Gavarnie Valleys and Around Lourdes
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2021-2022 the Mag Gavarnie Valleys and around Lourdes Road trip ideas Family time Gastronomy, local — — produce and crafts routes that take it all in activities for — the whole family the craftsmen and their know-how Ne gardez pas les pieds sur terre * * Keep your feet off the ground * Keep your feet off the ground PARCTREETOP ACROBATIQUE ADVENTURE - PARK LE BOIS - PIRATE’S DES PIRATES WOOD TROTTINETTE - RAFTING - CANYONING SCOOTERS – RAFTING - CANYONING Le Mag Argelès-GazostArgelès-Gazost - /05 +33 62 (0)5 90 62 3790 37 65 65 - /www.chlorofil-parc.com www.chlorofil-parc.com Gavarnie Valleys PROTECTED AREAS Pyrenees national park Pibeste-Aoulhet Regional Nature Reserve Néouvielle Nature Reserve and around Lourdes 14 Natura 2000 sites UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE SUMMARY The 3 glacial cirques: Gavarnie, Troumouse, Estaubé TOP EXPERIENCES . p .4 VALLEYS . p .8 RICE • Gavarnie • Lourdes Starry Sky International Reserve • Cauterets • Barèges / Pic du Midi • Argelès-Gazost valley • Val d'Azun • Luz-Saint-Sauveur valley • Saint-Pé-de-Bigorre and Batsurguère HIGHEST POINT Family time, FUN AND LAUGHTER TOGETHER ! . p .24 Vignemale 3,298 m From Lourdes to Gavarnie . p .28 PUBLICATION BY TOP LAKE WALKS . p .30 Agence Touristique des Vallées de Gavarnie Terrasse Jacques Chancel PYRENEES NATIONAL PARK . p .32 15, place de la République 65400 Argelès-Gazost The valleys by bike . p .34 [email protected] EDITORIAL WELL-BEING AND THERMAL spas . p .36 OT de Saint-Pé-de-Bigorre , OT de Lourdes, Béatrice Duthu – OT Cauterets, Heritage as the crow flies . p .38 Nadège Imbert & Marion Lavit – OT Luz- Saint-Sauveur, Mélanie Mengarduque - Vallées de Gavarnie, Céline Ringeval, GASTRONOMY, LOCAL PRODUCE AND CRAFTS . p .42 Château fort – Musée Pyrénéen Lourdes. Road trips . p .46 GRAPHIC DESIGN / ILLUSTRATION David Toiser / winter pleasures . .. p .50 PRINTING RSI Summer at the rhythm of the valleys . p .54 CREDITS Meet us . p .55 ©Antoine Garcia, ©Office de Tourisme de St Pé-de-Bigorre, ©Envergure spéléo, ©Zoomphoto/Luz Aventure , ©Nadège Imbert, ©A.Epelde/Ziklo, ©Elite, ©Pierre Meyer, ©Maison du parc national et de la vallée, ©Office de Tourisme de Luz, ©Pierre Babot, © P. Vincent - OT Lourdes ©Collection Musée pyrénéen © OT de Cauterets - Matthieu Pinaud Le Mag & Morgane Beaugé TOP EXPERIENCES 1 – Fat Bike Suitable on all types of terrain, the Fat Bike is a bike with oversized wheels, which affords rock-solid stability for optimal road comfort. There are sensational rides in the heart of a rich and wild area. Be it with family or friends, alone or with a guide, you can discover new ways to explore the valleys! So get on your bike, let’s go! In winter, ride the ski slopes at the very end of the day in the skiing resorts of the valley. LUZ BIKES PYRÉNÉES TOP+33 (0) 7 67 99 72 10 - www.luz-bikes-pyrenees.com 2 – Meet the animals Marmots, bears, wolves, foxes and other large raptors are the emble- matic animals of the Pyrenees. Now you can meet them in animal parks where they live in a semi-wild environment. Be it on a supervised guided tour or at a meeting point with an animal keeper in the Pyrenees National Park. This is an experience not to be missed! PARC ANIMALIER DES PYRÉNÉES - Argelès- Discover also the farm animals : Gazost LA FERME DU BON’AIR - Lourdes +33(0)5 62 97 91 07 +33(0)6 74 68 09 25 www.parc-animalier-pyrenees.com www.lafermedubonair.fr DONJON DES AIGLES - Beaucens LA FERME DES CASCADES - Sazos +33(0)5 62 97 19 59 +33(0)6 18 90 29 59 www.donjon-des-aigles.com fermedescascades.fr LA TRUITE DES PYRÉNÉES - Lau Balagnas LA FERME CAZAUX - Arrens-Marsous +33(0)5 62 97 02 05 +33(0)6 74 91 25 32 www.latruitedespyrenees.fr www.fromage-des-pyrenees.fr LE PARC NATIONAL DES PYRÉNÉES More information on guided walks to meet the www.pyrenees-parcnational.fr marmots - see Local Tourist Offices EXPERIENCES4 TOP EXPERIENCES 3 – Cirque and amphitheatre 4 – Speleology - The theatre is an awe- inspiring sight to discover time and time again in its high mountain setting. Every summer, a high altitude theatre Discover the underground valley festival - a unique artistic experience – takes place in the heart of the Beneath your feet is a world of treasures! The Saint-Pé-de-Bigorre fabulous Cirque de Gavarnie, at the gateway to the Pyrenees National range has over 1500 caves. Why not try your first underground trip Park! Spectators are captivated by the players whilst being spellbound here? Speleology is an adventure accessible to everyone (children from by the natural cirque which is lit up with fabulous colours at dusk. 6 years). It can also be practised all year round (an assured temperature of 13 degrees!), Even on a rainy day. The underground environment is This summer, the Gavarnie Festival will be showing “Alice on the other full of natural fairy tale curiosities: vast rooms, galleries, stalactites, side of the wonders” every evening from July 24th to August the 3rd underground rivers. Follow in the footsteps of prehistoric animals and 2021. After a 30 minute walk, spectators arrive at Plateau de la Courade hunters who ventured here over 150,000 years ago. Guides will teach at a height of 1500m, a huge open-air stage! Unique and unforgettable. you the art of underground movement: walking, climbing, crawling Access is on foot only, ca. 30 minutes from Gavarnie village. Return by torchlight in the shadow of and sliding ... you will be amazed fellow festival-goers. Bring warm clothes and a flashlight. More info: www.valleesdegavarnie.com Info and list of guides available at the Saint-Pé-de-Bigorre Tourist Office or in one of Gavarnie TOP Valleys’ information point. www.saintpedebigorre-tourisme.com and www.valleesdegavarnie.com 5 – Take the plunge Do you know how to let go? The feeling of no In an instant your mind becomes clear and BUREAU DES GUIDES DE LUZ - Luz-Saint-Sauveur Valley +33 (0) 5 62 92 87 28 - www.guides-luz.com longer controlling anything, of feeling free as a the adrenaline kicks in. It’s a great way to bird and completely letting go ... Well, bungee challenge yourself and an excellent stress re- ELASTIC CROCODILE BUNGEE - Luz-Saint-Sauveur Valley +33 (0) 6 72 59 46 45 - www. saut-elastique-pont-napoleon.fr jumping is exactly that: a leap into the void in lease. So… will you be able to take the plunge? LUZ AVENTURE SAUT À L'ÉLASTIQUE - Luz-Saint-Sauveur Valley an exceptional setting! +33 (0) 5 62 92 33 47 - www.luz-aventure.com - www.luztyroline.co EXPERIENCES5 6 – Join the Torchlight Procession Much more than a spiritual experience, the Marian torchlight proces- Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes. A city highlight that is entrenched sion in Lourdes is an unmissable event in the local area. It is above all in the history of the city and its inhabitants. an opportunity to take part in the local life of Lourdes and its cultural Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes open all year round heritage. Every evening from April to October at 21.00, thousands www.lourdes-infotourisme.com gather with their torches (candlelit) in hand on the esplanade of the TOP 7 – Spend a night in a mountain 8 – Up close and personal at the refuge and admire the starlit Pic du Midi 2,877 m above sea level, there are few places like this where you can sky effortlessly reach this altitude and experience stepping into the void. On your own, as a couple or with the children, a night in a mountain A 12 metre long footbridge invites you to literally walk in the air and refuge is a magnificent experience. Admire the Milky Way at its purest enjoy an exceptional panoramic view of the Franco-Spanish Massif. with very little light pollution and feel the infinity of the universe. From Accessible by cable car from La Mongie. Open all year round. high mountain huts to refuges all accessible with children within 1.5 www.picdumidi.com hours, this experience is open to everyone. Accessible refuges with custodians: Estom, Oulettes (Cauterets), Les Espuguettes (Gavarnie), Glère (Barèges). Reservations must be made by telephone. Consult the list of mountain refuges on www.pyrenees.refuges-montagnes.fr EXPERIENCES6 9 – Glide over the Pyrenees The Pyrenees are alive and can be felt ... Leave the terra firma behind as you are taken to the sky by paraglider and escape for an expedition with your head in the clouds. Up there, between the sky and the summits, the sun’s rays touch your face, the pure and fresh air keeps you afloat: like an eagle, you see the world from above. Light as a feather you are guided by your instructor who shows you the local area and its hidden treasures. Once back on to the ground, follow your lifeline as the Via Ferrata takes you between rocks and zip lines and transports you to the most beautiful corners of the Valleys. You are at one with the rock faces and feel their energy, this mineral force is with you throughout this adventure in the heart of the mountains. Paragliding Via Ferratas: (activity also available in winter) : COUMÉLY (free access) À BOUT D'AILE COMME UN OISEAU www.valleesdegavarnie.com - +33 (0)5 62 97 47 63 + 33 (0) 5 62 92 49 10 AIR AVENTURE PYRÉNÉES LES ALIAS CAUTERETS +33 (0)6 81 50 86 50– www.ecole-parapente- ww.viaferratacauterets.com TOPpyrenees.com +33 (0) 6 80 96 17 32 BUREAU DES GUIDES PONT NAPOLÉON - www.luz.org +33 (0)5 62 92 87 28 – www.guides-de-luz.fr +33 (0) 5 62 92 30 30 (free access) DIDIER THEIL Accompanying persons : +33 (0)6 08 17 63 34 BUREAU DES GUIDES DE GAVARNIE-GEDRE www.