Trekking across the Pyrenees

The first section, from Hendaye to Saint Jean Pied de Port, covers a variety of landscapes typical of the Pays Basque region, set in the heart of the Atlantic Pyrenees. The scenery has a charm and regional originality that you won't find elsewhere. Rolling hills, magical villages, such as Sare, Ainhoa and Dancharia that are seeped in Basque tradition, and a rich pyrenean flora and fauna are all waiting to be discovered. At the end of the walk you will reach the villages of Bidarray and Saint Etienne de Baigorry with the sumptuous Iparla mountain ridge in the background.

From Etsaut to Cauterets, the GR10 takes you through the Pyrenean National Park. The park stretches from the Aspe valley to the Aure valley, along the Spanish border. Setting off from Etsaut, via the famous chemin de la Mâture, you will reach the grandiose surroundings of the Ossau valley, that opens out before you and affords a spectacular view of the pyramid-shaped Pic d'Ossau. From Gabas to Arrens valley, you encounter a succession of lakes and villages in stone and slate and a never-ending wilderness that serves as summer pastures. After having discovered the Arrens and Estaing valleys, you finish your holiday in the spa town of Cauterets.

In the heart of the Central Pyrenees, this variant of the 4th section invites you to discover amazing sites, beginning with the Gaube Valley, on foot of the Vignemale, the highest French Pyrenees summit. The night in the highest refuge of the Pyrenees (Bayssellance, 2651 meters), then the arrival in the Cirque de Gavarnie are the other highlights of the first part of this trek. In the second part, from Gavarnie to Luchon, the itinerary makes its way through a succession of lakes, mountain passes and mountain villages. You will cross the Nature Reserve in Néouvielle before reaching the villages of Saint-Lary-Soulan and Germ, the Espingo lake refuge and finally Bagnères-de-Luchon, the belle of the Pyrenees.

The walk from Aulus-les-bains to Mérens in Haute Ariège connects the western and the central sections of the Pyrenees with the Ariège part of the mountain range. This region is known for its high plateau landscapes, deep valleys hemmed in by soaring summits, sometimes covered with a sprinkling of snow, and mountain lakes whose waters change in colour. In the evening, the Ariège gastronomy will get you back in shape for the next day.

Between the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean Sea, in the heart of the region of the Corbières you will find the imposing, mystic stone castles of the châteaux cathares. These castles represent a tragic, political and religious intrigue that shook the South of France and marked the region. During the week's walking you will discover landscapes of natural beauty, lush valleys and rolling hills. You will discover an interesting page of France's history along with some good local food and wines. The trails pass through a whole variety of terrain, each day is different, the vegetation, the ‘garrigue' is fragrant and often full of colour. Your itinerary follows the ‘Cathar Trail'.

With this holiday in the heart of the Central Pyrenees, you will discover some of the most beautiful sites of the Pyrenean mountain range. Starting from Cauterets, you will go and discover two magnificient valleys that look a bit like Canada : the Gaube and Marcadau valleys. Untouched snowy landscapes, pine groves, small valleys, high summits and frozen lakes and waterfalls are the agenda. In the Luz St Sauveur valley, you will climb to two beautiful summits that are easily reachable and offer stunning bird's eye views over the main summits of the area : Balaïtous, Vignemale, Néouvielle, Pic du Midi de Bigorre, Taillon... and many more ! Another highlight of your holiday will be discovering the famous Gavarnie cirque and its numerous summits reaching more than 3000m of altitude, frozen by the winter. The Gavarnie cirque, that shelters the highest waterfall in Europe (423m) and offers a magnificient architecture, cannot be described : it needs to be discovered and gazed at. This natural glacial cirque is registered as a UNESCO World Heritage and impresses by its size and height - its walls are almost 1500m-high. In the Pyrenees National Park wild and protected settings, your itinerary will lead you on gentle slopes that are especially suitable for snowshoe hiking. After the hikes, the « Bains du rocher » thermal spa will offer you a well-deserved relaxing time !