Self-guided walking

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 !

This hike, which will take you from the Basque mountains to the Atlantic Ocean, follows the famous GR10 route, the great Pyrenees Crossing (415km from one sea to the other). It features a variety of landscapes specific to the Basque Country, nestled in the heart of the Atlantic Pyrenees. Here, perhaps more than elsewhere, when heading towards the coast, the landscapes crossed have an originality and an entity that are unique. 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. You will taste the Spanish atmosphere when reaching the border at the Col d'Ibardin, before descending towards Hendaye, to enjoy the charms of this lively coastal town bordered by the superb bay of Txingudi.

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.

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.

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 !

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).

Nestling in the heart of the catalan mountains, very close to Andorra and Spain, Cerdagne is all about superlatives : « Altiplano » with an unspoilt environment and privileged sunshine, unique altitude landscapes, especially in the Carlit mountains, where izards and mouflons peacefully live. The countless lakes are the gem of the region while, near the villages, the sulphurous hot springs have always brought mankind happiness. You will get to experience it by yourselves in Dorres, Llo, Saint Thomas or PratsBalaguer. We also have a surprise in store for you : natural outside baths, in the heart of the forest, with waterfalls, basins and thousand-year-old baths built between the blocks. Here is a travelling program without any transfer by vehicule, that will have you walk through cerdan villages of traditionnal architecture, including the Spanish enclave of Lliva, a historical curiosity of Cerdagne. Regarding your evenings, we have made a selection of the most welcoming and comfortable accomodations, to make sure that your trip on Catalan Lands is a true success.

Between Aude and Ariege, in the heart of Pyrenean piedmont loom imposing stone citadels, Cathar castles. These fortresses are the symbol of a tragic, political intrigue and drama that shook the South of France and marked the region. From Quillan, this itinerary will take you to Foix, in the heart of a territory steeped in history. First, in Aude region, you can visit Puivert and its castle, on the land of the Troubadours. From Comus and Pays de Sault, you will join Ariege and Montsegur castle, the highest of the Cathar castles, erected on its "pog" at an altitude of 1207m. Then, before to join the city of Foix and its castle, you will go to visit Castle of Roquefixade, near to Montsegur, perched at the top of an impressive cliff. This walking holiday combines a historical interest that stirs the imagination, as well as some memorable walking through lush, unspoilt mountains and valleys. Your itinerary follows the ‘Cathar Trail'.

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 !