its market hall, café terraces, half-timbered and corbelled houses, castle and churches, terraced gardens…
You’ll find all our useful addresses and tips in the Roadbook.
Market in Arreau
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Doctor Pic's hut, Bareilles valley
Lake Bareilles, Louron
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From Arreau to Bagnères-de-Bigorre
102 km / 2h24
Today’s itinerary begins with the Hourquette d’Ancizan. Less famous than its neighbour, the Col d’Aspin, the Hourquette is beautiful, wild and peaceful. But like the Col d’Aspin, it will take you to the beautiful Lac de Payolle.
Then you’ll head for the little-known Pyrenees and their foothills, with the high peaks as a backdrop. Here the mountains are not really mountains at all. The gentle landscape of the Baronnies is best described as hills, wooded valleys and rolling fields.
Lake Payolle as a couple, Grand Tourmalet
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La Gourgue d'Asque
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Esparros chasm in the Baronnies
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Castelloubon Valley
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Discover the Val d'Azun by car, via the Col de Spandelles ©Pierre Meyer AE Média
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From Bagnères-de-Bigorre to Aydius
136 km / 3 hours
To reach our next stage in the Vallée d’Aspe, there’s no question of following the Grande Route des Cols, which would take us over the Tourmalet, Soulor and Aubisque. We are proposing a more confidential route . It will take in the gentle Castelloubon valley, which offers spectacular views of the Pyrenees, the unusual Spandelles pass, the Ouzom valley, named after the river tamed to power the forges when five hundred coal miners worked here in the 19th century, and the Marie-Blanque pass.
On the road today, you’ll cross wild landscapes, come across herds of goats and sheep, and discover unspoilt pastoral settings of slate-roofed barns, copses, dense forests and lush green meadows.
Holzarté footbridge
94 km / 2h18
Today’s route takes you through the wild landscapes of Haut Barétous and Soule, with their deep forests and steep slopes. Stop off at the Grotte de la Verna, an impressive underground cavern, then make your way to the Passerelle d’Holzarté, suspended above the gorges for a spectacular viewpoint.
Continue on to the Port de Larrau, offering superb views of the Pyrenees, before reaching Ochagavía, a charming mountain village where you will spend the night.
Francois Laurens Holzarte 2025
La Verna cave
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Towards Jaca
124 km / 2h59
Today you’ll be following a wild and intrepid route to discover the Western Valleys Natural Park, and the confidential Ansó and Hecho (Echo in Spanish) valleys.
Pine and beech forests stretch along the sides of the valleys. The dense vegetation is said to be one of the last haunts of the Pyrenean bears. Then, at higher altitudes, the forests gradually give way to vast meadows, a paradise for herds and their shepherds.
A slight diversions will take you to the magnificent high-altitude meadow ofAguas Tuertas. It takes its name from the meandering course of the Río Aragon Subordan through the lush grasslands.
Take the time to linger in Hecho, a large village with cobbled streets. Its tile-roofed houses are topped by large chimneys topped with a stone to keep out the witches! The village of Ansó, set on a wooded hill, is even more enchanting.
Hecho, Aragon
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Aguas Tuertas
Chistau Valley
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Chistau Valley
78 km / 1h20
It’s highly unlikely that you’ll stumble into the Chistau Valley by chance, such is the remoteness of the area. Before Bielsa, a fork in the road on the right points the way to Chistau. The road plunges into the gorges of the Río Zinqueta, which give little indication of the beauty of the landscape a few kilometres further on. The valley’s abundance of beech, black pine and Scots pine forests, its torrents, its snowfields and the glacial remains in the highest parts make it an incomparable showcase of nature.
A nature that has nevertheless suffered from the assaults of the civil war. Many houses were burnt down and fields ravaged by bombs. The Chistau valley was a major crossing point for opponents of Franco’s regime who wanted to flee the country. They were called “maquis” because this was where they hid. They would take refuge in the San Mames hermitage, an hour’s walk from San Juan, before fleeing to France. Local people acted as guides or smugglers, taking them to the border along mule tracks that only they knew.
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.
We’ve unearthed some addresses that don’t always feature on the major online booking platforms.
A renovated former monastery, a cabin perched in the middle of a forest, a lakeside refuge, a Spanish inn, a charming bed and breakfast, a cosy hotel…
The estimated budget for this trip is €680 per person.
Plane + Car from €1095 / person
Plane tickets and car hire included
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.
