Day 2: Gavarnie/Pic du Midi/Saint-Lary

A World Heritage site

Starting in the bustling, picturesque village, head for the end of the road where the cirque suddenly looms up in front of you. This is when you start to feel the thrill and run out of superlatives to describe it. The famous novelist, Victor Hugo, described it as ‘nature’s colosseum’. An easy and fascinating 30-minute walk, horse or donkey ride along a mountain stream (the Gave de Pau) and across the Courade plateau brings you to the viewpoint indicator at the cirque. Press on a bit further and you will reach the L’Hôtellerie du Cirque restaurant and bar. There you will find a superb view of the highest waterfall in France.

www.gavarnie.com

The Gavarnie cemetery

How can you not be moved by the graves of the great Pyrenean mountaineers buried here? Amongst them, the brothers Laurent and Hippolyte Passet, along with their sons Henri and of course Célestin who was born in 1845. Célestin Passet was the great hero of Pyrenean mountaineering. For more than thirty years he broke many records, culminating in the triumph of 7 August 1889, when he cut 1,300 steps into the ice in order to climb the formidable Couloir de Gaube - a feat that was not repeated for a further 44 years.

Gavarnie - next to the church.

The Pont Napoléon in Luz Saint Sauveur

After leaving Gavarnie, and before tackling the climb up to the famous Tourmalet pass, pause for a while in Luz-Saint-Sauveur, where routes to the most famous Pyrenean sites meet. This village owes its many treasures to the Empress Eugénie, who started the fashion for thermal spa resorts. It was, however, on the orders of Napoleon II - who was taking a thermal cure at Luz-Saint-Sauveur with Empress Eugénie - that the bridge named after him was built in 1860. It is at the edge of the village on the road from Gavarnie. This spectacular structure consists of a single arch with a span of 47m and is located 66m above the deep gorge of the river Gave. It provides an unusual location for bungee-jumping fans.

A mythical summit

After climbing for 19 km (12 miles) you will reach the world-famous Col du Tourmalet pass - scene of the most epic climbs of the Tour de France. At an altitude of 2,115 metres, it is the highest road pass in the Pyrenees and an unparalleled viewpoint.

Selfie with the Giant

This three-metre-high statue of a cyclist ‘dancing on the pedals’ is nicknamed ‘Octave’ in honour of Octave Lapize, who, in 1910, was the first cyclist to cross the Col du Tourmalet. It is one of nine Tour de France sculptures that were originally located in the A64 motorway service area at the gateway to Hautes-Pyrenees. At the end of the autumn, the Géant is taken down to spend the winter in the valley. And on the first weekend of June there is a celebratory cycle ride to escort him back to the summit.

The most beautiful view in the world

The descent of the Col du Tourmalet pass zig-zags down the bare slopes as far as the resort of La Mongie. After just four kilometres (2½ miles), it is already time to stop at the station for the Pic du Midi cable car. Boarding the cable car is like getting on a giant fairground ride. After a spectacular voyage, you reach the summit of the Pic du Midi, which is at an altitude of nearly 3000 metres. Up here, on the huge viewing terraces you can contemplate the most beautiful view in the Pyrenees - the site is listed for its stunning scenery. You will be able to see peaks stretching out across 300 km and it has the clearest view of the stars in Europe.

The Payolle lake

After the bare, rock-strewn slopes of the summit, the road from Le Tourmalet descends to the green meadows of the Campan valley. At Sainte-Marie-de-Campan, bear right towards the Lac de Payolle and the Col d’Aspin.

Nestled in a hollow surrounded by fir trees, the Lac de Payolle is the perfect escape. This is prime grazing land, and you are bound to come across a family of cows at a bend in the path.

The Col d'Aspin

At the first bend as you climb towards the pass, you can see the old marble quarries. The green marble quarried here, which is veined with red, pink, black and white, was used at Versailles and the Paris opera house. After winding through a forest of tall firs you will reach the Col d’Aspin (1489m). Wilder, quieter, and also lower than its neighbouring passes, the Col d’Aspin offers a pleasant route that has what are probably the most extensive views. Its summit is a protected grazing area for cows and horses and there are no buildings. There is, however, a car park so you can stop and enjoy the superb views of the Pic du Midi, Arbizon and the Aure valley safely. The gentle slopes of the pass make it an ideal place for a gentle stroll along the ridges.

Leaving the car park, a panoramic walk along the Pla del Naou follows a ridge southwards and takes in views of the Aure and Campan valleys. To the north, footpaths lead to the Col de Beyrède and Signal de Bassia.

Evening and night in Saint-Lary

The Hautes-Pyrenees holiday shop proposes you a small selection of very favorite accommodations in Saint-Lary and surroundings. For more choices, contact directly the Shop to 05 62 56 70 00.

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Worth the detour

• Troumouse cirque

Leave Gavarnie on the D921 towards Gèdre. Just before the village, turn right on to the D922 towards the ‘Cirque de Troumouse’ in the Héas valley. The road leads straight to the Troumouse cirque. You will be amazed! Troumouseis something else - a Goliath among cirques, it is even bigger than Gavarnie. Ramond de Carbonnières, the famous 18th-century explorer, estimated that it could contain 10 million people! Another curiosity is the fact that the plain that stretches out in front of it is unusually flat. This makes it a paradise for marmots! After the popular Gavarnie and the immense Troumouse, it is time to go and see the isolated Estaubé cirque.

Leave Gavarnie on the D921 towards Gèdre. Just before the village, turn right on to the D922 towards the « Cirque de Troumouse ».

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