Trekking in the Pyrenees

In the heart of the Central Pyrenees, this magnificient section of the Pyrenees crossing offers you to discover outstanding sites in the heart of the Pyrenees National Park. The first day of the hike will take you to the superb Gaube Valley, in the foothills of the Vignemale mountains and its majestic north face - a mecca for Pyreneism. You will then reach Barèges, walking through the Luz Saint Sauveur upper valley and the Riou pass, with an open view over some of the highest Pyrenean summits. Then, from Barèges to Saint Lary Soulan, the Nature is opening up to you. You will cross the Néouvielle Nature Reserve, with its outsanding and various turquoise lakes, in which the Néouvielle Peak granite ridges are plunging. Every evening, you will stop in villages renowned for their beneficial waters, with well-deserved relaxing moments in sight after a whole day hiking !

Between the Mediterranean Sea and the Ariège region, in the heart of the Pyrenean Piedmont, impressive stone citadels are standing : the Cathar Castles. Those fortresses remain the living memory of a tragical history that marked the South-West of France during the crusade against the Albigenses. Starting from Carcassonne and its famous medieval old town, you will go and discover the most famous sites and castles of the Cathar History. Firstly in the Aude region, you will have the opportunity to visit the Quéribus eyrie, the incredible fortress of Peyrepertuse, Puilaurens the archetypal bastion and finally Puivert, the home of troubadours. In Ariège, you will explore Montségur castle, the highest of the Cathar Castles, standing on its rock at 1207m of altitude. Then, before reaching Foix and its castle, you will visit the closest neighbour to Montségur, Roquefixade, perched on the top of an impressive cliff. Beyond the discovery of a territory and its rich and overwhelming history, this Cathar Country is full of stunning and varied landscapes, influenced by the Mediterranean and Mountain Climates that are merging here, but also by the Nature that dig gorges in limestone, carved rocky spurs and has always allowed mankind to use those natural ressources.

This hike, which will take you from the Basque mountains to the Atlantic Ocean, follows the famous GR10 route, the great Pyrenees Crossing. It features a variety of landscapes specific to the Basque Country, nestled in the heart of the Atlantic Pyrenees. The Basque Country is not to be defined in terms of high mountains and peaks, but rather by describing exceptional charms and cultural originality. From Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, the historic capital of the Basque Country, you will walk towards Saint Etienne de Baïrorri, with the sumptuous Iparla crest in the background, and then towards Bidarray. From rolling hills to small peaks, you will then cross villages with magical names, such as Ainhoa, Sare, Dancharia, with bright and shimmering tones, built in the purest Basque tradition.

Spanish Basque Country coast features the last reliefs of the Pyrenees, opening in some areas wonderful beaches surrounded with cliffs. The sea is clear, sometimes choppy with beautiful waves. You can take a bath, get a tan, but you can also, and above all, hike along the Pacific Ocean. Here, no jealous: ocean and mountain perfectly meet and merge. For you to be able to discover this amazing union between the natural features, we offer you the opportunity to cross the area from North to South, stopping every night in a seaside stopover. With the Ocean always at the background, you will go from hills to creeks, from cliffs to beaches, from lawns to forests.

The Spanish Basque Country coast features the last reliefs of the Pyrenees, opening in some areas wonderful beaches surrounded with cliffs. The sea is clear, sometimes choppy with beautiful waves. You can take a bath, get a tan, but you can also, and above all, hike along the Pacific Ocean. Here, no jealous: ocean and mountain perfectly meet and merge. For you to be able to discover this amazing union between the natural features, we offer you the opportunity to cross the area from North to South, stopping every night in a seaside stopover. With the Ocean always at the background, you will go from hills to creeks, from cliffs to beaches, from lawns to forests.

From Hendaye to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, come and discover on your bicycle the multi-faceted Basque Country! Just by the water side, you will start the week on a wonderful road linking Hendaye to Saint-Jean-de-Luz, weaving along the Basque corniche overlooking the Ocean. Then, the time will come to go further inland and reach the first Pyrenean massif: the Rhune, emblematic mountain of the Basque Country. Later on, you will discover many traditional villages with plenty of character, such as Sare, Ainhoa, Espelette, Itxassou, Saint-Etienne-de-Baigorry…

Protected by the mountains and blessed with an exceptional quality of light, the Lubéron radiates with a palette of different colours. It is a terrain of sensations. The colours, fragrances and tastes of Provence will attack your senses, you can be sure to see some of natures wonders and sample some exceptionally good food and wine. The villages and the region's history are a real joy to discover, there is no better way than by cycling to really penetrate into the intimacy of the region. This itinerary will lead you through Roussillon and Rustrel where you will find the stunning bright ochre quarries. Perched villages, such as Bonnieux, Lacoste and Ménerbes, some of the most beautiful villages of France.

Leaving from Hendaye, a fishing port and privateer city located on the edge of the bay of Txingudi, this fairly easy hiking route takes the mythical GR 10 Transpyrenean Trail which, from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, crosses all the Pyrenees during an 800 km hike. It will take you to the first foothills of the Pyrenees, discovering the Basque Country and its many unusual villages in lush valley bottoms against the backdrop of the first peaks, such as the emblematic Rhune. You will encounter an exceptional cultural identity as you travel through villages on your way through ridges and forests, with the presence of animals typical of the Basque Country such as the bétisu, small wild cows, or the pottoks, Basque ponies living in the wild. You will also discover the no less mythical villages of Sare, Ainhoa, Itxassou, and Saint Jean Pied de Port, high historical but also gastronomic places !

Mediterranean mildness, fantastic landscapes of the Corbières, vineyards, castles perched upon rocky outcrops, this is just a preview of what you can expect to discover during this colourful tour. In the Cathar Aude, some places steeped in history, such as Carcassonne, Lagrasse, or the Termes, Aguilar, Quéribus or Peyrepertuse Cathar castles, are still living testimonies of a recent past. A host of 7 exceptional Cathar castles and 2 abbeys will unveil their past history! All of these ancient strongholds are linked by sumptuous backroads in the heart of the Corbières and Fitou vineyards.

From Saint Lary Soulan and the Aure valley, you will go and discover some of the most beautiful hikes of this area and a little Pyrenean paradise. After gaining some altitude over the Aure valley, you will discover the Géla and Badet valleys, in the heart of the Pyrenees National Park , and the gems that they are hiding : Barroude Wall and Lake, Hourquette de Charmantas, Badet Lake, Soum des Salettes and its outstanding viewpoints over the Central Pyrenees... Then you will head to the Néouvielle Nature Reserve and its various glacial lakes, each one more beautiful than the last. You will hike through protected areas, in a gorgeous setting of lakes and pines. When crossing passes and climbing small summits, you will enjoy grandiose bird's-eye-views of those preserved landscapes and especially famous high summits such as the Néouvielle Peak (3091m) and its granite ridges plunging in the Aubert Lake. During this holiday, the nature and wildlife sanctuaries of the Pyrenees National Park and the Néouvielle Nature Reserve reveal themselves to you.

As it descends from the southern Alps, the River Durance makes a slow loop around a limestone plateau known as the ‘Luberon', a rugged, wooded region that stretches for about 65 kilometres between Cavaillon, in the East, and Manosque, at its western extremity. The western end is known as the ‘Petit Luberon' and the eastern end as the ‘Grand Luberon'. The two sections are divided by the Combe de Lourmarin (the old pathway), which cuts across the mountains between the charming villages of Bonnieux and Lourmarin. It's a beautiful region, rich in colour and contrasts, with vivid sprays of scented lavender, bright green vines, ochre-coloured villages and austere white limestone hills.

The Coast Vermeille (Scarlet Coast), is aptly named. It's situated on the southern French side of the Pyrenees Orientales. The Mediterranean sea to the east and the Alberes massive to the west. The other side of the border extends towards Cadaques in Spanish Catalonia. The cultivated terrassess of vines extend up the slopes and into the sunny valleys. They produce the famous BANYULS and COLLIOURE wines. This is a wonderfully vibrant land with a friendly population - who just love to party ! Everywhere the 'sardane' is danced in rounds for the tourists. The gastronomy is equally remarkable with wonderful local produce like for example anchovies or grilled fish. You can taste this wonderful Catalan cuisine as you look out over the sea. This is an exceptional walking area that you will discover with its contrasting landscapes. These are lands of red earth also nicknamed 'La Côte des Merveilles' (the Marvel Coast).