Grand Tour of the Pyrenees - in 3 days and 3 nights Proposed by Nathalie 33 (0)5 62 56 70 00 [email protected] 3 days to see the very best of the Pyrenees : 3 legendary Tour cols, 4 Grand Sites of the Midi Pyrenees, 1 World Heritage site, a National Park, 3 lakes, places famous the world over... All is organised for you, hotels, breakfasts, passes to visit all the best sites, it is all included in the price. The detailed road book will help you make the most of your time with suggestions for places to visit, suggestions for walks, superb viewpoints, the best places to eat, and lovely spots for a relaxing pause. 3 days/3 nights in 4 and 3 star hotels and 3 star Clévacances chambre d’hotes, with breakfast included, staying in Saint-Lary, Gedre-Gavarnie, from Lourdes • 1 ‘Grands Sites’ pass to Pic du Midi (access to summit by cable 260 € /person car) + Cauterets-Pont d’Espagne (parking, cable-car ride from Puntas and Based on 2 persons chairlift to Lac de Gaube) • 1 entry (2h) to Balnéa (Loudenvielle) spa centre with outdoor baths, lagoons, hammam, jacuzzi, bubble beds... An independent driving circuit The strengths: An itinerary set out for you to explore at your own pace Nothing to book No more than 2 hours driving each day A varied programme On the programme: Day 1 : Head to Loudenvielle, in the secret Louron valley, an unspoiled paradise. Relaxation at the Balnea Spa, the first spa in the French Pyrenees. Then cross the Col de Val Louron Azet towards Saint Lary, in its the wide Pyrenean valley which leads to Spain. Night in Saint Lary. Loudenvielle - Col de Val Louron Azet - Saint Lary: 20.5kms/38minutes Day 2 : Breakfast and leave Saint Lary for a magnificent day! Two legendary Tour de France cols, the Aspin and the Tourmalet, the cable-car ride to the summit of the Pic du Midi at nearly 3000 meters of altitude and a breathtaking panorama, the Cirque de Gavarnie, a World Heritage site. Night in Gedre. Gavarnie - Col d'Aspin - Pic du Midi (La Mongie): 50.3kms/1hour Pic du Midi (La Mongie) - Col du Tourmalet - Gavarnie: 42kms/1hour2mins Day 3 : Breakfast and leave Gavarnie - Gedre for a magical day! Discover the sublime site of Pont d'Espagne at Cauterets, in the very heart of the National Park. Then down the valley to Lourdes to watch the fascinating torchlight procession during the evening. Night in Lourdes. Gavarnie - Cauterets Pont d'Espagne: 51kms/1hour16 mins Cauterets Pont d'Espagne - Lourdes: 38.6kms/48mins Day 4 : Breakfast and departure Accomodation: 4 and 3 star hotels and chambre d’hotes Day 1: Your 4 star hotel At the very heart of the Pyrenees this hotel has an exceptional setting, green and calm. It has been able to conserve its Pyrenean roots and its mountain soul, a sense of cultivated charm is evident. The hotel staff is at your service to offer a stay of the very highest quality. The bedrooms are both classical and contemporary, a subtle use of fabrics, warm colors, the duvets and pillows offer an absolute comfort. Each room has a clear view either over the mountains or the garden. The bar and restaurant have an open fire with an original décor mixing woods, stone, slate and animal skins. In summer you can take your breakfast on the terrace, perfect also for a pause for coffee. The use of the natural materials - wood, stone, slate etc, inspire a feeling of warmth and comfort. And for that perfect relaxation the hotel is directly connected to the Sensoria Spa centre. Not need to go outside to immerse yourself in their soothing warm waters, take a massage or a session in the gym. Your hotel has 65 bedrooms (including 3 for persons with reduced mobility), a restaurant, bar with open fire, 4 meeting rooms, a terrace. Day 2: Your 3 star Logis hotel Your 3 star Logis hotel is located in Gedre, the village from which the three prestigious 'Cirques' of Gavarnie, Troumouse and Estaube are reached. From the terrace there is a splendid view over the Breche de Roland. You are at the entry point to the National Park and the World Heritage site of 'Pyrenees, Mont Perdu, land of Cirques and Canyons'. Your hosts, Odile and Philippe offer a very warm welcome in their family run hotel, the building dates from the 17th century. Their restaurant proposes a range of typically Pyrenean dishes such as Garbure, Porc Noir de Bigorre, AOC Bareges Gavarnie lamb, the surprising Gateau a la Broche. A festival of flavours to be enjoyed with a glass or two of Madiran or Pacherenc... Your hotel has 25 bedrooms (with 3 offering disabled access), a restaurant, bar, lounge, a panoramic terrace. Your double bedroom has 160 cms double bed, bathroom with toilet, hair-dryer, telephone, LED TV. Day 3: Your 3 star Clévacances guest house Constructed towards the end of the 19th century this villa is in the centre of Lourdes with a magnificent setting, and a clear view over the sanctuaries and the castle, and with the Pyrenees as a back-drop. It is close to all the shops and cafes, you can reach the town quickly on foot. The guest house is particularly comfortable with home cinema TV, DVD, video games, a library and a piano. There two terraces with garden furniture, private parking for 4 cars. Your guest house has 4 spacious bedrooms overlooking the town of Lourdes with a view over the sanctuaries and the castle. Your Aspin bedroom, on the first floor of the villa (no lift), spacious, has a south-facing balcony with a view over the sanctuaries and the Pyrenees. It has a 180 cms double bed. The bathroom has an Italian style shower and a bath, the stained glass window comes from an ancient chapel. Separate toilet. Air conditioning, wi-fi, tea and coffee making facilities. Where? The Pic du Midi cable-car, easy access to the highest summits! Take the Pic du Midi cable car for a spectacular voyage to the summit at 2877 metres, where 600 m2 of viewing terraces await, marvel at the 360 degree panorama over the whole of the Pyrenees, the plains of the south west and even the Massif Central. The Pic du Midi also houses a famous astronomical observatory, a star museum (the highest museum in Europe) which explains the history of this exceptional site and the exploration of the universe. The Pic du Midi cable-car, easy access to the highest summits! Access to the summit is by cable car. From La Mongie the ascension takes 15 minutes. During the ascent the countryside will reveal its secrets little by little. At the summit the magnificent viewing terraces offer an exceptional panorama. Visit to the highest Museum in Europe. Since 1880 has been an important stellar observatory. The museum retraces the human history from the construction of the observatory to its work, the stars, the sun, the milky way… The Cirque de Gavarnie, a World Heritage site The most famous and the most spectacular natural cirque... 50 million years ago in the Pyrenees water and glacial erosion created a number of natural ‘cirques’ with a remarkable perfection. Gavarnie is the most famous and the most spectacular. With 16 summits of over 3000 metres and the highest waterfall in Europe it possesses a magnificent beauty. The natural spectacle it offers is remarkable. This once hidden area «resembles nothing that is found anywhere else» wrote Victor Hugo. Adjoining the great canyons of Aragon in Spain it is part of the «Gavarnie - Mont Perdu» World Heritage site. The Cirque de Gavarnie, a World Heritage site Access to the Cirque de Gavarnie. Classed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site Gavarnie is the most famous natural arena in the world. From Gavarnie village the view to the Cirque is breathtaking. An easy footpath which can be followed on foot or horseback leads to the Hotellerie at the Cirque, at the foot of the walls which reach over 3000m and close to the Grande Cascade, the waterfall has a drop of 432 metres. Access to the Cirque de Troumouse. Gavarnie’s neighbour, adjoining Mont Perdu, Troumouse is equally a UNESCO World Heritage site. Having a diameter of 6 km Troumouse is the largest. The statue of the virgin which dominates the Cirque offers an easy walk and gives a fine perspective over the Cirque. Visit to Millaris. The Cirques Information centre. This information centre and museum offers a complete panoramic history of the glaciated Cirques of Gavarnie, Troumouse and Estaubé : a discovery of mythical landscapes, the importance of water, agriculture, pastoralism, and also the World Heritage Sites. Cauterets and Pont d'Espagne : at the heart of the Pyrenees National Park From the village of Cauterets a number of very pleasant footpaths offer the visitor the possibility of escaping into the middle of a remarkable natural world - dense forests, waterfalls, rushing streams, mountain lakes, flower filled meadows. There is much flora and fauna to be observed, look out for the Isard, which is heavily protected here. Despite its distance from the Spanish border Pont d’Espagne owes its name to the fact that it is on an ancient mule route across the border. It is a remarkable site of a great natural beauty and is one of the most visited in the Pyrenees. Cauterets and Pont d'Espagne : at the heart of the Pyrenees National Park Access to Pont d’Espagne. Access is by a good road from Cauterets with ample parking.