The best of the Pyrenees

Day 4

Grand Canyon of Ordesa-Unesco

104 km / 1 h 48

After having seen it from afar, from the Balcony of the Pyrenees, today you will be entering the bowels of the immense Ordesa Canyon, whose Dantesque walls give it the appearance of a Pyrenean Colorado. Listed as a World Heritage Site, along with the Gavarnie-Mont Perdu massif, the relief of the Ordesa Valley is breathtaking in its beauty and immoderation. Gavarnie and Ordesa, the 2 sides of the same mountain, like Siamese twins, as closely related as they are dissimilar, are the most impressive sites in the whole range.
In the evening, take time out for an excursion to the village ofAínsa, capital of Sobrarbe.

On your way:

• Lake Ainsa, a magnificent lake with turquoise waters accessible for swimming via numerous dirt tracks.
• The Plaza Mayor in Ainsa, monumental and entirely paved, surrounded by old houses linked by arcades.

You’ll find all our useful addresses and tips in the Roadbook.

Day 6

From the Col du Portillon to the Louron Valley – Balnéa

145 km / 2 h 40

This is one of the longest stages of your Road Trip. But the route will take you through some magnificent scenery. And with five passes on the programme, we can promise you some stunning panoramas. Don’t worry: halfway along the route, we’ll be offering you the chance to stretch your legs in Bossòst, a small village much loved by French people living on the other side of the border, who regularly come here to do a bit of shopping. And at the end of the road: the reward. Two hours of relaxation, up to your neck in the naturally warm and soothing waters of Balnéa, in the open air, with your eyes riveted on the peaks.

On your way:

• A little corner of Ireland, the route crosses high plateaux and high moors, offering you a hint of Ireland in the heart of the Pyrenees.
• Bossòst, the last Spanish town before the border, has many shops and restaurants that are popular with the French.
• The Col du Portillon, a small, winding pass in the heart of a forest of beech and fir trees.
• The Col de Peyresourde, a wide pass with breathtaking views.
• Lac de Génos-Loudenvielle, the focal point as you make your way down the Col de Peyresourde, offers a lovely walking route.
• Arreau, a typical, pleasant village where you can stop off at a café or discover its distinctive architecture.

You’ll find all our useful addresses and tips in the Roadbook.

Day 8

From Cauterets-Pont d’Espagne – Bains du Rocher to Lourdes

80 km / 1 h 48

You’ll love discovering Cauterets-Pont d’Espagne, an emblematic site in the Pyrenees National Park, a veritable Garden of Eden. The Puntas gondola lift and the Gaube chairlift make for an effortless visit. You can have lunch next to the Pont d’Espagne waterfalls or on the banks of the splendid Lac de Gaube, at the foot of the Vignemale, the highest peak in the Pyrenees.
To round off the day in style, the Bains du Rocher invites you to relax in a refined atmosphere.

You will then end your Pyrenean Road Trip in Lourdes, a unique place in the world. You will be free to visit the Sanctuary, on the banks of the river, an architectural complex unique in France, and watch the rosary by torchlight. In addition to the Sanctuary, you can also enjoy the Lourdes lake, discover the castle perched on its rocky peak or climb the Pic du Jer on the funicular.

On your way :

• Cauterets, with its Belle Époque monuments.
• Take a wellness break at the Bains du Rocher, where you can relax in a refined atmosphere.
• The Parc Animalier des Pyrénées, and discover bears, wolves, lynxes, marmots, vultures and other animals.

Well worth the diversions:

• A gourmet break at the Refuge des Sens, a chocolate factory and tea room: in Cauterets, the hardest thing to do here is choose between Viennese chocolate, tarte tatin, pastries and crêpes…