INTRODUCTION TO THE PYRENEES
Basque-speaking, wet and green in the west; craggy, snowy, Gascon-influenced in the middle; dry, Mediterranean and Catalan-speaking in the east – the Pyrenees are physically beautiful, culturally varied and less developed than the Alps. The whole range is marvellous walkers’ country, especially the central region around the Parc National des Pyrénées, with its 3000-metre-high peaks, streams, forests and wildlife. If you’re a committed hiker, it’s possible to traverse these mountains, usually from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, along the GR10.
As for the more conventional tourist attractions, the Côte Basque – peppered with fun-loving towns like Bayonne and Biarritz – is lovely, sandy but very popular, and suffers from seaside sprawl and a surfeit of caravan-colonized campsites. The foothill towns are on the whole rather dull, although Pau merits at least a day, while monstrously kitsch Lourdes has to be seen whether you’re a devout pilgrim or not. Roussillon in the east, focused on busy Perpignan, has beaches every bit as popular as those of the Côte Basque, some nestled into the compact coves of its southern rocky coast, while its interior consists of craggy terrain split by spectacular canyons and sprouting a crop of fine Romanesque abbeys and churches – St-Michel-de-Cuixà, St-Martin-de-Canigou and Serrabona being the most dramatic – and a landscape bathed in Mediterranean light. Finally, the sun-drenched foothills just to the northwest harbour the famous Cathar castles, legacies of the once-independent and ever-rebellious inhabitants of southwestern Languedoc.
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SURF’S UP, BIARRITZ
Highlights
1 Surfing the Côte Basque Catch a wave at Biarritz Europe’s top destination for both boogie-boarders and classic surfers.
2 Cauterets Several lake-spangled valleys above this agreeable spa offer superb trekking, whether modest day-loops or more ambitious multi-day traverses.
3 The Cirque de Gavarnie A vast alpine amphitheatre with wind-blown cascades and traces of glacier.
4 Niaux cave The upper Ariège valley hosts a cluster of prehistoric caves painted by Cro-Magnon humans over 10,000 years ago; Niaux contains the best preserved and most vivid of these images.
5 Cathar castles The imposing castles of the upper Aude and Corbières region testify to southwestern Languedoc’s era of independence.
6 Musée d’Art Moderne, Ceret An astonishing collection of paintings from the prime movers of the early twentieth-century avant-garde.
7 Petit Train Jaune Rumble up the dramatic Têt valley of Roussillon in an open-car, narrow-gauge train.
For details on getting to the Pyrenees and travelling across the rest of France, as well as information on entry requirements and currency, plus travelling with children, national holidays and sport, turn to the France Basics section.
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THE PAYS BASQUE
The three Basque provinces – Labourd (Lapurdi), Basse Navarre (Behe Nafarroa) and Soule (Zuberoa) – share with their Spanish neighbours a common language – Euskera – and a strong sense of identity. The language is widely spoken, and Basques refer to their country as Euskal-herri (or, across the border in Spain, Euskadi). You’ll see bilingual French/Euskera toponym signage and posters throughout the region (sometimes only in Euskera), so in this section we have given the Euskera for all locations in brackets after the French.
Apart from the language and the traditional broad beret, the most obvious manifestations of Basque national identity are the ubiquitous trinquets (enclosed) or frontons (open) concrete courts in which the national game of pelota is played. Pairs of players wallop a hard leather-covered ball, either with their bare hands or a long basket-work extension of the hand called a chistera (in the variation known as cesta punta), against a high wall blocking one end of the court. It’s extraordinarily dangerous – the ball travels at speeds of up to 200kph – and knockouts or worse are not uncommon.
The Côte Basque
Barely 30km long from the Spanish frontier to the mouth of the Adour, the Basque coast is made up of scattered rocky outcrops and beautiful sandy beaches. Most surfers head for Biarritz, Hendaye (near the border) or Anglet (just north of Biarritz) which all offer surf hire and schooling. Reasonably priced accommodation is not difficult to find – except from mid-July and throughout August, when space should be reserved at least six weeks in advance.
Biarritz
Up until the 1950s, BIARRITZ (Miarritze) was the Monte-Carlo of the Atlantic coast, transformed by Napoléon III during the mid-nineteenth century into a playground for monarchs, aristos and glitterati. With the 1960s rise of the Côte d’Azur, however, the place went into seemingly terminal decline, despite having been discovered by the first surfers in 1957. But from the early 1990s, Biarritz was rediscovered by Parisian yuppies, a new generation of the international surfing fraternity and a slightly alternative family clientele, who together have put the place back on the map.
The focus of Biarritz is the Casino Municipal, just behind the Grande Plage, now restored to its 1930s grandeur, while inland the town forms a surprisingly amorphous, workaday sprawl, where you’ll find fancy shops and restaurants on main drags and cosier eateries light up the otherwise tenebrous side streets after sundown.
The halles, divided into a seafood wing and a produce, cheese and ham division, is friendly and photogenic, the streets around it lined with places to eat and drink. To the west, place de l’Atalaye, high above the port and named for a nearby whalers’ lookout tower, is fringed by elegant mansions; just below, characterful if touristy rue du Port-Vieux leads down to its namesake beach.
Musée Asiatica
1 rue Guy-Petit • Daily 2–6.30pm; July & Aug
plus school holidays Mon–Fri 10.30am–6.30pm, Sat & Sun 2–6.30pm
• €10 • 
05 59 22 78 79, 
museeasiatica.com
Exhibiting the private collection of Chinese, Indian and Tibetan art specialist Michel Postel, the atmospherically presented Musée Asiatica holds eastern riches, including medieval jades, textiles and religious icons.
Musée Historique de Biarritz
Rue Broquedis • Sept–June Tues–Sat 10am–12.30pm
& 2–6.30pm; July & Aug Tues–Sat 10.30am–1pm &
2.30–6.30pm • €4 • 05 59 24 86 28, musee-historique-biarritz.fr
Sited in a former Anglican church, the volunteer-run Musée Historique de Biarritz holds a smallish collection of photos, clothing and other artefacts that trace the town’s fortunes from its beginnings as a medieval whaling station to its belle époque heyday.
Musée de la Mer
Plateau Atalaye • Nov–March Tues–Sun 9.30am–7pm,
April–June & Sept–Oct daily 9.30am–8pm, July & Aug daily
9.30am–midnight • €14.50 • 05 59 22 75 40, aquariumbiarritz.com
The Musée de la Mer is one of Europe’s great aquarium collections, based on the life found throughout the course of the Gulf Stream from the Caribbean to the Bay of Biscay and beyond. The many tanks offer spectacular sub-aquatic views of deep sea, mangrove and coral habitats where you’ll come face to face with hammerhead sharks, rays, turtles and seals as well as pretty, multicoloured coral fish and the less pretty but decidedly more interesting moray eels.
BIARRITZ BEACHES
Of Biarritz’s six beaches, three are surfable, although in summer months and especially at weekends there’s not always a lot of space in the water. Parking is near impossible at any time of the year, let alone summer, so consider taking the free navette service.
Grande Plage is the legendary beach on which to show off your board and suntan; it’s sited on the north edge of the old town by the famous casino. With its golden sand, beautiful views and famous backdrop, people descend here in their droves in order to see and be seen. Consequently restrictions on the number of bathers and surfers come into force at busier times. Plage Miramar, extending northeast of Grande Plage, offers more space but deadly currents so there’s no surfing here. Plage Marbella and Plage de la Côte des Basques, south of the rocky outcrop, have two clear kilometres of sand and surf although the latter loses its sandy beach at high tide leaving perilous rocks to circumnavigate on the way back to land. A number of surf schools and board-hire companies can be found at the north end near the old town.
Plage du Port-Vieux, a petite little cove beach in the old town that has gentle waves, and Plage Milady, on the southern edge of town, are ideal for non-surfing beachgoers and families. The latter has better parking provisions and a playground although the waves can still be pretty choppy.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: BIARRITZ
By plane Biarritz airport sits 4km inland from the town centre, just off the D810. Bus #14 from the airport heads into Biarritz. Flights are mostly domestic although a few no-frills routes exist to and from Ireland and England.
By train The gare SNCF is 4km southeast of the centre at the end of avenue Foch/avenue Kennedy in the quartier known as La Négresse (take bus A1 to or from square d’Ixelles).
Destinations Bordeaux (hourly; 2hr 15min); Hendaye (hourly; 35min); Irún (1 to 3 daily; 45min).
By bus There are no long-distance bus routes serving Biarritz but buses for local destinations Anglet (bus #10) and Bayonne (buses A1 & A2) can be picked up from avenues Edouard VII and Louis Barthou respectively, beside the tourist office.
Public transport There are two free shuttle buses (navettes): one makes a city centre circuit and another goes to the plage de la Côte des Basques – both can be boarded at av de Londres.
INFORMATION
Tourist office Situated just inland from Grande Plage on Square d’Ixelles
(daily: April to mid-June & mid-Sept to mid-Oct Mon–Fri
9am–6pm, Sat & Sun 10am–5pm; mid-June to end June &
early Sept Mon–Fri 9am–7pm, Sat & Sun 10am–6pm; July
& Aug 9am–7pm; mid-Oct to March Mon–Fri 9am–6pm, Sat
10am–noon & 2–5pm, Sun 10am–1pm; 05 59 22 37
00, biarritz.fr).
Bicycle and scooter rental Solibo at 24 rue Peyroloubilh (05 59 24 94
47, sobilo-scooters.com) offers bicycles for €20 a
day.
Surf rental and surf lessons There are numerous surf schools in Biarritz all offering
the same thing for the same price. Expect to pay €18 a day
to hire a surfboard or bodyboard plus €12 for a wetsuit. If
it’s your first time, note that 90min group lessons cost €35
each. Kids can also learn (from aged seven and up provided
they can swim) for €35 a lesson. To surf on Plage de la Côte des
Basques head down to the shorefront and pick
from any of the surf-hire tents that are just past the
restaurants on bd du Prince de Galles. To book ahead try La
Vague Basque, bd du Prince de Galles (06 62 76 17
32, vaguebasque.fr). To surf on Grande Plage go to Plums surf school on rue Gardères
(05 59 24 10 79, touradour.com/shops/plums).
ACCOMMODATION
Alcyon 8 rue Maison-Suisse 05 59 22
64 60, hotel-alcyon-biarritz.com. A modern
four-star establishment in a listed nineteenth-century
building a short stroll from Grande Plage. The moderately
spacious rooms are impeccably clean and come with bathrooms
and balconies. Unfortunately, the hotel offers no parking
but staff can point you to possible parking spots. €120
Biarritz Camping 28 rte d’Harcet 05 59 23
0012, biarritz-camping.fr. 1km behind
plage de la Milady and 3km south of town, this reasonably
basic campsite is the nearest to Biarritz, with a small
pool, play park and shop; 10min walk to the beach. Also
indoor accommodation (bungalow huts and static homes)
available for four to six people. Early April to Sept.
Camping €36, bungalow huts
(weekly) €675
De La Marine 1 rue des Goélands 05 59 24
34 09, hotel-lamarine-biarritz.com. The
best-value budget option in town offers a warm reception and
has an ideal location near the old port. All rooms come with
en-suite facilities but can get a tad noisy thanks to the
hotel’s brasserie/pub downstairs. €60
Surf Hostel Biarritz 27 av de Migron 06 63 34 27
45, surfhostelbiarritz.com. The hippest
hostel on the west coast, with bikes, boards and a hearty
breakfast all included in the price. Its Achilles heel is
that it’s a bit out of the way; however hostel shuttle buses
run to and from the surf as well as the train station and
airport. Booking essential. €38
Villa le Goeland 12 rue Grande Atalaye 05 59
24 25 76, villagoeland-biarritz.com. This
eighteenth-century turreted manor house stands tall in the
heart of the old port and has 180-degree views over the Bay
of Biscay. Rooms are elegant and spacious with antique
furniture, parquet floors and sumptuous bathroom suites. The
pricier rooms have their own private terrace with
jaw-dropping views. Private parking available. €170
EATING, DRINKING AND NIGHTLIFE
L’Atelier 18 rue de la Bergerie 05 59
22 09 37, latelierbiarritz.com. This slightly
upmarket restaurant, with its first Michelin star recently
bagged, serves fish and meat enhanced by fancy
accompaniments like quinoasotto (risotto made from quinoa)
and chanterelles or peppermint and pink grapefruit mousse.
Finish up with the dessert trio of mango mousse, exotic
fruits and spicy mango ice cream. Menus start at €35 (three courses) for lunch
rising to €110 (five courses including wine) for the tasting
menu. Tues–Sat 12.15–1.30pm & 7.15–10pm.
Bar Jean 5 rue des Halles 05 59 24 80
38, barjean-biarritz.fr. Not to be
confused with Café Jean on the
same street, this semi-subterranean tapas bar serves
creative bites and seafood meals to a lively clientele into
the wee small hours. Noisy, yet intimate, and with a lengthy
list of fine Riojas, this is the perfect place to pass an
evening. Tapas around €3.50, paella €20. Daily 9am–3pm & 6.30pm–1.30am;
Oct–May closed Tues & Wed; closed Jan.
Chez Ospi 6 rue Jean Bart 05 59 24 64
98, chezospi.com. Unpretentious
backstreet restaurant providing an imaginative melding of
nouvelle and vieille cuisine in a
tasteful modern environment. Start with langoustines served
with a kaffir-leaf-infused avocado mousse (€14), then move
onto the scallops with pesto, roast veg and saffron cream
(€23). Lunch menus cost €16 for
two courses or treat yourself to the five-course tasting
menu at €49. Fri–Mon noon–2pm & 7.30–10.30pm;
Thurs 7.30–10.30pm.
Miremont Patissier Place Clémenceau 05 59 24 01
38, miremont-biarritz.fr. Established in
1872, Miremont still sets the
standard in patisserie arts. The cakes (ranging from
€2.50–7.50) that greet you as you enter this opulent
boutique-cum-tearoom-cum-restaurant are devastatingly
pretty, such as their Beret Rouge, a white chocolate mousse
covered with raspberry paste. The café-restaurant through
the back has nice sea views if you can take your eyes off
your cake. Daily 9am–8pm.
Le Surfing Plage de Côte des Basques, 9 bd
Prince de Galles 05 59 24 78 72, lesurfing.fr. A sea-view shrine to the
sport positioned near the water’s edge, this place is
festooned with antique surfboards and serves tasty grilled
fish from €18 and a wide selection of unusually creative
vegetarian dishes like ratatouille crumble for €16. Wed–Sun 9am–2.30pm &
7.30–10.30pm.
La Table d’Aranda 87 av de la Marme 05 59 22 16
04, tabledaranda.fr. Basque slow food
restaurant a 10min walk from the centre. First appearances
are deceptive, with the tacky flashing neon sign and dated
exterior, but all is forgiven when the top-quality food
arrives – usually starting with an amuse-bouche. Hearty yet
refined country cuisine is offered, such as delicious white
truffles broken over locally sourced beef with a port
reduction (€23). Menus start at
€15 for two plates. Daily
noon–1.45pm & 7.45–9.45pm; Sept–June closed Sun
& Mon.
BASQUE COUNTRY CUISINE
Although Basque cooking shares many of the dishes of the southwest and the central Pyrenees – in particular garbure, a thick potato, carrot, bean, cabbage and turnip soup enlivened with pieces of pork, ham or duck – it does have distinctive recipes. One of the best known is the Basque omelette, pipérade, made with tomatoes, peppers and often Bayonne ham, and actually more like scrambled eggs. Another delicacy is sweet red peppers, or piquillos, stuffed whole with morue (salt cod). Poulet basquaise is also common, especially as takeaway food: pieces of chicken browned in pork fat and casseroled in a sauce of tomato, ground Espelette chillis, onions and a little white wine. In season there’s a chance of salmi de palombe, an onion-and-wine-based stew of wild doves netted or shot as they migrate north over the Pyrenees.
With the Atlantic adjacent, seafood is also a speciality. The Basques inevitably have their version of fish soup, called ttoro. Another great delicacy is elvers or piballes, caught as they come up the Atlantic rivers. Squid are common, served here as txiperons, either in their own ink, stuffed and baked or stewed with onion, tomato, peppers and garlic. All the locally caught fish – tuna (thon), sea bass (bor), sardines (sardines) and anchovies (anchois) – are regular favourites, too.
Cheeses mainly comprise the delicious ewe’s-milk tommes and gasna from the high pastures of the Pyrenees. Puddings include the Gâteau Basque, an almond-custard pie often garnished with preserved black cherries from Itxassou. As for alcohol, the only Basque AOC wine is the very drinkable Irouléguy – as red, white or rosé – while the local digestif liqueur is the potent green or yellow Izzara.
Spanish influences run deep here and in many of the bars you’ll find a tantalizing choice of pintxos – the Basque equivalent of tapas – comprising bite-sized snacks, often skewered, that offer an efficient way to sample a wider selection of regional produce.
Bayonne
BAYONNE (Baïona) stands back some 5km from the Atlantic, a position that until recently protected it from any real touristic exploitation. The city is effectively the economic and political capital of the Pays Basque and to the lay person, at least, its Basque flavour predominates, with tall half-timbered dwellings and woodwork painted in the traditional green and red.
Sitting astride the confluence of the River Ardour and the much smaller Nive, Bayonne is a small-scale, easily manageable city, at the hub of all major road and rail routes from the north and east. Although there are no great sights, it’s a pleasure to walk the narrow streets of the old town, which is still wrapped in the fortifications of Sébastien le Preste de Vauban, Louis XIV’s military engineer. West of the Nive in Grand Bayonne, the town’s fourteenth-century castle dominates. The oldest part, the Château-Vieux, is a genuine example of no-nonsense late medieval fortification. Just west lies the little Jardin Botanique, built on a bastion of the Vauban fortifications. Around the corner on magnolia-shaded place Pasteur is the Cathédrale Ste-Marie, with its twin towers and steeple rising with airy grace above the town, best viewed from within its own cloister.
The smartest, most commercial streets in town extend northeast from the cathedral: rue Thiers leading to the hôtel de ville, and rue de la Monnaie, leading into rue Port-Neuf, with its chocolate confiseries and restaurants. South and west of the cathedral, along rue des Faures and rue d’Espagne, there’s exemplary half-timbering and a bohemian, artsy-craftsy feel, where antique shops and rare-book dealers alternate with the odd bar or restaurant.
East of the cathedral, the Nive’s riverside quays are the city’s most picturesque focus, with their sixteenth-century arcaded houses across the Nive on the Petit Bayonne side.
Musée Basque
37 quai des Corsaires • April–June & Sept
Tues–Sun 10am–6.30pm; July & Aug daily 10am–6.30pm; Oct–March
Tues–Sun 10.30am–6pm • €6.50, free first Sun of each month •
05 59 59 08 98, musee-basque.com
Exhibits in the Musée Basque illustrate traditional Basque life using a collection of farm implements – solid-wheeled oxcarts, field rollers and the like, as well as makhilak (innocent-looking carved, wooden walking sticks with a concealed steel spear tip at one end, used by pilgrims and shepherds for self-protection). The seafaring gallery features a superb rudder handle carved as a sea monster, a wood-hulled fishing boat, and a model of Bayonne’s naval shipyards dating to 1805.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: BAYONNE
By plane Biarritz airport is 6km southwest of Bayonne. From the airport, either buses #14 or C (C is quicker) will take you into town.
By train The gare SNCF is just off place de la République on the north bank of the Adour.
Destinations Bordeaux (hourly; 2hr); Hendaye (every 10–30min; 35min); St-Jean-de-Luz (every 10–30min; 20min); Pau (6–11 daily; 1hr 20min).
By bus The gare routière for destinations in Béarn, Basse Navarre and Soule is next to the train station. For Biarritz take either #A1 or #A2 (every 10–20min Mon–Sat and every 50min on Sun).
INFORMATION
Tourist office 25 place des Basques (July & Aug Mon–Sat 9am–7pm, Sun
10am–1pm; Sept–June Mon–Fri 9am–6.30pm, Sat 10am–6pm;
08 20 42 64 64, bayonne-tourisme.com). Free bike hire is
available here, provided you bring ID and a credit card as a
security deposit.
ACCOMMODATION
Des Arceaux 26 rue Port-Neuf 05 59 59 15
53, hotel-arceaux.com. Comfortable hotel
with pastel-hued rooms furnished with an agreeable mishmash
of antique and faux-antique furniture. The ubiquitous
bolster pillows might leave you with a sore neck in the
morning, though. €70
Côte Basques 2 rue Maubec 05 59 55 10
21, hotel-cotebasque.fr. Tastefully
modernized hotel in a central if slightly noisy location
just across from the station. Family suites are available
for an extra €23. €75
EATING, DRINKING AND ENTERTAINMENT
The most popular areas for eating and drinking are along the right bank of the Nive or along quai Jauréguiberry on the Grand Bayonne side.
Auberge du Cheval Blanc 68 rue Bourg-Neuf, Petit Bayonne
05 59 59 01 33, cheval-blanc-bayonne.com. Housed in
a pretty eighteenth-century timber house on a side street,
this unassuming restaurant, specializing in seafood, has
recently reclaimed Bayonne’s only Michelin star. While the
menu lacks some of the complexity of typical fine dining,
the flavour combinations are inventive and successful. Try
their scallops with Jerusalem artichokes and hazelnut cream.
Weekday menus €24, weekend from
€45. Daily noon–1.30pm &
7.45–9.30pm; closed Sat noon, Sun eve, Mon & first
week of July.
Le Chistera 42 rue Port-Neuf, Grand Bayonne
05 59 59 25 93, lechistera.com. The best option out
of a row of three similar restaurants under the arcades
here, offering fish soup, Basque chicken and pipérade. The €15.80 three-course menu
culminating with home-made desserts is good value. Closed all Mon plus Tues & Wed eves
except July & Aug.
Chocolat Cazenave 19 Arceaux Port-Neuf, Grand Bayonne
05 59 59 03 16, chocolats-bayonne-cazenave.fr. The
local chocolate tradition is duly honoured with a handful of
chocolatiers on, or around, this street. This, the most
famous one, serves frothy chocolate beverages in flowery
porcelain teacups at tables under the arcade or in its Art
Nouveau interior. Tues–Sat
9.15am–noon & 2–7pm.
La Karafe 25 quai Jaureguiberry 05 59
25 69 26, lakarafe.fr. If you’ve acquired a taste
for pintxos (tapas) then this
cheap and lively wine bar is the place to go. For around €3
a pintxo you can sample local
sheep cheese, chorizo and magret de canard or for €5.90 try
the mini skewered burgers. Glasses of wine range from €2.50
up to €9 for a glass of Champagne Rosé. Mon–Sat 6pm–late, Fri & Sat
noon–2.30pm.
A Table 27 quai Admiral Dubourdieu 05
59 56 79 22, restaurant-a-table-bayonne.fr.
Service comes with a smile at this petite waterfront
restaurant serving creative regional dishes made from fresh
locally sourced ingredients. Leave room for the pain perdu if you can. Lunch menu is €12 for two courses and coffee
or add an extra course for €3. Tues–Sat noon–2pm & 7.30–10pm.
St-Jean-de-Luz
With its fine sandy bay – the most protected of the Basque beaches – and magnificent old quarter speckled with half-timbered mansions, ST-JEAN-DE-LUZ (Donibane Lohitzun) remains the most attractive resort on the Basque coast, despite being fairly overrun by holidaying families in peak season. As the only natural harbour between Arcachon and Spain, it has long been a major port, with whaling and cod-fishing the traditional occupations of its fleets. Even now, St-Jean remains one of France’s busiest fisheries, and the principal one for landing anchovy and tuna.
Maison Louis XIV
6 place Louis XIV • Guided visits only (35min):
June & Sept 11am, 3pm, 4pm, 5pm; July & Aug Wed–Mon
10.30am–12.30pm & 2.30–6.30pm; also open during some public
holidays • €6 • 05 59 26 27 58, www.maison-louis-xiv.fr
The wealth and vigour of St-Jean’s seafaring and mercantile past is evident in surviving seventeenth- and eighteenth-century townhouses. One of the finest, adjacent to the hôtel de ville on plane-tree-studded place Louis-XIV, is the turreted Maison Louis XIV, built for the Lohobiague family in 1635, but renamed after the young King Louis stayed here for a month in 1660 during the preparations for his marriage to Maria Teresa, Infanta of Castile.
The church of St-Jean-Baptiste
Rue Gambetta • Mon–Fri 8.30am–noon & 2–6.30pm,
Sat 8.30am–noon & 2–7.30pm, Sun 8am–noon & 3–7.30pm • Free •
05 59 26 08 81
King Louis’ wedding took place in the church of St-Jean-Baptiste on pedestrianized rue Gambetta, the main shopping-and-tourism street today. The door through which they left the church – right of the existing entrance – has been sealed up ever since. Even without this curiosity, the church deserves a look inside: the largest French Basque church, it has a barn-like nave roofed in wood and lined on three sides with tiers of dark oak galleries accessed by wrought-iron stairways. The galleries, a distinctive feature of Basque churches, were reserved for the men, while the women sat at ground level. Equally Basque is the elaborate gilded retable of tiered angels, saints and prophets behind the altar. Hanging from the ceiling is an ex voto model of the Empress Eugénie’s paddle steamer, the Eagle, which narrowly escaped being wrecked outside St-Jean in 1867.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION: ST-JEAN-DE-LUZ
By train St-Jean’s gare SNCF is on av de Verdun on the southern edge of the town centre, 500m from the beach.
Destinations Bayonne (every 10–30min; 20min); Biarritz (every 10–30min; 12min); Hendaye (every 10–30min; 10min).
By bus Buses arrive at the halte routière diagonally opposite the trains.
Destinations Bayonne (10 daily; 55min); Biarritz (12 daily; 25min); Hendaye (10 daily; 25min).
Tourist office 20 bd Victor Hugo (April–June & Sept Mon–Sat
9am–12.30pm & 2–7pm, Sun 10am–1pm; July & Aug
Mon–Sat 9am–7.30pm, Sun 10am–1pm & 3–7pm; Oct–March
Mon–Sat 9am–12.30pm & 1.30–6.30pm, Sun 10am–1pm;
05 59 26 03 16, saint-jean-de-luz.com).
ACCOMMODATION
Les Goëlands 4–6 av d’Etcheverry 05 59 26
10 05, hotel-lesgoelands.com. Consists of
two belle époque villas 300m from
the beach and old town, with jazzy interiors and en-suites
plus some rooms with balconies and sea views. If you’ve got
kids and a large budget opt for the “Family connecting
rooms” (from €149–166). There’s also a restaurant and
well-tended gardens to relax in. Free parking. Easter–Oct.
€123
Kapa Gorry 9 rue Paul Gelos 05 59 26 04
93, hotel-kapa-gorry.com. A good budget
option near the northern edge of the beach and 500m from the
centre. The rooms are clean if a little unhomely. Downstairs
there is a reading room, dining room and terrace where a
simple breakfast can be taken (€6.50). €79
La Marisa 16 rue Sopite 05 59 26 95
46, hotel-lamarisa.com. A stone’s throw
or two from the beach within the old town, this hotel oozes
charm and eccentricity, with its wood panelling and antique
furniture complementing the seafaring artwork. There is a
well-stocked reading/common room and rear garden to relax
in. Closed mid-Dec to mid-Feb. €116
EATING AND DRINKING
Le Brouillarta 48 Prom Jacques Thibaud 05 59
51 29 51, restaurant-lebrouillarta.com. For a
sea view try this fishy restaurant across the road from the
middle section of the beach. The food here is rustic yet
refined, using high-quality, fresh ingredients and a dose of
creative flair. Three-course menus
range from €22 (weekday lunch menu
that must include the €14 plat du
jour) to €35 (all other times). Mon & Thurs–Sun 12.30–2pm &
7.30–10pm.
Le Kaiku 17 rue de la République 05 59
26 13 20, kaiku.fr. Basque/French cuisine
romantically served in a lovely medieval old stone and
timber building yards from the beach. Seafood features
heavily on the menu while meat enthusiasts should opt for
roasted Kintoa (a Basque breed of pig) served with gingered
pak choi. Vegetarians are usually accommodated for with
mainstays like aubergine and mushroom risotto. Menus range from €29 to the gourmet
€64 with fancy amuse-bouches. Daily
12.30–2pm & 7.30–10pm.
Zoko Moko 6 rue Mazarin 05 59 08 01
23, zoko-moko.com. Blazing a trail in
fine cuisine, Zoko Moko has become
a reason to visit this town. Expect vibrant, colourful
platters based around crustaceans, fish or meat and wash it
all down with the regional Irouleguy Dom Brana (€36).
Menus here start at €26 for a
quick three-course lunch up to the tasting menu for €77, which includes amuse-bouche plus
four courses and glasses of wine designed to accompany each
plate. July–Sept daily 12.30–2pm
& 7.30–10pm; Oct–June Mon & Thurs–Sun same
hours.
Inland Labourd and Basse Navarre
Without your own transport, the simplest forays into the soft, seductive landscapes of the Basque hinterland – Labourd (Lapurdi) and Basse Navarre (Behe Nafarroa) – are along the St-Jean-de-Luz–Sare bus route past La Rhune, Ascain and Sare, or the Bayonne–St-Jean-Pied-de-Port train line through the Vallée de Nive. Both give a representative sample of the area.
GETTING AROUND: INLAND LABOURD AND BASSE NAVARRE
By bus Four to five buses a day (weekend service March–Oct only), run
by Le Basque Bondissant (basque-bondissant.com), ply the route from
St-Jean-de-Luz, stopping also at Ascain, Col de St-Ignace and
Sare.
Destinations (by bus) Ainhoa (from Cambo-les-Bains) (2 daily; 25min); Cambo-les-Bains (from Bayonne) (2–8 daily; 30min); Espelette (from Cambo-les–Bains) (3 daily; 10min); La Bastide-Clairence (from Bayonne) (1 daily; 35min); Sare (from St-Jean-de-Luz via Ascain) (5 daily March–Oct & 4 Mon–Fri Nov–Feb; 30min).
Destinations (by train) Cambo-les-Bains (from Bayonne) (4 daily; 23min); St-Jean-Pied-de-Port (from Bayonne) (4 daily; 1hr 18min).
La Rhune
The 905-metre cone of La Rhune (Larrun), straddling the frontier with Spain, is the westernmost skyward thrust of the Pyrenees before they decline into the Atlantic. As the landmark of Labourd, in spite of its unsightly multipurpose antennae, it’s a predictably popular vantage point, offering fine vistas way up the Basque coast and east along the Pyrenees.
A rack-and-pinion tourist train (mid-Feb to
June & Sept–Oct every 35min 9.30am–11.30am & 2–4pm; July &
Aug every 35min 8.30am–5.30pm; €18; 05 59 54 20 26, rhune.com) runs up to the top of
the cone from Col de St-Ignace, on the
road to Sare. The railway line’s steep gradient up (constructed between
1912 and 1924), ensures that the antediluvian carriages trundle at a
leisurely 9km/hr; the ascent takes 35 minutes, but you should allow over
two hours for the round trip. A bus service to Col de St-Ignace is
available from the St-Jean-de-Luz bus station.
Ascain
Like so many Labourdan villages, Ascain (Azkaine), just southeast of St-Jean-de-Luz, is postcard-perfect to the point of tweeness, with its galleried church, fronton and polychrome, half-timbered houses. It’s the ideal base for exploring la Rhune although most visitors only stop briefly on their way to Sare and beyond.
INFORMATION: ASCAIN
Tourist office Across the road from the church (May–June Mon–Sat
9am–12.30pm & Mon–Fri 2–5.30pm; July & Aug Mon–Fri
9am–12.30pm & 2–6.30pm, Sat 9.30am–12.30pm & 2–6pm,
Sun 10am–1pm; mid-Sept to mid-April Mon–Fri 9am–12.30pm
& 2–5.30pm; 05 59 54 00 84).
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
De la Rhune Next to the church 05 59 54
00 04. This former village post
office on place du Fronton was regularly visited in the
early nineteenth century by writer Pierre Loti who, inspired
by the window view of la Rhune, wrote the novel Ramuntcho in room 21. The bedrooms are
comfortable but lack the charm and character that you might
expect from a building of this vintage. The restaurant
delivers two courses for €15 of simple home-made Basque
cuisine served in the pleasant garden out at the back.
€85
Sare
Seven kilometres southeast from Ascain, Sare is a perfectly proportioned knoll-top village, with traditional half-timbered houses and a typically Basque church, with its three tiers of balconies. It’s centred around the place du Fonton, with its pelota court at one end and restaurants at the other.
INFORMATION: SARE
Tourist office Place du Fronton (April to mid-July & Sept–Oct Mon–Fri
9.30am–12.30pm & 2–6pm plus Sat 9.30am–12.30pm except
Oct; mid-July & Aug Mon–Fri 9.30am–12.30pm &
2–6.30pm, Sat 9.30am–12.30pm & 2–6pm & Sun
10am–12.30pm; Nov–March Mon–Fri 9am–12.30pm & 2–5.30pm;
05 59 54 20 14, sare.fr). Look for
postings on the wall inside the tourist information office
for upcoming pelota matches that take place in the court
opposite. Games are scheduled on Mondays at 8.30pm in summer
but are at irregular times throughout the rest of the
year.
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
Arraya On the village square 05 59
54 20 46, arraya.com. A former hospice on the
Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage route dating back to the
sixteenth century, Arraya is now a
charming and unpretentious hotel as well as the village’s
most accomplished restaurant. Rooms are sumptuously
presented with embroidered fabrics and antique furnishings,
befitting of the ceiling’s oak beams. The ground-floor
restaurant makes a decent stab at haute cuisine, delivering
pretty Basquaise platters of trout and smoked crab ravioli
with menus from €23 that culminate
with a slice of top-notch Gâteau
Basque. Restaurant open 12.30–2pm &
7.30–10pm, closed Sun eve, Mon & Tues lunch (except July
to mid-Sept). Hotel open April–Oct. Rooms €104
Camping La Petite Rhune Follow the D406 for 1km south of
Sare (campsite is signposted left) 05 59 54 23
97, lapetiterhune.com. A nicely shaded
three-star site with playground, tennis and the
all-important pool. Also offers gîtes and chalets all year round. Mid-June to
mid-Sept. Camping €22,
chalets (four person) €80
VVF 200m north of the church 05
59 54 20 95, vvfvillages.fr. A good, centrally
located budget option if you’re travelling in a group or en
famille (a kids’ club is included). The lodging offers four
beds spread across two uncharming rooms plus a mini kitchen
and balcony. Easter to mid-Oct. Minimum stay 2 nights.
€47
Ainhoa
A mere 8km east from Sare on the GR10 brings you to Ainhoa, a gem of a village. It consists of little more than a single street lined with substantial, mainly seventeenth-century houses, whose lintel plaques offer mini-genealogies as well as foundation dates. Take a look at the bulky towered church with its gilded Baroque altarpiece of prophets and apostles in niches, framed by Corinthian columns.
INFORMATION: AINHOA
Tourist office On the side street opposite the church (March–May &
Sept–Oct Mon–Fri 9.30am–12.30pm & 2–6pm plus Sat
10am–12.30pm in Sept; July & Aug Mon–Fri 9.30am–1pm
& 2–6.30pm, Sat 10am–12.30pm; Nov–Feb Mon–Fri
9.30am–12.30pm & 2–5.30pm; 05 59 29 93
99, ainhoa.fr).
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
Auberge Alzate On the main street 05 59 29
77 15. The village’s most
economical eatery (although still a bit pricey) with its €18
menu featuring Basque
favourites, veal and duck. The cheapest lunch option is
omelette brebis (sheep’s
cheese) for €8 enhanced by home-made frites (€3). Mon,
Wed–Sun 9am–7pm; July–Aug daily 9am–9pm; closed Dec to
mid-Feb.
Chambre d’hôte Ohantzea Rue Principale 05 59 29 57
17, ohantzea.com. The cheapest accommodation in town by a long
shot, this lovely old building (one of only two blue painted
buildings in town) is perfectly pleasant, offering three
spacious rooms with queen-sized beds, as well as an inviting
back garden to unwind in. Breakfast included. April–Oct.
€75
Ithurria On the north edge of the village
05 59 19 92 11, ithurria.com. The most luxurious option
in the village, this seventeenth-century villa (originally
built to house Santiago de Compostela pilgrims) ameliorated
with a pool, sauna, and exotic garden, has well-equipped
doubles and family apartments. The gourmet restaurant
beneath holds a Michelin star for its perfect regional
cuisine. The menus offer the best
value, ranging from €42–85, and include beautifully
embellished pipérade or lobster
and finish with regional cakes or cheese. Noon–1.45pm &
7.30–9pm, closed Wed & Thurs lunch (except July &
Aug). Hotel open April–Oct. €135
Espelette
Six kilometres northeast of Ainhoa, Espelette is a somewhat busy village of wide-eaved houses, with a church notable for its heavy square tower, painted ceiling and keyhole-shaped, inscribed-slab gravestones (the oldest are by the church, under the lime trees). The village’s principal source of renown is its dark-red chilli peppers – much used in Basque cuisine, and hung to dry in summer on many house fronts.
INFORMATION: ESPELETTE
Tourist office In the seventeenth-century château (Nov–March Mon–Fri
9am–12.30pm & 2–5pm; April–May Mon–Fri 9am–12.30pm &
2–6pm; June, Sept & Oct Mon–Fri 9am–12.30pm & 2–6pm,
Sat 9am–12.30pm; July & Aug 9am–12.30pm & 2–6.30pm,
Sat 9.30am–12.30pm & 2–6pm; 05 59 93 95
02, espelette.fr).
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
Artz Axoa Rte Karrikalandako. This fast-food snack bar with outside tables is worthy of mention for its talo; thick Basque pancakes made from cornmeal, used as a wrap encasing tasty local products (from €4). Opening times should be taken with a pinch of salt. April–Oct noon–2.30pm; earlier opening on market day (Wed).
Euzkadi 285 Karrika Nagusia 05 59 93
91 88, hotel-restaurant-euzkadi.com.
Traditional hotel, with a facade proudly emblazoned with the
local piment crop, offering
stylish, spacious rooms with bathrooms. The quieter rooms
face the pool to the rear while the downstairs restaurant
offers Michelin-quality pipérade
and elzekaria (bean and cabbage
soup) within menus of €18–35.
Vegetarian meals provided on demand. Restaurant open
12.30–2pm & 7.30–8.45pm; closed Mon & Tues low
season. €71
Maison Eliza Bidea Xerrendako karrika 05
59 93 96 51, gueslot.com. Peacefully tucked away by a
leafy riverbank and housed in a beautiful eighteenth-century
building, this hotel is a bohemian embodiment of the
proprietor’s creativity. Minimalists beware – there are
knick-knacks everywhere. Guests are permitted to prepare
their own meals in the kitchen, and the house restaurant
(open to demand) will provide three-course Basque-style
meals for €16. €60
Cambo-les-Bains
Six kilometres east of Espelette is Cambo-les-Bains (Kanbo), an established spa resort with a favourable microclimate that made it ideal for the treatment of tuberculosis in the nineteenth century. Its other historical attribute is that it was the birthplace of the Gâteau Basque, now ubiquitous throughout the region. The “new” town, with its ornate houses and hotels, radiates out from the baths over the heights above the River Nive, while the old quarter of Bas Cambo lies beside the river and gare SNCF.
Villa Arnaga
1.5km northwest of town on the Bayonne road •
Daily: April–May & Oct 9.30am–12.30pm & 2–6pm; June &
Sept 9.30am–6pm; July–Aug 10am–7pm • €8 • 05 59 29 83
92, arnaga.com
The main sight around Cambo-les-Bains is the Villa Arnaga, built for Edmond Rostand, author of Cyrano de Bergerac, who came here to cure his pleurisy in 1903. This larger-than-life Basque house, painted in deep-red trim, overlooks an almost surreal formal garden with discs and rectangles of water and segments of grass punctuated by blobs, cubes and cones of topiary box, with a distant view of green hills. Inside it’s very kitsch, with a minstrels’ gallery, fake pilasters, allegorical frescoes, numerous portraits and various memorabilia.
INFORMATION: CAMBO-LES-BAINS
Tourist office 3 av de la Marie (March–June & Oct Mon–Sat
10am–12.30pm & 2–6pm; July & Aug Mon–Sat 9am–6.30pm,
plus July–Sept Sun 9am–1pm; Nov–Feb Mon–Fri 10am–12.30pm
& 2–5.30pm, Sat 9am–1pm; 05 59 29 70 25,
cambolesbains.com).
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
Hostellerie du Parc Av de la Marie 05 59 93 54
54, hotel-parc-cambo.com. Homely, clean
and central hotel with comfortable en-suite rooms equipped
with TV and fridge. Out the back there is a lovely secluded
garden with Black Rock chickens dust-bathing in the shade.
Closed first two weeks of Jan. €72
Tarterie au Dejeuner sur
l’Herbe 17 place Duhalde, just off rue du
Centre 05 59 42 67 17. A
transfixingly beautiful window display of artisan pies,
tarts and cakes lures you into this adorable
café-restaurant. Tourtes (with a
pastry top) at €8.50 and tartes
(without) for €7.50 come with a wealth of different fillings
from courgette & goats cheese to salmon and scallops.
For a sweet tooth, the choice appears limitless, but the
rhubarb meringue pie is the one not to miss. Sun–Fri noon–7pm.
La Bastide-Clairence
Nineteen kilometres northeast of Cambo lies arguably the most perfectly preserved village in the Basque region, La Bastide-Clairence (Bastida), which dates back to the fourteenth century. Resting on the northeastern perimeter with Bearn, historically this predominantly Bascaise village has seen tolerant cohabitation of the two cultures – a progressive inclination that was put to good use in the sixteenth century by Spanish and Portuguese Jews who settled here after fleeing the Spanish inquisition. There is still a fascinating Jewish graveyard next to the Christian one by the fourteenth-century church. The main focus of the village however is its symmetrical arcaded square, with its bar/restaurants and an old forge open to the public gaze.
INFORMATION: LA BASTIDE-CLAIRENCE
Tourist office In the arcaded square (July & Aug 10am–1pm &
3–7pm, plus June & Sept Sat 10am–noon; Sept–June Mon–Fri
9.30am–12.30pm & 2–6pm, closes at noon on Wed; 05
59 29 65 05, labastideclairence-pays-basque.com).
ACCOMMODATION & EATING
Bar Restaurant les Arceaux Place des Arceaux 05 59 29 66
70. One of two restaurant options
in the heart of the village, this friendly place, which
doubles as the village newsagent, has changing €10 and €12
menus of regional cuisine.
Dine inside, or under shade in the lovely place. Tues–Sun
7.30am–9pm; closed Jan.
Maison Marchand Rue Notre Dame 05 59 29 18
27, maison.marchand.pagesperso-orange.fr.
In a lovely old half-timbered house, this family B&B
offers four characterful en-suite rooms and a well-tended
garden, complete with resident cats. Breakfasts come with
delicious warm bread, croissants, local cheese and jam. A
hospitality tray in the rooms is also provided. On Mondays
and Thursdays the proprietors cook a veritable feast for
guests (€25pp including unlimited wine) using the finest
regional produce. Closed Nov–March. €75
St-Jean-Pied-de-Port
About 33km southeast of Cambo, the old capital of Basse Navarre, ST-JEAN-PIED-DE-PORT (Donibane Garazi), lies in a circle of hills at the foot of the Bentarte pass into Spain. Part of France since the 1659 Treaty of the Pyrenees, it was an important stop on the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage in the Middle Ages.
The old town consists of a single cobbled street, rue de la Citadelle, which runs downhill from the fifteenth-century Porte St-Jacques – the gate by which pilgrims entered the town, St Jacques being French for Santiago – to the Porte Notre-Dame, commanding the bridge over the Nive, with its constantly photographed view of balconied houses overlooking the stream.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION: ST-JEAN-PIED-DE-PORT
By train The gare SNCF is at the end of av Renaud, a 10min walk north of the centre.
Destinations Bayonne (3–5 daily; 1hr 20min); Cambo-les-Bains (3–5 daily; 45min).
Tourist office 14 place Charles de Gaulle (July & Aug Mon–Sat
9am–7pm, Sun 10am–1pm & 2–5pm; Sept–June Mon–Sat
9am–noon & 2–6pm; 05 59 37 03 57, pyrenees-basques.com).
ACCOMMODATION
Chambres d’hôtes, as well as cheaper dormitory lodgings for pilgrims and hikers, are numerous: try along rue de la Citadelle.
Chambre d’hôte Errecaldia 5 chemin St-Jacques 05 59 49
17 02, errecaldia.com. Quietly situated
beneath the grounds of the seventeenth-century citadelle,
yet central enough to dip in and out of town. The spacious
rooms within come with a cracking view over the modern town
and beyond. €65
Gite d’étape Ultreia 8 rue de la Citadelle 06 80
88 46 22, ultreia64.fr. Friendly hostel
predominantly frequented by pilgrims or walkers and thus has
a 10pm curfew. The cheapest dorm has seven beds, or if you
book ahead you can have a private room. Breakfast is €5.
Bunks €16, private room
€48
Des Remparts 16 place Floquet 05 59 37 13
79, hoteldesremparts.fr. The best budget
choice among the hotels, this relatively quiet place (when
the windows are shut) is located just before you cross the
Nive coming into town on the Bayonne road. Try to get a room
overlooking the inner courtyard. €65
EATING AND DRINKING
Cave des Etats de Navarre Rue d’Espagne 05 59 49 10
48. This watering hole on the
southern side of the Nive is an excellent place to sample
local produce. Local ciders and wines sold by the glass
(from €3.50) wash down the tasty Basquaise tapas
accompaniments (from €4). Mon &
Wed–Sun 9.30am–8pm.
Paxkal Oillarburu 8 rue de l’Église 05 59 37 06
44. Offering three-course menus from €15.50, and excellent,
well-proportioned rustic dishes that include garbure and Iraty trout in garlic
butter. You may need to evoke the patience of St Jacques to
dine in this very popular restaurant at busier times. Book
ahead in summer. Mon & Wed–Sun
12.30–2.30pm & 7.30–8.45pm; open Tues July & Aug
only.
Restaurant les Pyrenees Place Charles-de-Gaulle 05 59
37 01 01, hotel-les-pyrenees.com. The town’s
gourmet option delivers exquisite, delicate plates using
decadent ingredients. Beyond the reach of most budgets, the
menus at this Michelin-starred
restaurant range from €42 up to an eye-watering €110.
Daily 12.15–1.45pm &
7.45–9pm; closed mid-Nov to end Nov & Jan.
Haute Soule
East of the Nive valley, you enter largely uninhabited country, the old Basque county known as the Haute Soule, threaded only by the GR10 and a couple of minor roads. The border between Basse Navarre and Soule skims the western edge of the Forêt d’Iraty, one of Europe’s largest surviving beech woods, a popular summer retreat and winter cross-country skiing area. There are no shops or proper hotels until you reach Larrau, the only real village hereabouts, though the scattered hamlet of Ste-Engrâce in the east of the district has accommodation, as do Licq and Tardets-Sorholus, foothill settlements some way down the valley.
Haute Soule is a land of open skies, where griffon vultures turn on the thermals high above countless flocks of sheep (their occasional corpses providing sustenance). It’s not a great distance between the Nive valley and Béarn, but the slowness of the roads and the grandeur of the scenery seems to magnify it.
The Forêt d’Iraty
To drive to the Forêt d’Iraty (Irati), follow the D301 east out of the Nive valley from the junction on the D428, where the forest is signposted. The road is steep, narrow and full of tight hairpins and ambling livestock but as you climb up the steep spurs and around the heads of labyrinthine gullies, ever more spectacular views open out over the valley of the Nive, St-Jean and the hills beyond. Solar-powered sheep ranches abound, with cheese on sale. Beech copses fill the gullies, shadowing the lighter grass whose green is so intense it seems almost theatrical – an effect produced by a backdrop of purplish rock outcrops.
OSSAU-IRATY CHEESE
Native to the Basque country and Bearn, this AOC ewe’s cheese, with its delightfully nutty flavour,
is developed in the summer-grazing huts extending along the Basque
coast up to the Col d’Aubisque in the Pyrenees national park. Look
out for Route du Fromage signs (
ossau-iraty.fr) while
travelling about the Basque hinterland and buy direct from the
shepherds themselves. The true artisan cheese often has small holes
and should not stick to the palate.
Larrau
The first thing you notice coming into LARRAU (Larraiñe) from the west is how different the architecture is from the villages in Labourd and Basse Navarre. In contrast to the usual painted, half-timbered facades and tiled roofs, the houses here are grey and stuccoed, with Béarnais-style, steep-pitched slate roofs to shed heavy snow. Despite its size, it’s nonetheless very quiet – almost dead out of season.
Gorges d’Holzarté
The Gorges d’Holzarté, 4km southeast of Larrau, is one of several local gorges, cutting deep into northern slopes of the ridge that forms the frontier with Spain. A short track leads from Auberge Logibar (3km east of Larrau) across a lively, chilly stream to a car park, from where a steep path – a variant of the GR10 – climbs through beech woods in about 45 minutes to the junction of the Holzarte gorge with the Gorges d’Olhadubi. Slung across the mouth of the latter is a spectacular Himalayan-style suspension bridge, the passerelle, which bounces and swings alarmingly as you walk out over the 180-metre drop.
Gorges de Kakuetta
15km east of Larrau on the D113 • Mid-March to
mid-Nov 8am–nightfall • €5 (€3.80 in June) • 05 59 28 73
44, sainte-engrace.com
The Gorges de Kakuetta is truly dramatic and, outside peak season, not crowded at all; allow about two hours to visit. It pays to be well shod – the metal catwalk or narrow path, by turns, are slippery in places and provided with safety cables where needed. The walls of the gorge rise up to 300m high and are scarcely more than 5m apart in spots, so little sunlight penetrates except at midday from May to July. The air hangs heavy with mist produced by dozens of seeps and tiny waterfalls, nurturing tenacious ferns, moss and other vegetation that thrives in the hothouse atmosphere. Within an hour, the path brings you to a small cave beyond which only technical climbers need apply; just before it a twenty-metre waterfall (which you can walk behind) gushes out of a hole in the rock.
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING: LARRAU
Auberge Logibar 3km east of Larrau on the D26
05 59 28 61 14, auberge-logibar.com. Perfectly
positioned for lay-walker hikes to the Gorges d’Holzarté,
just over 1km to the south, this welcoming gîte has simple private rooms and dorms. The
bar-restaurant downstairs has menus from €12 with lamb, trout, cèpes and other locally sourced
ingredients, served until 3pm. They also provide takeaway
sandwiches and snacks throughout the day. Closed Dec–Feb.
Dorms €14.50, doubles
€32
Camping Ibarra Just off the D113, 13km east of
Larrau 05 59 28 73 59, ibarra-chantina.com. Attractive
riverside campsite just 3km from the Gorges de Kakuetta.
Easter to mid-Oct. €11.50
Hôtel-Restaurant Etchémaïté Just off the D26 on the east side of
the village 05 59 28 61 45, hotel-etchemaite.fr. Nicely
renovated old hotel with bright spacious rooms, some with
balconies and views over the town and mountains. The
excellent restaurant is pretty good value, offering three
courses for €18 or four for €24, and serves quail, fish and
offal dishes. Highlight of the menu however is the
nut-crusted wild boar roast; a hearty hats off to French
peasant cooking at its best. Food available 12.30–2.30pm
& 7.30–9pm. Closed Jan to mid-Feb. €70
THE CENTRAL PYRENEES
The Central Pyrenees, immediately east of the Pays Basque, hosts the range’s highest mountain peaks, the most spectacular section by the border being protected within the Parc National des Pyrénées. Highlights – apart from the lakes, torrents, forests and 3000-metre peaks around Cauterets – are the cirques of Lescun, Gavarnie and Troumouse, each with its distinctive character. And for less sportif interests, there’s many a flower-starred mountain meadow accessible by car, especially near Barèges, in which to picnic. The only real urban centres are Pau, a probable entry point to the area, the dull city of Tarbes, and pilgrimage target, Lourdes.
Pau
From humble beginnings as a crossing on the Gave de Pau (gave is “mountain river” in Gascon dialect), PAU became the capital of the ancient viscountcy of Béarn in 1464, and of the French part of the kingdom of Navarre in 1512. In 1567 its sovereign, Henri d’Albret, married the sister of French King François I, Marguerite d’Angoulême, who transformed the town into a centre of the arts and nonconformist thinking.
The least-expected thing about Pau is its English connection: seduced by its climate and persuaded (mistakenly) of its curative powers by Scottish doctor Alexander Taylor, the English flocked to Pau throughout the nineteenth century, bringing along their cultural idiosyncrasies – fox-hunting, horse racing, polo, croquet, cricket, golf (the first eighteen-hole course in continental Europe in 1860, and the first to admit women), tea salons and parks. When the railway arrived here in 1866, the French came, too: writers like Victor Hugo, Stendhal and Lamartine, as well as socialites. The first French rugby club opened here in 1902, after which the sport spread throughout the southwest.
Pau has few must-see sights or museums, so you can enjoy its relaxed elegance without any sense of guilt. The parts to wander in are the streets behind the boulevard des Pyrénées, especially the western end, which stretches along the escarpment above the Gave de Pau, from the castle to the Palais Beaumont, now a convention centre, in the English-style Parc Beaumont. On a clear day, the view from the boulevard encompasses a broad sweep of the highest Pyrenean peaks, with the distinctive Pic du Midi d’Ossau slap in front of you. In the narrow streets between the castle and ravine-bed chemin du Hédas are numerous cafés, restaurants, bars and boutiques, with the main Saturday market in the halles just northeast on place de la République.
The Château Musée National
Rue du Château • Daily guided tours: mid-June to
mid-Sept 9.30am–12.30pm & 1.30–6.45pm; mid-Sept to mid-June
9.30–11.45am & 2–5pm • €7; free first Sun of month, children free;
exterior unenclosed gardens free • 05 59 82 38 02, musee-chateau-pau.fr
The château is very much a landmark building, though not much remains of its original fabric beyond the southeastern brick keep built in 1370. Louis-Philippe renovated it in the nineteenth century after two hundred years of dereliction, and Napoléon III and Eugénie titivated it further with stellar vaulting, chandeliers and coffered ceilings. The Musée National inside is visitable by a French-only, one-hour guided tour, the only way to see the vivid eighteenth-century tapestries with their wonderfully observed scenes of rural life, or Henri IV memorabilia like the giant turtle shell that purportedly served as his cradle.
Musée Bernadotte
6 rue Tran • Tues–Sun 10am–noon & 2–6pm • €3;
children free • 05 59 27 48 42
A short distance northeast of the château, the mildly interesting Musée Bernadotte is the birthplace of the man who, having served as one of Napoleon’s commanders, went on to become Charles XIV of Sweden. As well as fine pieces of traditional Béarnais furniture, the house contains some valuable works of art collected over his lifetime.
Musée des Beaux-Arts
Rue Mathieu-Lalanne • Daily except Tues 10am–noon
& 2–6pm • €4; children free • 05 59 27 33 02
Pau’s second worthwhile museum, the Musée des Beaux-Arts, has an eclectic collection of little-known works from European schools spanning the fourteenth to twentieth centuries; the only really world-class items are Rubens’ The Last Judgement and Degas’ The Cotton Exchange, a slice of finely observed belle époque New Orleans life.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION: PAU
By plane Pau airport is 6 miles northwest of Pau. The airport currently serves only domestic and a handful of southern European routes. The #20 bus runs from the airport to the gare SNCF hourly from 7.40am–7.40pm, while another runs from the gare SNCF to the airport hourly from 6.30am–7.50pm. The fare is €1.
By train The gare SNCF (trains and SNCF buses) is just south of the old centre, by the riverside. A free funicular links the train station to the bd des Pyrénées, opposite place Royale.
Destinations Bordeaux (6 daily; 2hr 15min); Oloron Ste-Marie (for the Vallée d’Aspe change here) (8 daily, fewer at weekends; 35min); Paris (4 direct daily; 5hr 39min); Tarbes (approx. hourly; approx. 40min).
By bus CITRAM buses leave from the gare SNCF.
Destinations Laruns and the Vallée d’Ossau (3 daily, 4 at weekends; 1hr).
By car Parking is predictably nightmarish; there are a few free spaces to the west of the centre around place de Verdun or to the east beyond Park Beaumont, otherwise shell out for kerbside meters or use the giant underground car park at place Georges-Clemenceau.
Tourist office Place Royale (July & Aug Mon–Sat 9am–6.30pm, Sun
9.30am–1pm & 2–6pm; Sept–June Mon–Sat 9am–6pm, Sun
9.30am–1pm; 05 59 27 27 08, pau-pyrenees.com).
ACCOMMODATION
Auberge de Jeunesse 30 rue Michel Hounau 05 59 11 05
05, habitat-jeunes-pau-asso.fr. It’s not
pretty to look at but this small youth hostel has a friendly,
convivial atmosphere and is within easy reach of the town
centre. Dorms are not too crowded, having either two beds or
four beds per room, and all bedding is included in the rate. The
facilities available include kitchen, computer room and laundry,
plus breakfast for just €3. Advance booking is advisable as
there are only ten beds in the hostel. €17
Bristol 3 rue Gambetta 05 59 27 72
98, hotelbristol-pau.com. Right in the heart
of the city, this longstanding boutique hotel is surprisingly
well proportioned for its location. Large rooms and en-suites,
as well as a bar and a sunny terrace to take breakfast (€12),
make for a comfortable stay. Free parking. €99
Camping la Porte des Gaves Chemin de la Saligue 05 59 27 56
38, paupyrenees-stadeeauxvives.co.uk. The
nearest campsite (one mile walk) to town on the southern banks
of the gave. Well equipped with a
shop, wi-fi and child’s playground, the campsite also offers
year-round whitewater rafting for €20. €15
Central 15 rue Léon-Daran 05 59 27 72
75, hotelcentralpau.com. Offers 28
personalized rooms – some more tasteful than others – with comfy
beds, en-suites and, most importantly, soundproofing. The hotel
can garage your car for €5.50 per day. Breakfast €7.50. €67
Montilleul 47 av Jean Mermoz 05 59 32 93
53, hotelmontilleul.com. A nice cheap option
although a good 30min walk north of the centre, this small,
family-run hotel is simple and clean. The excellent continental
breakfasts have a selection of tasty jams worthy of the €8.50
price tag. The #5 bus passes by on its way to and from town and
the gare SNCF; for those with their
own transport, the hotel offers free parking. €65
EATING AND DRINKING
Le Boga Boga 19 rue des Orphelines 05 59 83 71
44, lebogaboga.fr. One of three favoured
bars on this narrow side street serving drinks and tapas late
into the night. Allow €15–20 for tapas depending on how much
alcohol you need to soak up. The Spanish wine menu starts at €18
a bottle or try the harder stuff, like a caffeine-laced Mojito
Bull for €8.50. Tues–Sun 11.45am–2.15pm
& 6pm–2am.
La Brasserie Royale 5 place Royale 05 59 27 72
12, brasserie-royale.com. Popular, upscale
brasserie with carte and menus from €15 up – even the cheapest nets
you a solid lamb-based main course, salad and dessert. There’s
been an establishment here since 1843, and the current interior
with swirling fans and original art (larger parties can book the
back room) vies for allure with tables on the place in fine weather. Noon–2.15pm & 7.30–10.15pm; closed Sun eve.
Café du Palais 7 rue St-Jacques 05 59 27 74
08, cafedupalaispau.com. Pavement
café/brasserie just off the picturesque place de la liberation
offering breakfasts from €7 and attractive hot plates and
salads. Two-course menus with coffee
are €14; make sure you go for the clafoutis aux
framboise (an almond dessert speciality from
Limousin) when available. Mon–Sat
8am–8pm.
El Mamounia 7 rue des Orphelines 05 59 27 12
44, elmamounia.fr. Fine dining,
Moroccan-style, with a pleasant colonial ambiance. Traditional
tagines start from €17, and there’s a vegetarian couscous dish
for just €10. Don’t miss out on the sweet fig wine aperitif for
€5. Noon–2.30pm & 7.30–9pm; closed
Mon lunch & Sun.
Le Lavoir 3 rue du Hédas 05 59 83 32
62. With a strong focus on quality over
quantity, as displayed by its traditional and unpretentious
dishes, the select menu offers four starters, mains and desserts
– everything is home-made, including the bread on the side.
Mains like a chicken casserole start from €14. Daily 7–10pm.
Les Papilles Insolites 5 rue Alexandre Taylor 05 59 71
43 79, lespapillesinsolites.blogspot.co.uk. An
exciting option for wine-lovers, this part-vintners,
part-restaurant provides an intimate setting where you dine at
dimly lit tables surrounded by the cave’s stock. If you like a wine, take home a
case. The menu offers fancy
meat-focused dishes supported by seasonal veg; three courses for
€21. Noon–2pm & 8–11.30pm; closed
Sun–Tues.
THE PARC NATIONAL DES PYRÉNÉES
The Parc National des Pyrénées was created in 1967 to protect at least part of the high Pyrenees from modern touristic development – ski resorts, paved roads, mountaintop restaurants, car parks and other inappropriate amenities. It extends for more than 100km along the Spanish border from Pic de Laraille (2147m), south of Lescun, in the west, to beyond Pic de la Munia (3133m), almost to the Aragnouet–Bielsa tunnel. Varying in altitude between 1070m and 3298m at the Pic de Vignemale, south of Cauterets, the park includes the spectacular Gavarnie and Troumouse cirques, as well as 220 lakes, more than a dozen valleys and about 400km of marked walking routes.
By the banning of hunting and all dogs and vehicles (except local herders), the park has also provided sanctuary for many rare, endangered species of birds and mammals. These include chamois, marmots, stoats, genets, griffon vultures, golden eagles, eagle owls and capercaillies, to say nothing of the rich and varied flora. The most celebrated animal – extinct as of 2004 – is the Pyrenean brown bear, whose pre-1940 numbers ran to as many as two hundred; the twenty plus current specimens are descended from introduced Slovenian brown bears. Although largely herbivorous, bears will take livestock opportunistically, and most mountain shepherds are their remorseless enemies. To appease the shepherds, local authorities pay prompt and generous compensation for any losses, but the restocking programme remains highly controversial, with pro- and anti-bear graffiti prominent on the road approaches to the park, and troublesome animals being shot illegally by aggrieved farmers or herders on a regular basis.
The GR10 runs through the entire park on its 700-kilometre journey from coast to coast, starting at Banyuls-sur-Mer on the Mediterranean and ending at Hendaye-Plage on the Atlantic.
Salies-de-Béarn
Fifteen kilometres northwest from Pau is SALIES-DE-
BÉARN, a typical Béarnais village of winding lanes and
flower-decked houses with brightly painted woodwork. The River Saleys,
hardly more than a stream here, runs through the middle of it, separating
the old village from the nineteenth-century quarter that sprang up to
exploit the powerful saline spring for which it has long been famous. You
can try the curative waters at the wonderful thermal
baths at cours du Jardin Public (10am–noon & 2–7pm; closes
at 6pm at weekends; 1hr entry includes use of the jacuzzi for €9.50;
05 59 38 10 11, thermes-de-salies.com),
“curative” pools – one salty, one not – in an old but modernized thermal
establishment.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION: SALIÉS-DE-BEARN
By bus One bus route serves Saliés-de-Bearn, originating at the train station in Orthez (on the Pau-Bordeaux train line) (3 daily; 25min).
Tourist office Rue des Bains (July–Sept Mon–Sat 9.30am–1pm & 2–6.30pm,
Sun 2.30–6.30pm; Oct–June Mon–Sat 9.30am–12.30 & 2–5.30pm;
05 59 38 00 33, tourisme-bearn-gaves.com).
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
La Demeure Saint Martin 42 rue Saint Martin 05 62 82 47
29, lademeuresaintmartin.com. A quasi
sacro-bohemian retreat, this twelfth-century presbytery bears
the hallmarks of its age as well as of its eccentric owner.
Adorned with quirky personal effects, this building feels loved.
Rooms are equipped with a basin and shower while the toilet is
in the hall. Breakfast is served in your room: home-made cake,
bread and jams for €10. €90
La Terrasse 2 rue Loume 05 59 38 09
83, laterrasse.e-monsite.com. With its large
terrace – hence the name – enviably positioned overlooking the
Saleys river, its unsurprising that this restaurant-bar is so
popular. The menu holds no great surprises; just hearty
Béarnaise home cooking and quaffably good wine. Three courses
start at €15. Noon–2pm & 7–10pm;
Oct–June closed Thurs & Sun eves & all Mon;
July–Sept closed Mon.
Sauveterre-de-Béarn
Heading south from Salies-de-Béarn, the D933 winds over hilly farming
country to SAUVETERRE-DE-BÉARN, a pretty
country town beautifully set on a bluff high above the Gave d’Oloron, just
before it mingles with the Saison. From the terrace by the
thirteenth-century church of St-André –
over-restored but still retaining a fine west-portal relief of Christ in
Glory – you look down over the river and the remains of fortified,
half-ruined Pont de la Légende, while at the
west end of the compact cité médiévale stand the
ruins of a Gaston Fébus château. A pedestrian-only
lane leads down to the bridge and river, full of bathers (and
canoers/rafters: see aboste.com)
on hot days despite its murky greenness.
ARRIVAL: SAUVETERRE-DE-BÉARN
By bus One bus from Orthez (on the Pau-Bordeaux train line) stops by the main place Royal (3 daily Mon–Fri; 35min).
ACCOMMODATION
L’Auberge du Saumon Across the river 2km south of town on
the D933 05 59 38 53 20. If you have
a car, try this cute detached cottage straddling the main road
2km from the centre. The timbered rooms are clean and
comfortable yet refreshingly untouched by modernity. There’s a
downstairs dining room where you can find sustenance for €15pp
if you don’t fancy the long walk to town. Closed mid-Jan to
mid-Feb. €70
Navarrenx
From Sauveterre-de-Béarn, the D936 bears southeast along the flat valley bottom 20km away on the Pau–Mauléon bus route to NAVARRENX, a sleepy, old-fashioned market town built as a bastide in 1316 and still surrounded by its medieval walls. Having crossed the medieval bridge over the Gave d’Oloron – claimed here as the salmon-fishing capital of France – you enter from the west by the fortified Porte St-Antoine.
ACCOMMODATION: NAVARRENX
Du Commerce Place des Casernes 05 59 66 50
16, hotel-commerce.fr. The lovingly preserved exterior of this hotel with
its grey-blue shutters and mansard roof contrasts with its
modern, sometimes futuristic interior. It’s a comfortable and
friendly hotel offering substantial breakfasts for €8, and you
can also take the half-board option for €95 (for two) and sample
the terraced restaurant’s vibrant cuisine. Wi-fi is available
here for a rather pointless €1 per day. Closed Jan. €55
Lourdes
LOURDES, 37km southeast of Pau, has one principle function. Over seven million Catholic pilgrims arrive here yearly, and the town is totally dedicated to looking after and, on occasion, exploiting them. Lourdes was hardly more than a village before 1858, when Bernadette Soubirous, 14-year-old daughter of a poor local miller, had the first of eighteen visions of the Virgin Mary in the Grotte de Massabielle by the Gave de Pau. Since then, Lourdes has become the most visited attraction in this part of France, many pilgrims hoping for a miraculous cure for conventionally intractable ailments.
Myriad shops are devoted to the sale of unbelievable religious kitsch: Bernadette and/or the Virgin in every shape and size, adorning barometers, thermometers, plastic tree trunks, empty bottles that you can fill with holy water, bellows, candles and illuminated plastic grottoes. Clustered around the miraculous grotto are the churches of the Domaine de la Grotte, an annexe to the town proper that sprang up in the century following Bernadette’s visions. The first to be built was an underground crypt in 1866, followed by the flamboyant double Basilique du Rosaire et de l’Immaculée Conception (1871–83), and then in 1958 by the massive subterranean Basilique St-Pie-X, which can apparently fit 20,000 people at a time. The Grotte de Massabielle itself is the focus of pilgrimage – a moisture-blackened overhang by the riverside with a marble statue on high of the Virgin, where pilgrims queue to circumambulate, stroking the grotto wall with their left hand. To one side are taps for filling souvenir containers with the holy spring water; to the other are the bruloirs or rows of braziers where enormous votive candles burn, prolonging the prayers of supplicants.
The château
Musée Pyrénéen Daily: April–May 9am–noon
& 1.30–6.30pm, no lunch break June–Sept; Oct–March daily 9am–noon
& 2–6pm, 5pm on Fri • €7 • 05 62 42 37 37, lourdes-visite.com
Lourdes’ only secular attraction is its spectacular château, poised on a rocky bluff east of the Gave de Pau, and guarding the approaches to the valleys and passes of the central Pyrenees. Inside is the surprisingly excellent Musée Pyrénéen. Its collections include Pyrenean fauna, all sorts of fascinating pastoral and farming gear, and an interesting section on the history of Pyrenean mountaineering.
Grottes de Bétharram
St-Pé-de-Bigorre, 8 miles west of Lourdes just off the
D937 • Guided visits only late March to June & Sept–Oct daily
9am–noon & 1.30–5.30pm; July–Aug 9am–6pm; Nov to late March
Mon–Thurs tours at 2.30pm & 4pm, Fri 2.30pm only • Adult €13.50,
child €8.50 • 05 62 41 80 04, betharram.com
One worthwhile excursion from Lourdes, particularly for families, is to this large system of caves. Part of the eighty-minute tour around its spectacular stalactites and stalagmites takes place in a barge on an underground lake; the remaining kilometre is by miniature railway.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION: LOURDES
By plane The Tarbes-Lourdes airport is currently served by no-frills flights from Britain. Take the “Maligne Gave” #2 bus into town (€2).
By train Lourdes’ gare SNCF is on the northeast edge of the town centre, at 33 av de la Gare.
Destinations Bayonne (6 daily; 1hr 40min); Pau (20 daily; 30min); Tarbes (20 daily; 15min).
By bus The gare routière is in central place Capdevieille.
Destinations Cauterets (6 daily; 55min); Gavarnie (1 daily; 1hr 40min); Tarbes (9–16 daily; 30min).
Tourist office Place Peyramale (March to mid-April & end Oct Mon–Sat
9am–noon & 2–6pm; mid-April to June Mon–Sat 9am–12.30pm
& 1.30–6.30pm, Sun 10am–12.30pm; July & Aug Mon–Sat
9am–7pm, Sun 10am–6pm; Sept to mid-Oct Mon–Sat 9am–6.30pm, Sun
10am–12.30pm; Nov–Feb Mon–Sat 9am–noon & 2–5.30pm; 05
62 42 77 40, lourdes-infotourisme.com).
ACCOMMODATION
Lourdes has more hotels than any city in France outside Paris and consequently competition is intense.
Au Berceau de Bernadette 44 bd de la Grotte 05 62 42 76
58, laresidencelourdes.com. Pray at your
convenience at this petite residence
with its own DIY chapel. Religious imagery is present throughout
the building without being too overbearing while the rooms offer
space, comfort and hot beverages in your room – a rarity in
France – plus breakfast is included. Closed Nov–March. €64
Mediteranee 23 av du Paradis 05 62 94 72
15, lourdeshotelmed.com. Overlooking the
river, this modern hotel rises above the town’s tatty norm. The
rooms are bright and well equipped but lack the space you might
expect for the price tag. The half-board option is a worthwhile
€25 extra and covers all-you-can-eat continental breakfast and
reputable evening meals. €101
EATING AND DRINKING
Le Cabanon 37 rue de la Grotte 05 62 41 47
87. The default strategy when looking
for a restaurant in Lourdes should always be to stay off the
main tourist drag. Not so with this gem of a restaurant that
serves simple but not simplistic French platters in a cosy
timbered building. Three-course menus
range from €14 to €29 and might include foie gras, lamb and
profiteroles. Mon–Sat noon–2pm &
7–9.15pm, closed Wed pm.
Café Leffe 16 place Marcadal 05 62 46 34
48, cafeleffe.fr. Part of a small chain of
bar/brassieres specializing in strong Belgian beers. It’s a
popular haunt of a forty-something crowd and has outside tables
in a peaceful enough locality. The food here, although hardly
haute cuisine, will please most palates; there’s a delicious
vegetarian tartine with salad for €11.
Otherwise, there are various meat and fish dishes served with
beer-incorporated sauces. Mon–Thurs
7am–11pm, Fri & Sat 7am–2am & Sun 3–8pm.
Le Palacio 28 place Champ Commun 05 62 94 00
59, restaurant-lourdes-palacio.fr. Just out
of reach of the touristic concourse trappings, Le Palacio offers solid French cuisine served on
the sunny place. You can dine on a
budget here with their plat du jour
for €8 or pizzas starting at €6.50. Daily noon–1.30pm & 7–9.30pm.
The Vallée d’Aspe
The Vallée d’Aspe presents the central Pyrenees at their most undeveloped, primarily because inappropriate topography and unreliable snow conditions have precluded ski-resort construction.
GETTING AROUND AND INFORMATION: THE VALLÉE D’ASPE
By train The train from Pau serves the grey town of Oloron-Ste-Marie (8 daily; 40min), which sits 45km west of Lourdes. From there, the bus that goes deeper into the valley is sometimes coordinated to depart from the train station eight minutes later.
By bus Five buses daily journey up the valley, through the Tunnel du Somport into Spanish territory. Destinations on the way include Bedous (33min), Pont-de-Lescun (a 5km walk from Lescun village) (40min), Cette Eygun (42min), Etsaut (48min), and Urdos (55min).
Lescun
Some 35km south of Pau, southwest of the N134 and valley floor, the ancient stone-and-stucco houses of LESCUN huddle on the northeast slopes of a huge and magnificent green cirque. The floor of the cirque and the lower slopes, dimpled with vales and hollows, have been gently shaped by generations of farming, while to the west the town is overlooked by the great grey molars of Le Billare, Trois Rois and Ansabère, beyond which rises the storm-lashed bulk of the Pic d’Anie (2504m).
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION: LESCUN
The bus from Oloron-Ste-Marie stops in the valley floor below
Lescun; then it’s a three-mile hike up the hill to the village.
Alternatively, you can hop off a couple of stops early and take
a taxi from Bedous. Taxis can be taken from the garage on the
southern end of town. Ideally, phone or email ahead to book:
05 59 34 70 06 or
gerard.lepretre@wanadoo.fr.
ACCOMMODATION
Camping Le Lauzart Turn left onto the D340 just before
Lescun village and continue for one mile 05 59 34
51 77, camping-lescun.com. This lush green
campsite has a stupendous position with unimpeded views of
the peaks. The site owners sell basic provisions and might
even cook breakfast or dinner for you bearing in mind
there’s no restaurant in the village. May–Sept. €11.50
Chambres d’Hôtes Pic d’Anie Place Centrale 05 59 34 71
54, hebergement-picdanie.fr. A
characterful old building full of plants and ancient wooden
furniture that give insight into the house’s past. The
bedrooms are on the small side but are at least en suite and
there’s also a reading room, handy for the frequent rain
showers. Breakfast €8. April to mid-Sept. €50
Gîte Pic d’Anie Opposite the Chambres d’Hôtes Pic d’Anie. Run by the same establishment as the Chambres d’Hôtes Pic d’Anie, the simple and clean interior here lacks the charm of its neighbouring accommodation but at least has cooking facilities in this restaurant-less town. Supplies can be bought from the shop across the road. Breakfast €8. €16
Cette-Eygun
A couple of kilometres beyond the turn-off for Lescun is CETTE-EYGUN, a pretty little village with a few good walking opportunities, but the main reasons to come here are to dine and sleep it off at the beautiful Château d’Arance with its bird’s-eye view of the valley.
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING: CETTE-EYGUN
Le Château d’Arance 05 59 34 75 50, chateaudarance.com. Converted and
modernized twelfth-century stone manor house with
spectacular, unhampered views. Internally, the hotel in
places lacks the charm promised by its well-restored
exterior, but the bedrooms come with all the conveniences
you would expect for the price and are thus comfortable. On
summer evenings the château’s vaulted restaurant spills out
onto the dramatically set terrace (leisurely breakfasts – €9
– are also enjoyed here), where you can sample the food you
see being produced across the valley. Catch of the day
(fresh trout or salmon) is usually on the set menu, as is
the Basque cheese platter, all washed down with a nice €15
bottle of Béarnaise. Menus range
from €16 to €25. Restaurant open noon–2pm & 7.30–9pm;
closed Mon Nov–Feb. Reservation essential if not a guest.
Gîte €55, hotel rooms
€65
Urdos
Some 10km south of Cette-Eygun, URDOS is the last village on the French side of the frontier, and has one of the best hotel-restaurants in the valley. From here, you (and the odd bus) can continue through the free tunnel under the Col de Somport and on to Canfranc in Spain, the terminus for trains from Jaca, though in fine weather the far more scenic road over the pass is not too strenuous a drive.
Further upstream – about two miles north of Urdos – at one of the
narrowest, rockiest, steepest points of the Aspe squats the menacing
nineteenth-century Fort du Portalet
(guided tours only: mid-April to June & Sept–Oct Wed 2.30pm &
Sun 10am; July & Aug 10am & 2.30pm, Sun just 10am; €8;
reservation only via 05 59 34 57 57 or online at tourisme-aspe.com/fort-du-portalet.html). Built to defend
against Spanish incursions, the garrison housed over four hundred men
and could withstand a week’s siege in total autonomy. In the 1940s it
served as a prison for Socialist premier Léon Blum under Pétain’s Vichy
government, and then for Pétain himself after the liberation of France.
Today the fort is undergoing major restoration work and visits are
temporarily limited.
ACCOMMODATION: URDOS
Des Voyageurs Rte du Col du Somport 05 59
34 88 05, hotel-voyageurs-valleeaspe.com. Good
old-fashioned hotel that has made a name for itself – at
least locally – for its fine restaurant. The €13.50 set
menu kicks off with a robust
and filling garbure followed by a
more delicate main course of trout, stuffed with ceps.
Restaurant 12.15–2pm & 7.30–9pm; closed Mon & Sun
eve. Breakfast is €6.50. The hotel is closed mid-Oct to Nov.
Doubles €45, half board
€90
< Back to The Central Pyrenees
Vallée d’Ossau
A destination for hikers, cyclists and snow-sports enthusiasts rather than casual day-trippers, the route up the Ossau valley rises fast towards the gnarled eminence of the Pic du Midi and the Cirque d’Aneou on the Spanish border. Outside winter the landscape is lush and green, with high pastures grazed by the sheep whose milk provides the distinctive Ossau-Iraty cheese, a Bearn/Basque delicacy not to be missed. Near the Col, look out for marmots (a type of rodent), that never stray far from their burrows. The villages on the way are little reason to stick around – except for unremarkable Laruns, in order to stock up on supplies, and the two spa resorts of Eaux-Chaudes and Eaux-Bonnes, which retain charm even if they have seen more prosperous times.
GETTING AROUND AND INFORMATION: VALLEE D’OSSAU
By bus From Pau, four buses daily call at Laruns (1hr 5min) before turning east towards Eaux Bonnes (1hr 15min) and Gourette (1hr 30min). For destinations south to the border change at Laruns for one of two coordinated buses that stop at Eaux-Chaudes (10min) and Gabas (25min).
Tourist office Place de la Mairie, in Laruns village (Sept to mid-July daily
9am–noon & Mon–Sat 2–6pm; mid-July to Aug Mon–Sat 9am–7.30pm
& Sun 9am–6pm; 05 59 05 31 41).
Maison du Parc Next to the tourist office (mid-June to mid-Sept Mon–Fri
9am–noon & 2–5.30pm; closed Sat & Sun and every second
Fri; 05 59 05 41 59).
Eaux-Chaudes
The D934 road from Laruns towards the Spanish border winds steeply
into the upper reaches of the Gave d’Ossau valley, passing through
EAUX-CHAUDES spa village: an
attractive ghost town of a place, somewhat run-down but unspoilt by
development and an ideal base for climbers and walkers. The perfect
place to rest weary bones is the Thermes des Eaux
Chaudes, next to the river (May–Oct Mon–Sat 9am–noon &
3.30–6.30pm; 05 59 05 36 36, eauxchaudes.fr). It’s in a
lovely vintage building, and offers the usual spa facilities and
treatments, from jet showers (€7.50) to massages (€28). Further en
route, the Pic du Midi d’Ossau comes
into view, with its craggy, mitten-shaped summit (2884m) – it’s a
classic Pyrenean landmark.
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING: EAUX-CHAUDES
Auberge la Caverne Southern edge of the village
05 59 05 34 40, aubergelacaverne.com. Run by a
hard-working couple who offer both dorms and en-suite
doubles in a jolly, old building. Reasonably priced table d’hôte meals are also available
starting from €7 for a crêpe, €12 for Basque chicken; or, if
you’re just passing through, stop for a drink on the flowery
terrace. Service any time of the day. Open May–Oct &
mid-Dec to mid-Feb. Dorms half-board €33, rooms half-board €104
Chambre d’hôte Baudot Place Henri IV 05 59 05 34
51, chambre-hote-baudot.com. Impeccably
restored old hotel next to the spa offering understated
charm and good value. The three-storey nineteenth-century
building has large en-suite rooms and breakfasts by a log
fire when the air gets a bit nippy. June–Sept. Rates include
breakfast. €65
Eaux-Bonnes
The only way of reaching the Gave de Pau by road without going back towards Pau is along the minor D918 east over the Col d’Aubisque, via Eaux-Bonnes and Gourette, 12km east of Laruns and the favourite ski centre of folk from Pau. The base development is ugly but the skiing, on 28 north-facing runs from a top point of 2400m, is more than respectable. You can of course stay here, but the once thriving spa village of EAUX-BONNES, 8km below Gourette, is more elegant and pleasant. Save for the unattractive tourist info hut, the village remains undeveloped and thus retains a certain charm especially out of high season when you practically have the town to yourself.
INFORMATION: EAUX-BONNES
Tourist office In the central place (Mon–Fri
9.30am–12.15pm & 1.45–5.30pm; July & Aug Mon–Sat
9.30am–5.30pm; 05 59 05 12 17, gourette.com).
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
De la Poste 19 rue Louis-Barthou 05 59 50
33 06, hotel-dela-poste.com. This old-fashioned hotel offers spacious if dated
rooms spread round a central indoor courtyard overlooking a
quirky fish pond containing trout. Needless to say, trout
appears on the hotel’s restaurant menu along with other
regional mainstays. Unfortunately, not all the ingredients
used here are as fresh as the trout and the hotel’s labelled
house wine is not local. The three-course menu costs €18. €50
Arrens-Marsous
The Col d’Aubisque (1709m), a grassy saddle with a souvenir stall/café on top, usually sees the Tour de France whizz through, making the pass irresistible to any French cyclist worth their salt. Once over the next mound – the lower Col de Soulor (1475m) – the route descends, 18km in all, to attractive ARRENS-MARSOUS, at the head of the Val d’Azun.
LE PETIT TRAIN ARTOUSTE
Le Petit Train Artouste (late May to
early Sept 9am–5pm hourly (every 30min in July & Aug); €17
one-way; €25 return; 
05 59 05 36 99) chugs along a
spectacular miniature railway line that runs ten vertiginous
kilometres southeast through the mountains from Lac de Fabrèges, 13km south of
Eaux-Chaudes, to Lac d’Artouste.
Built in the 1920s to service a hydroelectric project and later
converted for tourist purposes, this is a beautiful trip, lasting
about four hours there and back, including the initial télécabine ride from the base of Pic de la Sagette (2031m). Tickets can
be purchased from the tourist office in the resort at Lac de
Fabrèges and the télécabine leaves from
next door.
INFORMATION: ARRENS-MARSOUS
Tourist office Housed in the Maison du Val d’Azun in the village centre
(mid-June to mid-Sept only Mon–Sat 9am–noon & 2–6/7pm,
Sun 9am–12.30pm; 05 62 97 49 49, valdazun.com).
ACCOMMODATION
Chambre d’hôte la Condorinette 3 rue de la Gourgoutiere, Marsous
05 62 92 06 39, chambreshotes.pyrenees-65.com.
Friendly B&B offering colourful double rooms plus a
two-bed family suite. The wood-burning stove in the
lounge/dining room makes for a pleasant backdrop to the
substantial breakfasts provided and on warmer days you can
eat outside in the orchard garden. Evening meals are also
provided for €24 and offer simple but delicious home cooking
with a strong but not exclusive emphasis on Béarnaise
cuisine. May–Oct. Doubles €65, family suite €115
Gîte Camélat 8 rue de Cardet 05 62 97 40
94, gite-camelat.com. A fine, rambling,
nineteenth-century house with en-suite rooms and dormitory
beds. Breakfast and a wholesome evening meal are included in
the price as is the fine hiking recommendations from your
hosts and fellow trekkers. Open all year. Dorms €37, doubles €94
< Back to The Central Pyrenees
The Gave de Pau
From its namesake city, the Gave de Pau forges southeast towards the mountains, bending sharply south at Lourdes and soon fraying into several tributaries: the Gave d’Azun, the Gave de Cauterets, the Gave de Gavarnie and the Gave de Bastan, dropping from the Col du Tourmalet. Cauterets, 30km due south of Lourdes, and Gavarnie, 37km southeast of Argelès, are busy, established resorts on the edge of the national park, but the countryside they adjoin is so spectacular that you forgive their deficiencies. If you want a smaller, more manageable base, then either Barèges, up a side valley from the spa resort of Luz-St-Sauveur, or Luz itself, are better bets. But pick your season well – or even the time of day – and you can enjoy the most popular sites in relative solitude. At Gavarnie few people stay the night, so it’s quiet early or late, and the Cirque de Troumouse, which is just as impressive (though much harder to get to without a car), has far fewer visitors.
Cauterets
CAUTERETS is a pleasant if unexciting little town that owes its fame and rather elegant Neoclassical architecture (especially on boulevard Latapie-Flurin) to its spa, and more recently to its role as one of the main Pyrenean ski and mountaineering centres. The town is small and easy to get around; most of it is still squeezed between the steep wooded heights that close the mouth of the Gave de Cauterets valley.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION: CAUTERETS
By bus Buses arrive at the lovely old gare on av de la Gare on the north edge of the centre from Lourdes (6 daily & one extra on Fri; 55min).
Tourist office Place Maréchal-Foch (July & Aug Mon–Sat 9am–12.30pm
& 2–7pm, Sun 9am–12.30pm & 2–6pm; Sept–June Mon–Sat
9am–noon & 2–5pm; 05 62 92 50 50, cauterets.com).
Maison du Parc Av de la Gare, on the northern edge of the centre (Mon–Fri
9.30am–noon & 3–6.30pm; 05 62 92 52 56).
A good source of walking maps and hiking route
advice.
ACCOMMODATION
Camping La Prairie Rte de Pierrefitte (D920) 05
62 92 07 04, campinglaprairie.over-blog.com. A
5min walk north of the town centre – and one of a number of
campsites on this side of town – La
Prairie is predominantly a canvas site with a
few basic facilities and consequently is the cheapest of the
bunch. Mid-May to mid-Oct. €12.60
Le Lion d’Or 12 rue Richelieu 05 62 92 52
87, hotel-cauterets.fr. One of the
town’s more charming options, this hotel has been in the
same family for a century yet is tastefully decorated with a
combination of antiques and quaint furnishings and sits
around the corner from a nice open-air thermal pool. €88
Le Pas de l’Ours 21 rue de la Raillère 05 62
92 58 07, lepasdelours.com. Clean and warm
hotel and gîte d’étape with so
much pine cladding, it’s almost a sauna. The double rooms
don’t offer particularly good value but if you’re alone or
on a budget, the six bed dorms are the town’s best option.
Dorm €22, doubles (B&B)
€84
EATING
La Crêperie du Gave Galerie Aladin, rue de Belfort
05 62 45 09 96. Located on
the west side of the river, this small, economical
restaurant serves galettes with a
drink from €5 to €9 or three-course menus including wine/cider for €12. Noon–2pm & 7–9pm, closed Sun eve
& Mon. During school holidays: daily noon–2pm,
4.30–5.30pm & 7–9pm.
Les Halles de Cauterets Av l’Eclerc. For tantalizing takeaway food, visit this indoor market with its rotisseries selling hot meals by the kilo. Stuff your picnic hamper with roast lamb or vegetable gratin or if you’re off on a hike, get delicious sandwiches made up for you. The fromagerie attached to the Halles sells wonderful aged brebis. Daily 9am–noon & 2–6pm.
Luz-St-Sauveur
The only road approach to the cirques Gavarnie and Troumouse is through LUZ-ST-SAUVEUR, astride the GR10. Like Cauterets, this was a nineteenth-century spa, patronized by Napoléon III and Eugénie, and elegant Neoclassical facades in the left-bank St-Saveur quarter date from then.
The St-André church (approximately daily mid-May to end Sept 3–6pm; free) on place de la Comporte at the top of Luz’s medieval, right-bank quarter is the town’s principal sight. Built in the late eleventh century, it was fortified in the fourteenth by the Knights of St John with a crenelated outer wall and two stout towers. The north entrance sports a handsome portal surmounted by a Christ in Majesty carved in fine-grained local stone.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION: LUZ-ST-SAUVEUR
By bus The service between Lourdes and Barèges stops outside the tourist office on place du Huit-Mai. There is one direct bus from Lourdes that runs on school days and 4 to 5 indirect buses daily that involve a co-ordinated change at Pierrefitte Nestallas, a few kilometres north of Luz.
Tourist office On the edge of the central place du Huit-Mai (Mon–Sat
9am–noon & 2–6.30pm, Sun 9am–noon; 05 62 92 30
30, luz.org).
ACCOMMODATION
Le Montaigu Rte de Vizos 05 62 92 81
71, hotelmontaigu.com. This modern
three-star hotel sits in a semi-rural position beneath the
ruined tenth-century château Ste-Marie (a 5min uphill
saunter). The rooms have large balconies with cracking
southwesterly views to the high Pyrenees. Breakfast
included. Doubles €98,
half-board €140
Les Templiers 6 place de la Comporte 05 62
92 81 52, hotellestempliers.com. With en-suite
rooms looking onto a beautiful eleventh-century church, this
rustic gem, clad in Virginia creeper and climbing rose, is
centrally located in a peaceful square. The hotel also runs
an organic crêperie downstairs and provides a tasty €7.50
breakfast. €71
EATING
Chez Christine 3 rue Dossun Prolongée 05 62
92 86 81. Although this is
predominantly a pizzeria, the quality of the own-made pasta
and desserts plus locally sourced meat dishes make this a
superb all-rounder. Vegetarians will find a lot to choose
from here including cheesy fondues for €18 (min two persons)
and pizzas starting at €8. April–Aug
daily noon–2pm & 7–9pm; Sept–March open Thurs–Sat,
except closed Nov.
Gavarnie
Once poor and depopulated, Gavarnie village found the attractions of mass tourism – much of it excursions from Lourdes – too seductive to resist, and it’s now filled with souvenir shops and snack bars.
THE CIRQUE DE GAVARNIE
Victor Hugo called it “Nature’s Colosseum” – a magnificent, natural amphitheatre scoured out by glaciers. Over 1500m high, the Gavarnie cirque consists of three sheer bands of rock streaked by seepage and waterfalls, separated by sloping ledges covered with snow and glacier remnants. On the east, it’s dominated by the jagged Astazou and Marboré peaks, both over 3000m. In the middle, a cornice sweeps round to the Brèche de Roland, a curious vertical slash, 100m deep and about 60m wide, said to have been hewn from the ridge by Roland’s sword, Durandal. In winter, there’s good beginner-to-intermediate skiing at the nearby 24-run resort of Gavarnie-Gèdre, with great views of the cirque from the top point of 2400m.
From Gavarnie village an unmade road follows the river towards the cirque, gradually narrowing as the gradient and the drama increases. It’s a moderately easy hour’s walk in each direction but if you prefer, hire a horse from the edge of town for €25. The broad track ends at the Hôtel du Cirque et de la Cascade, once a famous meeting place for mountaineers and now a popular snack bar in summer.
To get to the foot of the cirque walls, you face a steeper, final half-hour on a dwindling, increasingly slippery path which ends in a spray-bath at the base of the Grande Cascade, fed by Lago Helado on the Spanish side, and at 423m the highest waterfall in Europe. This plummets and fans out in three stages down the rock faces – a fine sight in sunny weather, with rainbows in the wind-teased plumes. For a bit of serenity the best time to see the cirque is at dusk when, even in summer, you could have it all to yourself.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION: GAVARNIE
By car If you drive in, a parking fee (July to mid-Sept 8am–5pm; €6) is charged; otherwise there is ample free parking around the shops and hotels.
By bus Buses leave the gare routière in Lourdes at 8.58am, stop at Luz-St-Sauveur at 9.53am and head on to Gavarnie’s tourist office. The bus back to Lourdes departs at 5.30pm. The journey takes 1hr 40min.
Tourist office By the car park (Mon–Sat 9am–noon & 2–6pm; plus Sun
during July & Aug & during the ski season 9am–noon
& 2–6pm; 05 62 92 49 10, gavarnie.com).
Maison du Parc On the main drag past the car park (Mon–Thurs 8.30am–noon
& 1.30–6pm & Fri 8.30am–noon; 05 62 92 42
48).
ACCOMMODATION
La Bergerie Chemin du Cirque 05 62 92 48
41, camping-gavarnie-labergerie.com.
Surely one of the most stunningly located Pyrenean
campsites, with views compensating for basic facilities. The
site has a laundry room and a small bar serving wine and
pression beer. June–Sept.
€13.70
Compostelle Rue de l’Église 05 62 92 49
43, compostellehotel.com. Thanks to its
elevated position next to the beautiful old church, this
pretty hotel has the best views in town onto the cirque.
Inside, the decor may not be that of a deluxe hotel but it’s
all clean and functional. Breakfast €7.50. Closed Oct to
mid-Jan. Doubles €44,
half-board €50pp
Gîte Auberge le Gypaëte Below the main car park behind the
tourist office 05 62 92 40 61, legypaete.pagesperso-orange.fr. Nice
little stone cottage with a wall humorously covered in
climbing footholds. Inside there’s a large dining area and,
incredibly, 45 beds jammed in, literally to the rafters.
Most guests opt for the hearty half-board option and wash it
down with a €5 half-litre of house wine. There’s free
internet here and picnics on request for €9. Dorms €15, half-board €36
Vignemale Across the river at the end of the
village 05 62 92 40 00, hotel-vignemale.com. For three-star
luxury, this hotel, astride the gave, offers spacious rooms and balconies with
unimpeded views to the cirque. Closed mid-Oct to mid-May.
€150
EATING AND INFORMATION
Les Cascades Next to the Maison du
Parc05 62 92 40 17. A gastronomic
highlight of the town, this restaurant presents fresh
regional platters with low food-mile ingredients. All with
the added benefit of tables overlooking the cirque. Menus range from €20–32. May–Oct Mon–Sat noon–1.30pm &
7–8.30pm.
The Cirque de Troumouse
Much bigger than Gavarnie and, in bad weather, rather intimidating, the Cirque de Troumouse forms a 10km wall of curved rock shorn by glacial action. A mere 22km by road from Gavarnie village, it would be inconceivable to visit one cirque and not the other. Just north of Gavarnie the D922 forks to the right leading up a wild valley whose only habitations are the handful of farmsteads and a pilgrimage chapel, with its ancient polychrome statuette of the Virgin and Child, that make up the scattered hamlet of HÉAS – among the loneliest outposts in France before the road in was constructed.
GETTING THERE: CIRQUE DE TROUMOUSE
By car After 8km up the D922 from Gavarnie, vehicles need to pay a toll (€4) although only when the booth is open: May–Oct 9am–5pm, depending on the weather.
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
Auberge de la Munia Héas 05 62 92 48 39, aubergedelamunia.com. With a handful of plain rooms and an attractive
garden this is the most appealing place to stay in this
remote valley. Many stop off at the auberge’s restaurant
when returning from the cirque and the proportions are in
keeping with hiker appetites. Expect hearty stews with meat,
veg and beans and delightfully calorific puddings like
blueberry clafoutis. Three-course menus are €20. Food available noon–2pm &
7–8.30pm; closed when there is no B&B. €66, half-board €49pp
Barèges
The only major village in the Cirque de Bastan is BARÈGES, primarily a skiing, mountaineering and paragliding centre, and the most congenial, low-key resort around the Gave de Pau.
SKIING AND HIKING AROUND BARÈGES
With its links to the adjacent, equal-sized domaine of La Mongie
over 10km east on the far side of the Col du Tourmalet, Barèges
offers access to the largest skiing area
in the French Pyrenees, including downhill pistes totalling 125km
(1850–2400m) and 31km of cross-country trails through the Lienz
plateau forest (1350–1700m). Beginners’ runs finishing in Barèges
village are much too low (1250m) to retain snow, so all skiers
usually have to start from the Tournaboup or Tourmalet zones.
High-speed, state-of-the-art chair lifts are the rule at Barèges,
and runs have been regraded to make the resort more competitive, but
La Mongie over the hill, despite its hideous purpose-built
development, offers even higher, longer pistes. For more information
consult grand-tourmalet.com.
The GR10 passes through Barèges on its way southeast into the lake-filled Néouvielle Massif, part of France’s oldest (1935) natural reserve, and a great hiking area. The best trailhead for day-hikes lies 3km east of Barèges on the D918 at Pont de la Gaubie (you’ll see a small car park and an abandoned snack bar), from where the classic seven-hour day-loop takes in the Vallée des Aygues Cluses plus the lakes and peak of Madamète, followed by a descent via Lac Nère and Lac Dets Coubous back to Gaubie.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION: BARÈGES
By bus Buses stop on rue du Dr Ducos one block from the tourist office. There is one direct service from Lourdes that runs on school days and 4 to 5 indirect buses daily that involve a coordinated change at Pierrefitte Nestallas, a few kilometres north of Luz-St-Sauveur. From Lourdes (5 indirect Mon–Sat & 4 Sun; 1hr 5min).
Tourist office Place Urbain Cazaux (July & Aug Mon–Sat 9am–12.30pm
& 2–6.30pm, Sun 10am–noon & 4–6pm; Sept–June closes
5pm; 05 62 92 16 00, grand-tourmalet.com). Can supply ski-lift
passes.
ACCOMMODATION
La Montagne Fleurie 21 rue Ramon 05 62 92 68
50, hotel-tourmalet.fr. The best value
out of the handful of hotels lining the main road, this
eighteenth-century building has been restored with dignity
and thought. Breakfast is a little on the pricey side at
€9.50, however evening meals are traditional, varied and
inexpensive at €16.50. €61.50
< Back to The Central Pyrenees
The Comminges
Stretching from Luchon almost to Toulouse, the Comminges is an ancient feudal county encompassing the upper Garonne river valley. It also hosts one of the finest buildings in the Pyrenees, a magnificent cathedral built over three distinct periods in St-Bertrand-de-Comminges.
St-Bertrand-de-Comminges
The grey fortress-like cathedral (Feb–April
& Oct Mon–Sat 10am–noon & 2–6pm, Sun 2–6pm; May–Sept Mon–Sat
9am–7pm, Sun 2–5pm; Nov–Jan Mon–Sat 10am–noon & 2–6pm, Sun 2–5pm;
admission to cloister and choir €4) of ST-BERTRAND-DE-COMMINGES commands the plain from its
knoll-top position, the austere white-veined facade and heavily
buttressed nave totally subduing the clutch of fifteenth- and
sixteenth-century houses huddled at its feet. To the right of the west
door a Romanesque twelfth-century cloister with carved capitals looks
out across a lush valley to the foothills, haunt of Resistance fighters
during World War II. In the aisleless interior, the church’s great
attraction is the central choir, built by Toulousain craftsmen and
installed 1523–35. The 66 elaborately carved stalls, each one the work
of a different craftsman, are a feast of virtuosity, mingling piety,
irony and satire. During the summer (mid-July to mid-Aug), the cathedral
and St-Just in Valcabrère, both with marvellous acoustics, host the
musical Festival du Comminges (festival-du-comminges.com).
INFORMATION: ST-BERTRAND-DE-COMMINGES
Tourist office In the nineteenth-century Olivétain chapel and monastery
on the cathedral square (May–Sept Mon–Sat 9am–7pm, Sun
2–5pm; otherwise Mon–Sat 10am–noon & 2–5pm; 05 61
95 44 44). The office doubles as a festival box
office.
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
Chez Simone Rue du Musée 05 61 94 91
05. Specializing in wood-pigeon
stew, this friendly family-run restaurant serves hearty
regional food with little concession for vegetarians.
There’s a lovely terrace outside and the beam-ceilinged
interior has nice views and a fireplace. Three-course
menus begin at €20. Daily noon–2pm plus mid-July to mid-Sept
7–9pm; closed Jan and when there’s snow.
Du Comminges Place du Bout du Pont 05 61
88 31 43, hotelducomminges.fr. This beautiful
old building, part obscured by climbing plants, looks onto
the cathedral. First impressions are good: there’s a
charming original oak front door and inside the exposed
beams and heavy wood furniture add to the hotel’s vintage
atmosphere. The cheapest rooms have a shower but no toilet.
The buffet breakfast costs €8. May to mid-Oct. €52
St-Just de Valcabrère
April–June & Oct 10am–noon & 2–6pm;
July–Sept 9am–7pm; Nov–March Sat & Sun only 2–5pm • €2.50 •
05 61 95 44 44
One mile east of St-Bertrand, there’s an exquisite Romanesque church – the St-Just de Valcabrère – whose square tower rises above a cypress-studded cemetery. The north portal is girded by four elegant full-length sculptures and overtopped by a relief of Christ in Glory borne heavenward by angels. Both interior and exterior are full of recycled masonry from the Roman Lugdunum Convenarum, whose remains are visible at the crossroads just beyond the village.
The Grottes de Gargas
About 6km from St-Bertrand in the direction of St-Laurent are the
Grottes de Gargas (guided tours
daily every 30min: July & Aug 10am–6pm; rest of year
10.30am–5.30pm Tues–Sun, but reservations usually necessary; €10.50;
05 62 98 81 50, grottesdegargas.free.fr), renowned for their 231
prehistoric painted hand-prints outlined in black, red, yellow or
white. The prints seem to be deformed – perhaps the result of
leprosy, frostbite or ritual mutilation, though no one really knows
why.
THE EASTERN PYRENEES
The dominant climatic influence of the Eastern Pyrenees, excluding the misty Couserans region, is the Mediterranean; the climate is warmer, the days sunnier, the landscape more arid than elsewhere in the Pyrenees. Dry-weather plants like cistus, broom and thyme make their appearance, and the foothills are planted with vines. The proximity of Spain is evident, with much of the territory definitively incorporated into France in 1659 previously belonging to historical Catalonia. Like the rest of the Pyrenees, the countryside is spectacular, and densely networked with hiking trails. Historical sights, except the painted caves of the Ariège and the Cathar castles and medieval towns of the upper Aude, are concentrated towards the coast in French Catalonia and along the Tech and Tet valleys.
Val d’Ariège
Whether you’re coming from the western Pyrenees or heading south from the major transport hub of Toulouse, the Val d’Ariège marks the start of the transition to the Mediterranean zone. The river, extending from high peaks along the Andorran border around the spa of Ax-les-Thermes down to agricultural plains north of Foix, forms the main axis of the eponymous département. In between lie a wealth of caves, most notably near Tarascon and Le-Mas-d’Azil. Transport is no problem as long as you stick to the valley.
Foix
France’s smallest départemental capital, FOIX, lies 82km south of Toulouse on the Toulouse–Barcelona train line. It’s an agreeable country town of narrow alleys and sixteenth- to seventeenth-century half-timbered houses, with an old quarter squeezed between the rivers Ariège and Arget.
Built one millennia ago on top of an existing seventh-century
fortification, Foix’s chateau (Feb–April &
Oct–Dec & Jan weekends 10.30am–noon & 2–5.30pm; early May
Mon–Fri 10.30am–noon & 2–5.30pm, Sat & Sun 10am–6pm; mid-May to
June & early Sept 10am–6pm; July & Aug 10am–6.30pm; €4.60;
05 34 09 83 83) with its three distinctive hilltop
towers, has seen its fair share of controversy: its counts sided against
the Albigensians during their eleventh-century Cathar genocide and after
the Revolution it became a home to political prisoners. Today it houses
the small Musée d’Ariège.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION: FOIX
By train The gares SNCF and routière are together on av de la Gare, off the N20 on the right (east) bank of the Ariège.
Destinations Ax-les-Thermes (12 daily, 45min); Latour-de-Carol (7 daily; 1hr 45min); Tarascon-sur-Ariège (10 daily; 15min); Toulouse (15 daily; 1hr 10min).
Tourist office Rue Théophile-Delcasse (July & Aug 10am–7pm, Sun
10am–12.30pm & 2–6pm; Sept–June Mon–Sat 9am–noon &
2–6pm; 05 61 65 12 12, tourisme-foix-varilhes.fr).
Boat trips 6km north of Foix on the D1, boat trips set off for a
1.5km trip along Europe’s longest underground river, the
Riviere Souterraine de Labouiche. The trips (April–June
& Sept 10–11am & 2–4.30pm; July–Aug 9.30am–5pm; Oct
to mid-Nov Tues–Fri 2–4pm, Sat & Sun 10–11am &
2–4.30pm; €10.80; 05 61 65 04 11, labouiche.com)
take in the usual stalagtites and stalacmites and a
beautiful waterfall.
ACCOMMODATION
Auberge Le Léo 16 rue Nöel Peyrevidal 05 61
65 09 04, leodefoix.com. More an activity
centre (rafting and the like) than a hostel but ideal if
you’re on a budget. The rooms are basic and pokey but come
with bathrooms attached and free parking outside. Economical
weekday lunches (noon–2pm) are available downstairs with
traditional main courses costing €8. €20pp
Lons 6 place Duthil 05 34 09 28
00, www.hotel-lons-foix.com. This hotel is
the quietest and most comfortable option in town, with a
respected restaurant attached (menus from €13.60). Restaurant open daily
noon–2pm & 7.30–9pm. Closed late Dec to early Jan.
€81.50
EATING
The prime area for eating is around rue de la Faurie in the town centre.
Le Jeu de l’Oie 17 rue de la Faurie 05 61 02
69 39. Does classic French
country-bistro cuisine – cassoulet, duck dishes, terrines,
offal, good desserts, Leffe draught beer – at low prices
(two-course menus with a glass of
wine €11), which guarantees a lunch-time crush. Vegetarians
can partake of the menu too with tarte
tatin of vegetables followed by pesto
tagliatelle. Tues–Sat noon–2.30pm
& 7–10.30pm.
Niaux
Some 21km south of Foix, the rather ordinary village of Niaux has found itself at the centre of the French Magdalenian era (approx 15,000 BC–7000 BC). Its surrounding hills of scrub-topped limestone conceal great cave systems – rock carved by water over millennia, home to prehistoric hominids and the archeological treasures they left behind.
PREHISTORIC PYRENEES
The following are a selection of the best prehistoric sights in the Pyrenees:
Grotte de Niaux 22km south of Foix (45min guided visits: Jan weekends, Feb
& March Tues–Sun 3 daily 11am–4.15pm; April–June 5 daily
11am–4.15pm (1.30pm in English); July & Aug 10 daily between
9.45am–5.30pm (9.45am & 12.15pm in English); Sept–June 7
daily 10.15am–4.30pm (10.15am & 1pm in English); Oct 5 daily
between 11am–4.15pm (1.30pm in English); Nov & Dec Wed–Sun 3
daily 11am–4.15pm; €12; advance reservations mandatory 05
61 05 10 10,
info@grands-sites-ariege.fr). A huge cave
complex under an enormous rock overhang 2km north of the hamlet
of Niaux. There are 4km of galleries in all, with paintings of
the Magdalenian period scattered throughout, although tours see
just a fraction of the complex. No colour is used to render the
subjects – horses, ibex, stags and bison – just a dark outline
and shading to give body to the drawings, executed with a
“crayon” made of bison fat and manganese oxide.
Grotte de la Vache Alliat, 2km across the valley west from Niaux (90min guided
tours: April–June & Sept Tues–Sat 2.30pm & 4pm; July
& Aug daily 11am, 2, 3, 4 & 5pm; otherwise by
arrangement; €9; 05 61 05 95 06, grotte-de-la-vache.org). A relatively rare example of
an inhabited cave where you can observe hearths, embossed bones,
tools and other remnants in situ that date back 14,000
years.
Grotte de Bédeilhac Above Bédeilhac village; take the D618 from Tarascon towards
Saurat; after 5km, the cave entrance yawns in the Soudour ridge
(75min guided tours: April–June, Sept & school holidays
Wed–Mon 2.30pm & 4.15pm plus Sun at 3pm; July & Aug
daily 11am–5pm; €9.50; 05 61 05 95 06, grotte-de-bedeilhac.org). Inside are examples of
every known technique of Paleolithic art; while not as
immediately powerful as at Niaux, its diversity – including
modelled stalagmites and mud reliefs of beasts –
compensates.
Parc de la Prehistoire 2km west of Tarascon on the D23 (April–June & Sept–Oct
Mon–Fri 10am–6pm & weekends 10am–7pm, closed Mon in Sept
& Oct; July & Aug daily 10am–8pm, last entry 5.30pm;
€10.80; 05 61 05 10 10). This museum presents a
circuit of discovery that shows the life and art of people from
the Magdalenian period who lived in this area 14,000 years ago.
Outdoor exhibits here feature engaging workshop demonstrations
on archeology, prehistoric hunting, fire-making and art
techniques, as well as a recreated encampment.
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING: NIAUX
Le Petite Auberge de Niaux Turn right as you enter Niaux
village from the north 05 61 05 79 79,
aubergedeniaux.com. Although
predominantly a fine restaurant, the owners offer a
two-bedroomed gîte with lounge,
kitchenette and balconies overlooking the river. There’s
usually a 2-night minimum stay. The restaurant is nicely
tucked away in an old stone building with alfresco dining an
option in the garden. A wide variety of menus are available with alluring names such
as “Temptation”, “Montagne” and “Terre d’Ariège” and a
vegetarian menu, a rare occurence,
even makes an appearance. All high-end, regional cooking in
idyllic surroundings. Menus range
from €12.50–48. Restaurant open Tues–Sat noon–2pm &
Tues–Sun 7–9pm. Closed mid-Nov to mid-Feb. €75
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT PREHISTORIC CAVE PAINTING, NIAUX; PARC NATIONAL DES PYRÉNÉES; CHÂTEAU DE QUÉRIBUS
< Back to The Eastern Pyrenees
The Pays de Sault
The Pays de Sault – a magnificent upland bounded by the rivers Ariège and Aude, and the D117 road from Foix to Quillan – marks the start of “Cathar country”. The region’s main town, Lavelanet, is a nondescript place on the banks of the River Touyre, 28km from Foix and 35km from Quillan, that offers little beyond bus connections – including north to Mirepoix covered on opposite, though it’s not strictly in the pays.
Roquefixade
ROQUEFIXADE sits roughly 19km east of Foix en route to Lavelanet; the ruined eleventh-century castle (free, unenclosed) towering above the village sets the scene for further Cathar exploration of the region.
ACCOMMODATION: ROQUEFIXADE
Auberge des Troubadours Just northeast of the village and
well signposted 05 61 66 44 56, gite-etape-roquefixade.com. Dorm
beds and family rooms in a beautiful old house in idyllic
countryside. Ideally located for gentle hikes, although the
gîte is also frequented by
trekkers completing the final leg of the “Sentier Cathare”,
a 12-day route from the Mediterranean coast. The gîte does breakfasts for €5 and meals
or packed lunches for €8. All year. €21.50pp
Montségur
The tiny village of MONTSÉGUR, a small
distance south of Lavelanet, straggles in long terraces at the foot of
its castle-rock, a modified version of a bastide (the original settlement was up by the castle).
The castle itself (daily: Feb, Nov & Dec 11am–4pm; March & Oct
10am–5pm; April–June & Sept 10am–6pm; July–Aug 9am–7pm; Dec
10am–4pm, closed Jan; €5; montsegur.fr) is not strictly Cathar but actually a remnant
of a fortification built on Cathar ruins to protect France from southern
raiders. A garrison remained there until the Treaty of the Pyrenees in
the seventeenth century. All that remains today are the stout, now
truncated curtain walls and keep. The space within is terribly cramped,
and you can easily imagine the sufferings of the six hundred or so
persecuted Cathars.
THE FALL OF MONTSÉGUR
Between 1204 and 1232, Montségur’s castle was reconstructed by Guilhabert de Castres as a strongpoint for the Cathars. By 1232 it – and the village at the base of the pog or rock pinnacle – had become the effective seat of the beleaguered Cathar Church, under the protection of a garrison commanded by Pierre-Roger de Mirepoix, with a population of some five hundred, clergy as well as ordinary believers fleeing Inquisition persecution.
Provoked by de Mirepoix’s raid on Avignonet in May 1242, in which the eleven chief Inquisitors were hacked to pieces, the forces of the Catholic Church and the king of France laid siege to the castle in May 1243. By March 1244, Pierre-Roger, despairing of relief, agreed to terms. At the end of a fortnight’s truce, the 225 Cathar civilians who still refused to recant their beliefs were burnt on a communal pyre on March 16.
Four men who had escaped Montségur unseen on the night of March 15 recovered the Cathar “treasure”, hidden in a cave for safekeeping since late 1243, and vanished. Two of them later reappeared in Lombardy, where these funds were used to support the refugee Cathar community there for another 150 years. More recent New Age-type speculations, especially in German writings, identify this “treasure” as the Holy Grail, and the Cathars themselves as the Knights of the Round Table.
INFORMATION: MONTSÉGUR
Tourist office In the village place (July–Sept
10am–1pm & 2–6pm; 05 61 03 03 03, montsegur.fr).
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
Les Deux Petits Pois 8km east of Montségur in
Fougax-et-Barrineuf 05 61 01 46 90, lesdeuxpetitspois.com.
English/Canadian-run chambre
d’hôte opposite the post office which has three
lovely en-suite rooms, and offers a copious breakfast and
vegetarian dinner on request for €25. €85
La Patate Qui Fume 118 rue du Village 05 61 02
65 07, patatequifume.com. Turn right as
soon as you enter Montségur village from the south and
you’ll find this nice little restaurant offering alfresco
dining. Menus ranging from €16 to
€25 offer three home-made courses, with a vegetarian platter
making an unexpected appearance next to the usual suspects
of magret de canard and trout. For
something slightly unusual, try the duck burger.
Reservations in the evening only. July & Aug Thurs–Tues noon–2pm & 7.30–8.30pm;
Sept–June Fri–Tues noon–2pm & Sat
7.30–8.30pm.
Mirepoix
If you’re heading north from Lavelanet towards Carcassonne, it’s definitely worth stopping in at MIREPOIX, a late thirteenth-century bastide built around one of the finest surviving arcaded market squares – Les Couverts – in the country. The square is bordered by houses dating from the thirteenth to the fifteenth centuries, and a harmonizing modern halle on one side, but its highlight is the medieval Maison des Consuls (council house), whose rafter-ends are carved with dozens of unique portrayals of animals and monsters, and caricatures of medieval social groups and professions, as well as ethnic groups from across the world. Just south of Les Couverts is the early Gothic cathedral of St-Maurice which is claimed to have the largest undivided nave in France, supported only by airy rib vaulting.
A GORGE-OUS WALK
From either Montségur or Fougax-et-Barrineuf, you can take an impressive half-day walk through the Gorges de la Frau, emerging at Comus hamlet in the heart of the Pays de Sault. The route from Montségur initially follows the “Sentier Cathare” until linking up with the GR107 in the valley of the Hers river, which has carved out the gorge. Alternatively, starting from Fougax, just follow the minor D5 south along the Hers for 16km until the tarmac dwindles to a rough, steep track as you enter the gorges proper, where thousand-metre-high cliffs admit sunlight only at midday. The defile ends some 3.5km before Comus, where the track broadens and the grade slackens.
Gîte le Barry Comus village 04 68 20 33
69, gites-comus.com. Comus village has
two good gîte d’étapes, Barry du
Haut in the old rectory and Barry d’en Bas in the old town hall. You can
also camp outside. All meals are provided: breakfast is €7,
a hot meal €18 and picnic provisions €10. Here you’re just
2.5km shy of the D613 road between Ax-les-Thermes and
Quillan, with two daily buses (not weekends) to the latter.
Camping €10, dorms €22
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION: MIREPOIX
By bus Buses stop on Cours Colonel Petit Pied, one block north of the central place.
Destinations Lavelanet (1–7 daily; 25min); Toulouse (1–3 daily; 1hr 50min).
Tourist office Place Maréchal Leclerc, the main square (July & Aug
Mon–Sat 9.15am–6.30pm, Sun 10am–6pm; Sept–June Mon–Sat
9.15am–12.15pm & 2–6pm, Sun 2–6pm; 05 61 68 83
76, tourisme-mirepoix.com).
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
Camping Les Nysades 2km east on the Limoux road (D626)
05 61 60 28 63, camping-mirepoix-ariege.com. A small
campsite that welcomes tents and caravans but with few
facilities. Easter–Sept. €16
Chambre d’hôte la Ferme de
Boyer 3km west of Mirepoix on the D119,
the turning is on the left just past Besset village
05 61 68 93 41, fermeboyer.iowners.net. In a lovely
eighteenth-century farmstead set back from the main road,
this B&B offers a relaxing environment with its large
garden and pool. Families can opt for the self-contained
two-bedroomed cottage and either use the good kitchen
facilities or let the hosts provide dinner for around €30.
Doubles €80, cottage
€150
Maison des Consuls 6 place du Maréchal Leclerc
05 61 68 81 81, maisondesconsuls.com. Extravagantly
furnished hotel tucked into the medieval square and with a
small patio out the back, to relax away from the masses. The
more expensive rooms have private terraces overlooking the
place. Breakfast €12. €99
Les Remparts 6 cours Louis Pons Tande 05
61 68 12 15, hotelremparts.com. The best-value
accommodation in town, if you’re looking for a mid-range
hotel. The building may be old but the bedroom decor is
sympathetically modern and comfortable. The hotel’s
restaurant targets gourmands with its typically small but
pretty portions on big plates. That said, the ingredients
are very fresh, seasonal and mostly local. Menus €35–53. Restaurant open Fri–Sun
noon–1.45pm & Mon–Sat 7.15–9.30pm. €82
Camon
Near enough to Mirepoix, 13km to the southeast, to make a pleasant day excursion, this walled medieval village is home to a twelfth to fourteenth-century fortified Benedictine abbey at the summit (now a chambres d’hôtes).
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
L’Abbaye-Château de Camon 05 61 60 31 23, chateaudecamon.com. A truly special
retreat for those with deep pockets. There’s a large pool, a
part of the original cloister, eighteenth-century canvases in
the lounge, a frescoed chapel, plus all the echoing galleries
and spiral staircases you could want; the gourmet restaurant
does dinner for all comers (€46 table
d’hôte; Thurs–Tues 7.30–9pm). €135
< Back to The Eastern Pyrenees
Vallée de l’Aude
South of Carcassonne, the D118 and the (mostly disused) rail line both forge steadily up the twisting Vallée de l’Aude between scrubby hills and vineyards, past L’Abbaye de St-Hilaire and its carved sarcophagus, river-straddling Limoux and sleepy Alet-les-Bains, before reaching Quillan where the topography changes. The route squeezes through awesome gorges either side of Axat before emerging near the river’s headwaters on the Capcir plateau, east of the Carlit massif. It’s a magnificent drive or slightly hair-raising cycle-ride up to isolated Quérigut, then easier going on to Formiguères.
GETTING AROUND: VALLÉE DE L’AUDE
Transport is heavily subsidized in Languedoc and regional train and bus journeys cost just €1.
By train A train line runs south from Carcassonne.
Destinations Alet-Les-Bains (2–4 daily Mon–Sat; 45min); Limoux (4–6 daily Mon–Sat; 30min); Quillan (2–4 daily Mon–Sat; 1hr 10min).
By bus The bus follows the same route as the train line from Carcassonne, covering the timetable gaps and part routes.
Destinations Alet-Les-Bains (3 daily; 40min); Limoux (3 daily; 30min); Quillan (3 daily; 1hr 10min).
Limoux and around
Some 24km south of Carcassonne, LIMOUX life revolves around pretty place de la République in the heart of the old town, with its Friday market, brasseries and cafés, and the nineteenth-century promenade du Tivoli, in effect a bypass road on the west. Previously known for its wool and leather-tanning trades, Limoux’s recent claim to fame is the excellent regional sparkling wine, Blanquette de Limoux, a cheaper alternative to champagne.
Abbaye de St-Hilaire
16km south of Carcassonne • Daily: April–June
& Sept–Oct 10am–6pm; July & Aug 10am–7pm; Nov–March 10am–5pm
• €5 • 04 68 69 62 76, abbayedesainthilaire.pagesperso-orange.fr
Blanquette de Limoux sparkling wine was supposedly invented in 1531 at the Abbaye de St-Hilaire, which dominates the centre of the eponymous village (11km northeast by minor road). The Gothic cloister (always open) doubles as the village square, but the main attraction is the so-called sarcophagus in the south chapel of the thirteenth-century cathedral. This is one of the masterpieces of the mysterious Maître de Cabestany, an itinerant sculptor whose work – found across the eastern Pyrenees on both sides of the border – is distinguished by the elongated fingers, pleated clothing and cat-like, almond-eyed faces of the human figures. Here, the arrest of evangelizing St Sernin (Saturnin) – patron of Toulouse – his martyrdom through dragging by a bull and his burial by female disciples, is portrayed on three intricately carved side panels of what’s actually a twelfth-century marble reliquary too small to contain a corpse.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION: LIMOUX
By train The train station is to the east of the town on av de la Gare.
Destinations Carcassonne (4–7 daily; 30min); Quillan (4–7 daily; 35min).
By car Free parking is on the riverbanks by the picturesque old bridge.
Tourist office 7 av du Pont de France, inconveniently positioned north of
the centre (July & Aug daily 9am–12.30pm & 2–7pm;
Sept–June Mon–Fri 9am–noon & 2–6pm, Sat 10am–noon &
2–5pm; 04 68 31 11 82, limoux.fr).
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
Hotel accommodation is not in plentiful supply in Limoux and what there is does not inspire. Best go for a nearby B&B.
Chambre d’hôte le Hothouse 25 Chemin Tour de la Badoque
04 68 31 66 83, chambredhote-lehothouselimoux.blogspot.co.uk.
A charming little B&B just outside town with
characterful rooms, hammocks next to the pool, and in lush
surroundings. €70
La Goutine 10 rue de la Goutine 04 68 74
34 07. A healthy option, this
organic and vegetarian restaurant is something of a rarity
in France. Expect delicious quinoa dishes, as well as tofu
sausage and bean stew. Three courses for a very reasonable
€15. Tues–Sat noon–2.30pm, plus Fri
& Sat 7–10pm.
Alet-les-Bains
South of Limoux, an essential halt is the small thermal resort of
ALET-LES-BAINS; the spa on the
outskirts is incidental to the unspoilt half-timbered houses and arcaded
place inside the fortifications. The
Abbaye Ste-Marie d’Alet (July &
Aug daily 10am–12.30pm & 2.30–7pm; Sept–June Mon–Thurs 2–6pm,
Fri–Sun 10am–noon & 2–6pm; €3.50; 04 68 69 93 56,
info.aletlesbains.free.fr) on av Nicolas Pavillon – attached
to the tourist office (which has the keys) – is a sandstone Romanesque
abbey that was sacked by the Huguenots in the sixteenth century. Today
there remains only the church and chapterhouse overlooking what’s left
of a gallery of the cloisters and the northern gateway of the
monastery.
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING: ALET-LES-BAINS
Hostellerie de l’Évêché 2 rue Nicolas Pavillon, by the abbey
04 68 69 90 25, hotel-eveche.com. Occupying the old
bishop’s palace, this beautiful hotel and restaurant,
astride the river, and within its own parkland, is a
wonderful stopover. Dinner is served either in the
atmospheric stone-walled annex or outside under the huge
copper beech trees. The three-course gourmet menus cost €31 from which you can
sample a good cassoulet. Children can play outside in the
secure gardens in between courses. Service noon–2pm &
7.30–9pm. April–Oct. €75
Quillan
Quillan, 28km upstream from Limoux, is a useful staging post en route south into the mountains or east to the Cathar castles. The only monument is the ruined castle, burnt by the Huguenots in 1575 and partly dismantled in the eighteenth century.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION: QUILLAN
By bus and train The gare SNCF and gare routière sit together on the main bypass road.
Tourist office Square A. Tricoire, opposite the train station (July &
Aug daily 9.30am–7pm; Sept–June Mon–Sat 9.30am–noon &
2.30–6pm; 04 68 20 07 78, quillan.fr).
ACCOMMODATION
Camping Sapinette 21 rue René-Delpech 04 68 20
13 52, camping-quillan.fr. A nice municipal
site surrounded by pine trees on a hill, with moderately
good leisure facilities including a pool and playground.
April–Oct. €11.60
Chambre d’hôte Nidelice 28 bd Jean Bourrel 09 63 40
15 10, nidelice.com. Located in a
relatively peaceful boulevard, this friendly B&B is
tastefully decorated with rustic rooms and stripped pine
floors. The town’s many bars and restaurants are just
outside. €59
Hotel-Restaurant Cartier 31 bd Charles de Gaulle 04 68
20 05 14, hotelcartier.com. Notable for its
Art Deco facade, this hotel may not be a beacon of
modernity, but it has comfortable and spacious rooms
(including family suites for €91) and a great restaurant,
where you can sample cuttlefish in a creamy saffron sauce
within the €20 three-course menu – or for €5 extra, upgrade
to a huge cassoulet. Vegetarians are also well catered for
here. Late March to mid-Dec. €72
< Back to The Eastern Pyrenees
The Cathar castles
Romantic and ruined, the medieval fortresses that pepper the hills between Quillan and Perpignan have become known as the Cathar castles, though actually many were built either before or after the Cathar era. Roussillon, Languedoc and the eastern Ariège were the twelfth-century sect’s power base. Their name derives from the Greek word for “pure” – katharon – as they abhorred the materialism and worldly power of the established Church, and they were initially pacifist, denying the validity of feudal vows or allegiances. While the Cathars probably never accounted for more than ten percent of the population, they included many members of the nobility and mercantile classes, which alarmed the ruling powers.
Once disputational persuasion by the ecclesiastical hierarchy proved fruitless, Pope Innocent III anathemized the Cathars as heretics in 1208 and persuaded the French king to mount the first of many “Albigensian” crusades, named after Albi, a Cathar stronghold. Predatory northern nobles, led for a decade by the notoriously cruel Simon de Montfort, descended on the area with their forces, besieging and sacking towns, massacring Cathar and Catholic civilians alike, laying waste or seizing the lands of local counts. The effect of this brutality was to unite both the Cathars and their Catholic neighbours in southern solidarity against the barbarous north. Though military defeat became inevitable with the capitulation of Toulouse in 1229 and the fall of Montségur in 1244, it took the informers and torturers of the Holy Inquisition another 180 years to root out Catharism completely.
Puilaurens
10km east of Axat • Feb & March Sat & Sun
10am–5pm; April & Oct to mid-Nov daily 10am–5pm; May daily 10am–6pm;
June & Sept daily 10am–7pm; July & Aug daily 9am–8pm • €5 •
04 68 20 65 26
The westernmost Cathar castle, Puilaurens, perches atop a hill at 700m, its fine crenelated walls sprouting organically from the rock outcrops. It sheltered many Cathars up to 1256, when Chabert de Barbera, the region’s de facto ruler, was captured and forced to hand over this citadelle and Quéribus further east to secure his release. The castle remained strategically important – being close to the Spanish border – until 1659, when France annexed Roussillon and the frontier was pushed south. Highlights of a visit are the west donjon and southeast postern gate, where you’re allowed briefly on the curtain wall for views, and the Tour de la Dame Blanche, with its rib-vaulted ceiling.
Quéribus
Overlooks village of Cucugnan, halfway between Quillan
and the sea • Daily: Feb 10am–5.30pm; March 10am–6pm; April–June &
Sept 9.30am–7pm; July & Aug 9am–8pm; Oct 10am–6.30pm; Nov to first
week of Jan 10am–5pm • €6 • 04 68 45 03 69
The history of Quéribus is similar to that of Puilaurens, and it too held out until 1255 or 1256; not reduced by siege, its role as a Cathar sanctuary ended with the capture of the luckless Chabert, though the garrison escaped to Spain. Spectacularly situated above the Grau de Maury pass 6km north of the Quillan–Perpignan road, the castle balances on a storm-battered rock pinnacle above sheer cliffs – access is forbidden in bad weather. Because of the cramped topography, the space within the walls is stepped in terraces, linked by a single stairway and dominated by the polygonal keep. The high point, in all senses, is the so-called Salle du Pilier, whose vaulted ceiling is supported by a graceful pillar sprouting a canopy of intersecting ribs. A spiral staircase leads to the roof terrace and fantastic views (best outside summer) in every direction, including Canigou, the Mediterranean and northwest to the next Cathar castle, Peyrepertuse.
Peyrepertuse
Just west of Quéribus • Daily: Feb 10am–5pm; March
& Oct 10am–6pm; April 9.30am–7pm; May, June & Sept 9am–7pm;
July & Aug 9am–8pm • €6.50 (€9 in July & Aug) • 04 82
53 24 07
If you only have time for one of the Cathar castles, make it the Château de Peyrepertuse, not only for the unbeatable site and stunning views, but also because it’s unusually well preserved. The castle was obtained by treaty with the Kingdom of Aragón in 1258, and most of the existing fortifications were built afterwards, staying in use until 1789. The 3.5-km access road starts in Duilhac village or, alternatively, you can walk up from Rouffiac des Corbières village to the north via the GR36 – a tough, hot climb of over an hour. Either way the effort is rewarded, for Peyrepertuse is among the most awe-inspiring castles anywhere, draped the length of a jagged rock-spine with sheer drops at most points. Access is banned during fierce summer thunderstorms, when (as at Quéribus) the ridge makes an ideal lightning target.
Tickets are sold by the southerly car park, but you then walk fifteen minutes through thickets of box to the entrance on the north side. The bulkiest fortifications enclose the lower, eastern end of the ridge, with a keep and barbican controlling the main gate. Things get increasingly airy as you progress west along the ridge past and through various cisterns, chapels and bastions, culminating in a stairway of over a hundred steps carved into the living rock, which leads to a keep, tower and the chapel of San Jordi at the summit.
Aguilar
Just east of Tuchan • Daily: mid-April to mid-June
10am–6pm; mid-June to mid-Sept 9am–7pm; mid-Sept to Oct 11am–5pm;
closed Nov to mid-April • €3.50 • 04 68 45 51 00
Overlooking the Côtes de Roussillon-Villages wine domaine is the isolated, thirteenth-century Château d’Aguilar; perched at the end of a steep, one-lane drive, its hexagonal curtain wall shelters a keep, with the chatelain’s lodge on the top floor.
VISITING THE CASTLES: AGUILAR
By train The Train du Pays Cathare et du Fenouillèdes (04 68 20
04 00, tpcf.fr) runs from Rivesaltes or Espira de Agly, just
north of Perpignan, to Axat, stopping at the main towns along
the Cathar way. The service (sometimes only
St-Paul-de-Fenouillet to Axat) runs April, May & Oct Sun
& Wed; June Tues, Wed & Sun; July Sun–Fri; Aug Tues–Sun;
Sept Tues, Wed, Fri & Sun (adult fare €10.40–20.80 depending
on distance).
Passeport des Sites du Pays Cathare If you’re planning on visiting several of the Cathar-related
and other medieval sites in the Aude, consider purchasing the Le
Passeport des Sites du Pays Cathare, available for €2 at any of
the nineteen participating monuments in the département. The card (valid per calendar year)
gives €1 off adult admission, and a free child admission, for
the ramparts of Carcassonne, Lastours, Saissac,
Caunes-Minervois, St-Hilaire, Lagrasse, Fontfroide, Puilaurens,
Usson, Peyrepertuse, Quéribus, Aguilar and other sites. For more
information see payscathare.org.
Cucugnan
Cucugnan, fifty kilometres east of Quillan, halfway to the coast, is a popular base for visiting Quéribus (and Peyrepertuse) and there’s ample accommodation in chambres d’hôtes and hotels.
ACCOMMODATION: CUCUGNAN
Auberge de Cucugnan 2 place de la Fontaine 04 68
45 40 84. The smallish, modern
rooms (with en-suite) here contrast with the building’s
stone facade and charming restaurant. The food is, on the
whole, of a high standard but not particularly original.
Menus from €19; closed Thurs.
€60
Auberge du Vigneron 2 rue Achille-Mir 04 68 45 03
00, auberge-vigneron.com. Comfortable,
timeless hotel above an excellent restaurant with a terrace
overlooking the hills. The half-board option is excellent
value; many of the restaurant ingredients come from the
hotel’s own garden. Restaurant closed Mon. €64; half-board €80pp
FROM TOP GRANDE PLAGE, BIARRITZ; TRAIN CROSSING A TRESTLE BRIDGE, ROUSSILLON
< Back to The Eastern Pyrenees
Roussillon
The area comprising the eastern fringe of the Pyrenees and the lowlands down to the Mediterranean is known as Roussillon, or French Catalonia. Catalan power first emerged in the tenth century under the independent counts of Barcelona, who then became kings of Aragón as well in 1163. The Catalan zenith was reached during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, when the Franco–Catalan frontier traced the Corbières hills north of Perpignan. But Jaume I of Aragón and Valencia made the mistake of dividing his kingdom between his two sons at his death in 1276, thus ensuring continuous see-saw battles and annexations that ended only with the Treaty of the Pyrenees, negotiated by Louis XIV and the Spanish king in 1659.
Although there’s no real separatist impetus among French Catalans today, their sense of identity remains strong: the language is very much alive (not least in bilingual place signage), and their red-and-yellow flag is ubiquitous. The Pic du Canigou, which completely dominates Roussillon despite its modest (2784m) elevation, shines as a powerful beacon of Catalan nationalism, attracting hordes of Catalans from across the border to celebrate St John’s Eve (June 23–24). At the feet of the Canigou, the little town of Prades, place of exile from Franco’s Spain of cellist Pablo (Pau) Casals, served as a focus of Catalan resistance until 1975.
Most of the region’s attractions are easily reached by public transport from Roussillon’s capital, Perpignan. The coast and foothills between it and the Spanish frontier are beautiful, especially at Collioure, though predictably crowded and in most places overdeveloped. You’ll find the finest spots in the Tech and Têt valleys which slice southwest towards the high peaks, among them the Romanesque monasteries of Serrabona, St-Michel-de-Cuixà and St-Martin-du-Canigou, the world-class modern art museum at Céret, and Mont Canigou itself, lapped by foothill orchards of peaches and cherries.
Perpignan and around
This far south, climate and geography alone would ensure a palpable Spanish influence. Moreover, a good part of PERPIGNAN’s population is of Spanish origin – refugees from the Civil War and their descendants. The southern influence is further augmented by a substantial contingent of North Africans, including both Arabs and white French settlers repatriated after Algerian independence in 1962. Given its relatively grubby appearance, few will want to stay here for more than a day or two; if you have your own transport, you may prefer to base yourself somewhere in the surrounding area.
Casa Païral
Place de Verdun • 10.30am–6pm; closed Mon &
bank holidays • €2 • 04 68 35 42 05
The best place to begin explorations of Perpignan is at Le Castillet, built as a gateway in the fourteenth century and now home to the Casa Païral, an interesting museum of Roussillon’s Catalan rural culture and the anti-French rebellions of 1661–74, when the tower held captured Catalan insurgents.
Place de la Loge
A short distance from place de Verdun down rue Louis-Blanc lies place de la Loge, focus of the pedestrianized heart of the old town, with a voluptuous Venus statue by Aristide Maillol in the centre. Dominating the cafés and brasseries of the narrow square is Perpignan’s most interesting building, the Gothic Loge de Mer (1397). Designed to hold the city’s stock exchange and maritime court, it features gargoyles, lancet windows and lacy balustrades up top. Adjacent stand the sixteenth-century hôtel de ville, with its magnificent wrought-iron gates and with another Maillol (La Méditerranée) in the courtyard, and the fifteenth-century Palais de la Députation, once the parliament of Roussillon.
Cathédrale St-Jean-Baptiste
Place Gambetta • Mon–Sat 8am–6pm (closes 7pm June–Sept), Sun 2–6pm • Free • Campo Santo Oct–April Tues–Sun 11am–5pm; closed May–Sept
From place de la Loge, rue St-Jean leads northeast to the fourteenth-century Cathédrale St-Jean on place Gambetta, its external walls built of alternating bands of river stones and brick. The dimly lit interior is most interesting for its elaborate Catalan altarpieces and for the fourteenth-century, Rhenish polychrome Crucifixion known as the Dévôt Christ; it’s in the fifth side chapel along the north wall, and was probably brought from the Low Countries by a travelling merchant. Out of the side door, a few steps on the left, you’ll find the entrance to the Campo Santo, a vast enclosure that’s one of France’s oldest cemeteries, occasionally used for summer concerts.
CATALAN CUISINE
Characterized by the wide variety of ingredients that grow throughout the different climates between the mountains and the sea, Catalonia’s distinctive food depends on its use of contrasting (sweet, savoury and sour) flavours within the five fundamental sauces of Catalan cuisine. The most important of these is sofregit, a tomato-based sauce with caramelized onion that’s used ubiquitously. The most popular traditional dishes include ollada (pork stew), bullinada (similar to paella but with potatoes instead of rice) and regional favourite, Boles de Picolat (meatballs). Catalans have a sweet tooth too and produce a variety of custardy desserts like Pa d’ous (flan) and crema catalane as well as the wonderful sweet wines of Banyuls and Rivesaltes.
The Maghrebian and Romany quarters
South of the cathedral, rue de la Révolution-Française and rue de l’Anguille lead into the teeming, dilapidated Maghrebian and Romany quarter, where women congregate on the secluded inner lanes but are seldom seen on the busier thoroughfares. Here you’ll find North African shops and cafés, especially on rue Llucia, and a daily market on place Cassanyes. Uphill and north from this stands the elegant church of St-Jacques (Tues–5pm 11am–5pm; free), which was built in two phases in the fourteenth and eighteenth centuries; it abuts La Miranda gardens, atop a section of the old city walls.
Palais des Rois de Majorque
Rue Archers • Daily: June–Sept 10am–6pm; Oct–May
9am–5pm • €4 • 04 68 34 96 26
A twenty-minute walk southwest through place des Esplanades brings you to the main entrance of the Palais des Rois de Majorque, which crowns the hill that dominates the southern part of the old town. Although Vauban’s walls surround it now, and it’s suffered generally from on-going military use until 1946, the two-storey palace and its partly arcaded courtyard date originally from the late thirteenth century. There are frequent worthwhile temporary exhibits in the former king’s apartments.
Musée Hyacinthe Rigaud
16 rue de l’Ange, near place Arago • Tues–Sun
10.30am–6pm • €5 • 04 68 35 43 40
The collection at the Musée Hyacinthe Rigaud is devoted largely to Catalan painters, most notably Minorcan-born Pierre Daura (1896–1976), a Republican and godson of Pablo Casals long exiled in the US: his sympathies are evident in two symbolic canvases of the post-Civil-War Republican refugee camps at nearby Argelès. One room has a few Maillol sketches and statues, and three portraits by Picasso. Expect some disruption as the museum has just been awarded €10 million to expand to become a major “cultural destination” sometime in 2017.
Forteresse de Salses
Guided tours: April–Sept 10am–6.30pm; Oct–March
10am–12.15pm & 2–5pm • €7.50 • salses.monuments-nationaux.fr • Trains to Salses depart
from Perpignan every 30min (13min)
An interesting stop 15km north of Perpignan is the Forteresse de Salses, in the town of Salses-le-Château. This late fifteenth-century Spanish-built fort, on the north end of town, was one of the first to be designed with a ground-hugging profile to protect it from artillery fire. It housed around one thousand troops and was entirely self-sufficient with wells, irrigation systems and even a bakery within the walls. Tours are in French but afterwards you will be able to explore some parts on your own.
Tautavel
Tautavel, 25km northwest of
Perpignan off the St-Paul-de-Fenouillet road, might not have much to
see, but is interesting anthropologically. In 1971 the remains of
the oldest known European hominid – dated to around 450,000 years
old – were discovered in the nearby Caune d’Arago cave, and a
reconstruction of the skull and other cave finds are displayed in
the village’s Musée de la
Préhistoire (daily: 10am–12.30pm & 2–6pm; July–Aug
10am–7pm; €8; 450000ans.com).
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION: PERPIGNAN
By plane From the airport at Rivesaltes, 6km north (no-frills flights from UK), there are shuttle buses every 30min into town (€1), which call at bd St Assiscle to link up with the gare routière and gare SNCF.
By train The train station is at the end of av General-de-Gaulle to the west of the city centre; it is connected to the bus station by way of a tunnel under the tracks. All regional train journeys cost €1.
Destinations Barcelona (3 daily; 2hr 30min); Collioure (8–12 daily; 25min); Narbonne (approx every 30min; 30–45min); Villefranche (8 daily; 55min).
By bus The bus station is on bd Saint Assiscle, to the west of the city centre. All regional bus journeys cost €1.
Destinations Banyuls-sur-Mer (4 daily except Sun; 45min); Céret (15 daily; 40min); Collioure (3 daily; 45min); Latour-de-Carol (2–3 daily; 2hr); Prades (approx every 30min; 55min); via the Tech valley to Prats-de-Molló (2–3 daily; 1hr 40min); Quillan (2 daily; 2hr); Tet valley to Mont-Louis (3–4 daily; 2hr 15min).
Tourist office Place François Arago (mid-June to mid-Sept Mon–Sat
9am–7pm, Sun 10am–4pm; rest of year Mon–Sat 9am–6pm, Sun
11am–2pm; 04 68 66 30 30, perpignantourisme.com).
ACCOMMODATION
D’Aragon 17 av Gilbert Brutus 04 68 54
04 46, aragon-hotel.com. A bit out of the
way, but handy for the Palais des Rois de Majorque, Aragon is a two-star with simple,
unfussy rooms and parking nearby. €58
De la Loge 1 Fabriques d’en Nabot 04 68
34 41 02, hoteldelaloge.fr. Smack in the
centre of town, this is a tastefully renovated medieval
mansion with a central courtyard, on a quiet alley. Try to
get a room facing the courtyard if you want a peaceful
sleep. Breakfast €5. €70
New Christina 51 Cours Lassus 04 68 35 12
21, hotel-newchristina.com. Sited a 5min
stroll northeast of the old town centre and overlooking a
large wooded park. The en-suite rooms within are comfortable
if a little charmless, made up for by the irresistible
fifth-floor plunge pool and sun terrace with views to the
park. Disabled access. Closes Dec 20 for one month. €93
EATING, DRINKING AND ENTERTAINMENT
For a city of Perpignan’s size, restaurants, bars and clubs are quite thin on the ground. However, there’s the Trobades festival celebrating the medieval heritage of the region (in late September) and other events like the October-long Jazzèbre festival. But Perpignan’s best-known spectacle is La Procession de la Sanch, the Good Friday procession of red-hooded penitents that goes from the church of St-Jacques to the cathedral between 3pm and 5pm. Nightlife is largely confined to wine/tapas bars in the narrow alleyways of the old centre while young clubbers journey to the modern coastal resort of Canet Plage at weekends.
Bio Deux Anges 39 rue des Augustins 04 68 08
78 32, biodeuxanges.com. Organic,
vegetarian restaurant with nutritionally balanced menus from €15.50 based around whole
grains such as quinoa and Camargue rice. Tues–Sat 9am–7pm.
Boulangerie Chez Ben Bouzid Place Cassanyes 04 68 67 09
58. Savour the scent of a true
boulangerie as you enter this gourmet tribute to France’s
colonial past. Serves a selection of French and North
African breads plus irresistibly sticky pastries for little
more than €1. Daily
8am–5pm.
Café La Dolce Vita Place de la Révolution-Française
04 68 62 83 27. A delightful
café on the edge of the St Jacques quarter with shaded
tables next to an old marble well. Daily noon till around
6pm; closes later at weekends according to demand.
Café Vienne 3 place Arago 04 68 34 80
00. Specializing in seafood, this
large nonstop pavement restaurant churns out three courses
for €18 rising to €25 in the evening. The €25 “Oyster
Seller’s Tray”, with all manner of tasty crustaceans is the
highlight. Fri–Sat noon–midnight;
Sun–Thurs noon–11pm.
Casa Sansa 2 rue Fabriques-Couvertes 04
68 50 48 01. In a smart side
street, this place, with its bullfight posters and old
photos on the wall, serves traditional regional dishes such
as suquet-bouillabaisse, a Catalan
take on the famous Marseillan fish broth. Menus start at around €17. Daily noon–2pm & 7–10.30pm.
New Bodega 3bis rue Voltaire 04 68 35 21
87, lanew-bodega.e-monsite.com. A tapas
restaurant rather than bar, with severely limited seating –
booking is advisable at weekends. It’s straightforward
classic tapas: patatas bravas,
gambas planxa calamari and the
like, with prices mostly hovering around the €5 mark, and
all joyfully prepared behind the large glass screen next to
the tables. Daily noon–2pm &
7–11pm.
Le P’Ti Resto 6 rue Sainte-Magdeleine 09 54
38 53 58. A restaurant for more
adventurous carnivores, this is the place to try tartare.
Every dish is vibrant, with accompaniments chosen as much
for their colour as their contrasting tastes: try the
lobster tartare served with a roast onion and broad bean
salad and lobster jus. Menus from
€16. Noon–2pm & 7–11pm except
all Sun and Mon lunch.
La Table 5 rue de la Poissonnerie 09
53 17 03 01. Perpignan’s gourmet
choice delivers beautifully presented plates (and slates) in
atmospheric surroundings. Three-course menus start from €24 or if it’s a special
occasion try the decadent “menu de la Sylvestre” with
lobster, foie gras and champagne for €65. Mon 7–10pm, Tues & Wed noon–2pm
& 7–10pm, Thurs noon–2pm & 7–10.30pm, Fri &
Sat noon–2pm & 7–11.30pm.
Castlenou
Twenty kilometres southwest of Perpignan, beyond the winemaking town
of Thuir, is CASTELNOU, one of the
best-preserved villages in the Pyrenees. Surrounded by rolling hills of
sun-baked scrub and oak, there’s little sign of modernization for miles
around, save for the road to the village. Through the pedestrianized
fourteenth-century portal, the village rambles up towards the
pentagon-shaped Château de Castelnou
(Oct–April Sat–Wed 11am–5pm; May–Sept daily 10am–7pm; €5.50; 04
68 53 22 91, chateaudecastelnou.fr) – a worthwhile ascent for the views
alone. First inhabited in 990 AD, the château served as the military and
administrative capital to the Viscount of Vallespir until 1321. Despite
its elevated position, it was besieged several times, notably by the
kings of Majorca and Aragón in 1285 and 1295. There’s a car park at the
base of the village or up the hill behind the castle.
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING: CASTELNOU
Chambre d’hôte/Crêperie la
Figuera 3 Carrer de la Fond D’Avall
04 68 53 18 42, la-figuera.com. In a truly idyllic
spot at the base of the village with a gorgeous terrace
cloaked with plants and flowers, and tables beneath rambling
fig trees. The restaurant produces simple Catalan dishes and
galettes from €8 or you can
just stop by for a quick drink (Easter–Sept noon–2pm &
7–9pm; nonstop service at busier times). €75
< Back to The Eastern Pyrenees
The Côte Vermeille
The Côte Vermeille, where the Pyrenees meet the sea, is the last patch of French shoreline before Spain, its seaside villages once so remote that the Fauvist painters of the early 1900s hid out here. Mass tourism may have ended any sense of exclusivity but outside of high season there is solitude and peace among the wide empty beaches; interspersed between modern resorts like Port-Barcarès (north east of Perpignan), Canet Plage and Argèles-sur-Mer. The coastline remains sandy and straight almost until the border before being pushed east by the upsurging Pyrenean chain, where the prettier cove towns of Collioure and Banyuls are found.
Collioure
Some thirty kilometres southeast of Perpignan, COLLIOURE is achingly picturesque. Palm trees line the curving main beach of Port d’Avall, while slopes of vines and olives rise to ridges crowned with ruined forts and watchtowers. Its setting and monuments inspired Henri Matisse and André Derain to embark in 1905 on their explosive Fauvist colour experiments.
Collioure is dominated by its twelfth-century Château-Royal (daily: 9am–5pm; July & Aug 10am–7pm;
€4; 04 68 82 06 43), founded by the Templars and subject
to later alterations by the kings of Mallorca and Aragón, and again
after the Treaty of the Pyrenees gave Collioure to France. The mediocre
permanent “collection” inside scarcely merits the entrance fee; attend
instead a concert in the courtyard.
The second landmark in the town is the Église
Notre-Dame-des-Anges (daily: 9am–noon & 2–6pm; free;
04 68 82 06 43), which features in every postcard and
tourist brochure of the region. With its belfry dating back to the
middle ages, this building served as a beacon for the port until the
late seventeenth century when the rest of the church was adjoined.
Behind it two small beaches are divided by a
causeway leading to the chapel of St-Vincent,
built on a former islet, while west from here a concrete path follows
the rocky shore to the bay of Le
Racou.
Just north of the château lies the old harbour, still home to a handful of brightly painted lateen-rigged fishing boats – now more likely used as pleasure craft – all that remains of Collioure’s traditional fleet. Beyond this, the stone houses and sloping lanes of the old Mouré quarter are the main focus of interest.
INFORMATION: COLLIOURE
Tourist office Place de 18-Juin (April–June & Sept 9am–noon &
2–7pm; July & Aug Mon–Sat 9am–8pm & Sun 10am–6pm;
Oct–March Mon–Sat 9am–noon & 2–6pm; 04 68 82 15
47, collioure.com).
ACCOMMODATION
L’Arapede Rte de Port-Vendres 04 68 98
09 59, arapede.com. This spacious, modern
hotel fifteen minutes’ walk away from the centre of the town
has ample parking (drivers should note that Collioure can be
a parking nightmare) and a beautiful clifftop garden patio
with pool. There’s also a mini beach five minutes away.
Half-board is available for an extra €32pp. Closed mid-Nov
to mid-Feb. €90
Caranques Rte de Port-Vendres 04 68 82
06 68, les-caranques.com. With the best
view in town, this clifftop hotel looks down to the sea and
Collioure. There’s a private staircase down the cliffside to
an area suitable for swimming. The rooms are slightly basic
for the level of the hotel but the balcony outlook
compensates. Breakfast €13. Closed Nov–March. €150
La Girelle Plage d’Ouille 04 68 81 25
56, campinglagirelle.unblog.fr. Enviably
positioned next to a nice little sandy beach, this mostly
tent-only site, ten minutes’ walk from Collioure, offers a
decent range of services including a snack-bar restaurant,
grocery and fridge lockers. Three bed caravans can be rented
by the week for €399 if you book well in advance.
April–Sept. €30.50
Hostellerie des Templiers 12 av Camille-Pelletan 04 68
98 31 10, hotel-templiers.com. The most
central place to stay, this atmospheric hotel celebrates
Collioure’s art heritage (Picasso frequented the bar
downstairs) with paintings screening the bar and corridor
walls. The hotel itself rambles into an annex that backs on
to an occasionally noisy nightclub. Closed mid-Nov to Jan.
€70
EATING
Le 5eme Péché 18 rue Fraternité 04 68 98 09
76, le-cinquieme-peche.com. Collioure’s
most innovative restaurant, and perhaps the only place in
France creating Japanese-French fusion. Expect colourful
platters combining the uncommon bedfellows of fruit and fish
to the delight of any adventurous palate. Two-course menus cost €19. 12.15–1.45pm & 7.30–9pm; closed Sun
& Wed eve plus all Mon.
Paco 18 rue Rière 04 68 82 90
91. There are a few tapas options
in town but this is easily the best. Open year-round,
there’s a convivial atmosphere that spills onto the narrow
lane as locals and tourists effortlessly mingle with one
another over generous platters of calamari, razor clams and
cured hams. Tapas range from €3.50 to €7.50. 11am–3pm & 5.30pm–12.30am; closed
Tues.
Banyuls-sur-Mer
South towards BANYULS-SUR-MER, 10km from Collioure, both the main highway and minor D914 wind through attractive vineyards, with the Albères hills rising steeply on the right. Make sure you sample the dark, full-bodied Banyuls dessert wine, an appellation that applies only to the vineyards of the Côte Vermeille. The town itself, facing a broad sweep of pebble beach, is pleasant but lacks the overt charm of Collioure.
On the seafront avenue du Fontaulé, the Biodiversarium (April–June & Sept Wed–Sun 2–6pm;
July–Aug 9.30am–12.30pm & 2–6pm; €5; 04 68 88 73 39,
biodiversarium.fr)
aquarium, run by Sorbonne university’s marine biology department, has
tanks containing a comprehensive collection of the region’s submarine
life; this is protected in a nearby réserve
marine, France’s best, which can be explored with local
scuba outfitters.
Four kilometres southwest of town in the Vallée de Roume, signposted
from the top of avenue de Gaulle, is the Musée
Maillol (temporarily closed for renovation; 04 68 88
57 11, museemaillol.com), which is devoted to the works of sculptor
Aristide Maillol (1861–1944), who
was born near Banyuls. He is buried under his statue La
Pensée in Banyuls.
INFORMATION: BANYULS-SUR-MER
Tourist office Diagonally opposite the mairie
on the seafront (July & Aug 9am–7pm; Sept–June Mon–Sat
9am–noon & 2–6pm; 04 68 88 31 58, banyuls-sur-mer.com).
ACCOMMODATION & EATING
Les Elmes At the eponymous sandy cove 1.5km
north of town 04 58 88 03 12, hotel-des-elmes.com or restaurant-la-littorine.fr. Slap
bang on the beachfront, this hotel has excellent facilities
including a hot tub, sauna, terrace and an in-house
restaurant (La Littorine)
downstairs. The rooms are comfortable and well equipped but
aim for the sea-view ones instead of the road outlook if you
can afford extra. If you dine here, it may be a bit pricey,
but you’re in for a treat; €32 buys you the three perfectly
balanced, elegant-looking dishes from the gourmet menu. €88
Le Fanal Av de Fontaulé 04 68 98 65
88, pascal-borrell.com. Classic French
cuisine served alfresco on tables overlooking the marina.
The service can be a little slow but it’s well worth the
wait. The two course €19 menu might include a very fresh
catch of the day and a mouthwatering chocolate millefeuille.
Daily noon–2pm & 7–10pm;
closed Sun, Mon & Wed eve.
Les Pieds dans l’Eau Rue des Elmes 06 27 34 81
66, locations-vacances-banyuls.ch. A
self-catering apartment complex ideal for couples and
families. Right on the sandy beach and just far enough away
from the main road, it’s an extremely relaxing spot. In high
season there is a minimum stay period of one week. €500 per week
< Back to The Eastern Pyrenees
Vallée de Tech
The D115 winds its way through the beautiful Vallée de Tech starting at the border town, Le Boulou, then westwards through pretty little Céret, capital of the Vallespir region. Further upstream, the road passes through the dilapidated spa town, Amélie-les-Bains, and scruffy Arles-sur-Tech, whose only attraction is the sumptuous Abbaye de Ste-Marie. Just past Arles, the narrow Gorges de la Fou is well worth an outing, before you continue west to the captivating medieval walled town of Prats-de-Mollo, which is guarded by a menacing Vauban fortification.
GETTING AROUND: VALLÉE DE TECH
By bus Destinations to and from Perpignan along the Tech valley include Amélie-les-Bains (10 daily; 55min); Arles-sur-Tech (10 daily; 1hr); Céret (15 daily; 40min); and Prats-de-Mollo (2–3 daily; 1hr 40min).
Céret
Céret is a delightful place, with a
wonderfully shady old town overhung by huge plane trees; the central
streets are narrow and winding, opening onto small squares like plaça de Nou Reigs (“Nine Spouts” in Catalan),
named after its central fountain; on avenue d’Espagne, two remnants of
the medieval walls, the Porte de France
and Porte d’Espagne, are visible. The
town’s main sight, however, is the remarkable Musée d’Art Moderne (July to mid Sept 10am–7pm; mid-Sept
to June 10am–6pm; mid-Oct to April closed Tues; €8; 04 68 87 27
76, musee-ceret.com) at 8 bd Maréchal Joffre. Between about 1910
and 1935, Céret’s charms – coupled with the residence here of the
Catalan artist and sculptor Manolo – drew a number of avant-garde
artists to the town, including Matisse and Picasso, who personally
dedicated a number of pictures to the museum. The holdings are too
extensive to mount everything at once, but there are works on show by
Chagall, Miró, Pignon, Picasso and Dufy, among others.
INFORMATION: CÉRET
Tourist office 1 av Clemenceau (June–Aug Mon–Sat 9am–1pm & 1.30–7pm,
Sun 9am–1pm; Sept–May Mon–Sat 9am–12.30pm & 2–5pm;
04 68 87 00 53, ceret.fr).
ACCOMMODATION & EATING
Restaurant La Fontaine Plaça de Nou Reigs 04 68 87
23 47. Few could resist dining in
this beautiful, traffic-free marbled square shaded by vast
plane trees. If you have a family, this is the perfect place
for a relaxing meal while the kids dip hands in and out of
the marbled fountain. The plat du
jour costs €10. Noon–2.30pm & 7–10pm; closed Tues.
Vidal 4 place Soutine 04 68 87 00
85, hotelceret.com. A tastefully
converted eighteenth-century episcopal palace within the old
town walls, Vidal is now a
charming and unpretentious hotel that has a decent
restaurant, Del Bisbe, attached.
Its first-floor terraced restaurant, shaded by vines, serves
tasty, if not ground-breaking, regional dishes including
lamb roasted with pistachios. The three-course menu costs €28. Noon–2pm &
7.30–9.30pm; closed Tues & Wed. Hotel and restaurant
closed Nov. €50
Abbaye de Ste-Marie
Arles-sur-Tech • July & Aug 9am–7pm; Sept–June
Mon–Sat 9am–noon & 2–6pm; also Sun April–Oct 2–5pm • €4 • 04
68 83 90 66
The Romanesque Abbaye de Ste-Marie, in Arles-sur-Tech, 14km from Céret, has Carolingian origins, thought to account for the back-to-front alignment of the altar at the west end and entrance at the east. Entry is via the pleasant thirteenth-century cloister. The unique and compelling feature of the massive church interior is a band of still vividly coloured twelfth-century frescoes high up in the apse of the eastern anti-chapel dedicated to St-Michel and which, appropriately, feature the archangel.
Gorges de la Fou
April–Nov daily 10am–6pm • €9.50 • 04 68 39 16
21
The world’s narrowest canyon, the Gorges de la Fou, spans a spectacular 2km cut through the southeastern flank of Pic du Canigou; at some parts the walls are only one metre apart. Aided by a metal catwalk, the ascent through the gorge is not overly arduous.
Prats-de-Mollo
Beyond the Gorges de la Fou, the D115 climbs steadily, between valley sides thick with walnut, oak and sweet chestnut, 19km to PRATS-DE-MOLLO, the end of the bus line. Prats is the last French town before the Spanish frontier, 13km beyond at Col d’Ares, but it has none of the usual malaise of border towns and is the most attractive place in the valley since Céret. Hub of the newer quarter is El Firal, the huge square used for markets since 1308 (it takes place on Fridays); the walled and gated ville haute just south makes for a wonderful wander, with its steep cobbled streets and a weathered church that has marvellous ironwork on the door. The old town’s walls were rebuilt in the seventeenth century after the suppression of a local revolt against onerous taxation imposed by Louis XIV on his new, post-Treaty Pyrenees holdings.
Vauban’s fortress, the Fort Lagarde
(guided visits: April–June & Sept–Oct Tues–Sun 2–6pm; July & Aug
daily 10.30am–1pm, 3.30pm & 5–6.30pm; €3.50; 04 68 39 70
83; enquire about guided tours at the tourist office) sits
on the heights above the town. It was built in 1677 as much to
intimidate the local population as to keep the Spanish out.
INFORMATION: PRATS-DE-MOLLO
Tourist office Place le Fioral (April–Oct 9am–6pm; Nov–March Mon–Fri
10am–5pm; 04 68 39 70 83, pratsdemollolapreste.com).
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
Le Bellevue Rue el Firal 04 68 39 72
48, hotel-le-bellevue.fr. Overlooking
the place/Friday market, just
outside the town wall, this appealing hotel offers private
parking and rooms with balconies for a little extra. Its
restaurant has seasonal menus from
€20. Closed Dec to mid-Feb. €56
Hostellerie Le Relais 3 place Josep de la Trinxeria
04 68 39 71 30, hotelrestaurantlerelais.com.
Cheerful pastel-hued rooms and a south-facing garden
restaurant serving an exciting range to suit all budgets
including paella and Catalan meatballs, with two-course
menus starting from €11.
€51
Village Liberté Rte Col d’Arès, 100m south of the
old town 04 68 39 72 78, vvf-villages.com. A small family
holiday village with petite studios, two-room apartments and
leisure facilities including a nice pool. Advance booking
essential. Easter–Oct. €100
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Saint Marsal and around
The only direct route between the valleys of the Tech and the Têt, best covered by car or cycle, is the D618 from Amélie-les-Bains to Bouleternère. It’s 44 slow kilometres of mountain road, twisting through hillside meadows and magnificent oak forests, past isolated masies (Catalan farmsteads). Halfway there is the tiny village of Saint Marsal, which offers the first amenities en route and is well worth the stop.
Prieuré de Serrabona
Daily except major holidays 10am–6pm • €4 • 04
68 84 09 30
On the D84 just past Boule d’Amont, you’ll come across one of the finest examples – arguably the finest – of Roussillon Romanesque. The interior of the Prieuré de Serrabona (consecrated 1151) is starkly plain, making the beautifully carved column capitals of its rib-vaulted tribune even more striking: lions, centaurs, griffins and human figures with Asiatic faces and hairstyles – motifs brought back from the Crusades – executed in pink marble from Villefranche-de-Conflent, by students of the Maître d’Cabestany, if not himself.
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The Têt valley
The upper Têt valley, known as the Pays de Conflent, is utterly dominated by the Pic du Canigou. The valley bottoms are lush with fields and orchards, but the vast and uncompromising mountain presides over all. As you continue upstream, the valley steepens and buckles as magnificent gorges carve in from the surrounding mountains and scalding water bleeds from the valley’s northern flank. Ancient shepherd villages, basking in Mediterranean glow, peer down on the road below. Crisscrossing the Têt, the vintage Train Jaune groans its way towards the Cerdagne plateau.
Prades (Prada) and around
The chief valley town is Prades,
easily accessible by train and bus on the
Perpignan–Villefranche–Latour-de-Carol route, and one obvious starting
point for all excursions in the Canigou region. Although there are no
great sights beyond the church of St-Pierre
(free entry) in central place de la République, the town enjoys a status
disproportionate to its size. This is largely thanks to Catalan cellist
Pablo (Pau) Casals, who was a fierce opponent of the Franco regime in
Spain, and consequently settled here as an exile. In 1950 he instituted
the internationally renowned chamber music
festival (prades-festival-casals.com), held annually from late July to
mid-August, the usual venue being the abbey of St-Michel-de-Cuixà.
The thriving Tuesday morning market is not to be missed, with its produce strongly influenced by Catalan and north African culture; you’ll find paella, churros and fresh Moroccan spices, traded to the sounds of accordion buskers and congregations of elderly men chatting in French-Catalan dialect.
Abbaye St-Michel-de-Cuxà
May–Sept daily 9.30–11.50am & 2–6pm; Oct–April
Mon–Sat 9.30–11.50am & 2–5pm • €5 • 04 68 96 15
35, abbaye-cuxa.com
Three kilometres south of Prades stands one of the loveliest abbeys in France, the eleventh-century St-Michel-de-Cuxà. Although mutilated after the Revolution it is still beautiful, with its crenelated tower silhouetted against the wooded – sometimes snowy – slopes of Canigou. You enter via the labyrinthine, vaulted crypt, with its round central chamber, before proceeding to the church with its strange Visigothic-style “keyhole” arches. But the glory of the place is the cloister and its twelfth-century column capitals.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION: PRADES AND AROUND
By bus The bus depot is on av du Général-de-Gaulle on the east side of town.
Destinations Latour-de-Carol (2–3 daily; 1hr); Perpignan (approx. every half-hour; 55min).
By train The gare is two blocks south of the bus depot on bd de la Gare.
Destinations Perpignan (8 daily; 45min); Villefranche (8 daily; 10min).
Tourist office 10 place de la République (mid-Sept to mid-June Mon–Sat
9am–noon & 2–6pm; mid-June to mid-Sept 9am–6pm;
04 68 05 41 02, prades-tourisme.fr).
ACCOMMODATION
Castell Rose Chemin de la Litera 04 68 96
07 57, castellrose-prades.com. Sumptuous
chambres d’hôtes in a
converted manor house with a pool and tennis court. Although
just a short walk from the centre of Prades, it’s a very
peaceful and secluded spot, thanks to the extensive grounds
and the glorious views south to the Massif du Canigou. This
outlook is also enjoyed from the homely bedrooms,
particularly the ones with private balconies. €99
Chambre d’hôte Maison Prades 51 av du Général-de-Gaulle 04
68 05 74 27, maisonprades.com. With its big
bright rooms looking up to the Pic du Canigou and down to
the sunny garden, this chambre
d’hôte looks after its guests well. Breakfasts
(included) are copious, delicious and healthy. €70
Le Grand Hôtel Molitg-les-Bains, 6km north of
Prades 04 68 05 00 50, grandhotelmolitg.com. If money is no
object and you have transport, then this old and charmingly
dishevelled spa hotel, beautifully set in a secluded valley
next to a river, is a fine choice. Bathe in the hotel’s
thermal waters, or more appealingly, the gentle flowing
river below. The hotel’s gourmet restaurant has high
standards and fairly high prices; a two-course meal costs
€27. €115
L’Oasis Molitg-les-Bains, 6km north of
Prades 04 68 05 00 92, l-oasis-molitg-les-bains.fr. More
down-to-earth than Le Grand Hôtel
across the road, this budget option offers exceptional value
with its basic, but clean rooms. €46
EATING
A number of appealing pavement café-restaurants ring the central place and while they offer a pleasant place to stop for a kir or two the food tends to be of poor quality.
Restaurant Le Galie 3 av du Général-de-Gaulle 04
68 05 53 76, www.restaurantlegalie.com. With
its bold, flavourful and typically colourful
Catalan-inspired dishes, you’ll forgive this small
restaurant’s rather sombre atmosphere. For a light lunch,
try the exquisite goat’s cheese and fig millefeuille or the
prawn tempura, leaving room for their home-made éclair Paris. Menus start at €18 for two courses. Noon–3pm & 7.30–9.30pm; closed Tues
eve plus all Mon & Wed.
Eus
The village of Eus, a five-minute drive northeast of Prades, claims to be the sunniest in France; it’s certainly one of the prettiest. Built among massive granite boulders that litter these elevated slopes, narrow cobbled lanes wind up to the ruined château and imposing eighteenth-century church of St Vincent. A number of easy hikes begin from the entrance to the village through the olive groves and gnarled green oak forests.
DRINKING: EUS
Des Gouts et des Couleurs Place de la Républic 06 09 53 32
47. No visit to Eus would be complete
without visiting this convivial pavement bar occupying its own
little place. Opening hours approximately mid-March to mid-Nov daily
11am–7pm.
Villefranche-de-Conflent
Some six kilometres up the Têt from Prades, the medieval garrison town of Villefranche-de-Conflent is dwarfed by sheer limestone escarpments, and is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful in France. Founded in 1092 by the counts of Cerdagne to block incursions from rivals in Roussillon, then remodelled by Vauban in the seventeenth century after annexation by France, its streets and fortifications have remained untouched by subsequent events. Worth a visit is St-Jacques church, with its primitively carved thirteenth-century baptismal font just inside the door; you can also walk the walls for €6 when the tourist office is open.
PETIT TRAIN JAUNE
One of the most spectacular train rides in the world, the Petit Train Jaune runs between Villefranche-de-Conflent and La Tour-de-Carol (with onward links towards Toulouse or Barcelona) in the upper Cerdagne, and is a wonder of early twentieth-century engineering. Built to link up the villages of the high Pyrenees with Perpignan, the antique narrow-gauge carriages now mostly carry tourists, cyclists and skiers. The most spectacular section of the route is in the upper Têt between Olette and Mont-Louis, where you’ll trundle over gorges and massive viaducts. The summertime frequency of the trains makes it practical to hop off and on, allowing you to explore the areas around smaller, isolated stations, many of them haltes facultatifs (ask to be set down). Outside summer, the timetable is somewhat unreliable, as the ageing train system needs regular maintenance.
Château-Fort Libéria
Daily: 10am–6pm; May & June 10am–7pm; July–Aug
9am–8pm • €10 or €7 if you fancy walking up • fort-liberia.com
In 1681, Vauban constructed the Château-Fort Libéria on the heights above Villefranche-de-Conflent to protect it from “aerial” bombardment. Getting there involves taking the jeep, which leaves from near the town’s main gate; you can return to Villefranche by descending a subterranean stairway of a thousand steps, emerging at the end of rue St-Pierre.
St-Martin-du-Canigou
A 30min walk (no car access) above the hamlet of
Casteil, itself eight kilometres south of Villefranche in the Vallée
de Cady. French guided tours: Mon–Sat 10am, 11am, 2pm, 3pm, 4pm;
plus June–Sept noon & 5pm; Sun/hols 10am & 12.30pm; closed
Jan & Mon Oct–May • €6 • stmartinducanigou.org
The stunning abbey of St-Martin-du-Canigou, founded in 1001, resurrected from ruins between 1902 and 1982, and now inhabited by a working religious community, occupies a narrow promontory of rock surrounded by chestnut and oak woods, while above it rises the precipitous slopes of the Pic du Canigou. Below, the ground drops vertically into the ravine of the Cady stream rushing down from the Col de Jou. What you see is a beautiful little garden and cloister overlooking the ravine, a low-ceiling, atmospheric chapel beneath the church, and the main church itself.
INFORMATION: VILLEFRANCHE-DE-CONFLENT
Tourist office 2 rue St Jean, by the western gate (Feb, Oct & Nov
10.30am–noon & 2–5pm; March–May 10.30am–5pm; June &
Sept 10am–7pm; July & Aug 10am–8pm; Dec 2–5pm; closed
Jan; 04 68 96 22 96, villefranchedeconflent-tourisme.fr).
ACCOMMODATION
À l’Ombre du Fort 2 Sainte-Eulalie 04 68 97 10
01, activityholidayfrance.com. A grand
nineteenth-century house cloaked in Virginia creeper with
spacious rooms and parquet flooring. Outside there’s a
large, landscaped garden and sun-drenched swimming pool
secluded by trees. Min stay 2 nights. Breakfast included.
€85
Camping Les Cerisiers Chemin de la Pena, Vernet-les-Bains
(6km south of Villefranche) 04 68 05 60
38, camping-lescerisiers.com. Unlike
other campsites in the area, this pleasant little site is
peacefully tucked away from any kind of main road. It’s also
well located for attempts to summit the Pic du Canigou.
There are a few facilities here: sauna, hot tub, free wi-fi
and little shop, while Vernet covers all other needs.
Mid-March to mid-Oct. €20
EATING
Boulangerie Patisserie Miras 13 rue Saint Jacques 04 68 96
37 06, boulangerie.miras.free.fr. Run by a
genuine artisan boulanger, this is
the ideal place to sample the Bunyete, a Catalan speciality
akin to a pancake-doughnut-cross (€2.50). This attractive
little shop proudly bakes its breads and pastries in a 1930s
cast iron, wood-fired oven. Tues–Sun
7am–1pm & 2–7pm; July & Aug daily
6.30am–8.30pm.
La Senyera 81 rue Saint Jean 04 68 96 17
65, lasenyera.fr. This beautiful and
atmospheric restaurant has the best reputation in town and
is where the locals choose to dine. Dishes like the millefeuille de thon display a
refreshingly sophisticated flair for a touristic hub like
Villefranche, although there are a few gimmicks such as
slates acting as plates. Budget around €20–30 for a generous
meal. Noon–2pm & 7.30–9pm;
Nov–March closed Wed lunch & eves except Sat eve;
April–Oct closed Tues–Thurs eve; closed mid-Oct to
mid-Nov & first week of July.
The upper Têt
Ten or so kilometres west of Villefranche, the mountains close in, dwarfing the valley and road below. As you turn right just past the village of Olette the road leads to the picture-perfect shepherd’s village of Evol, overlooked by the old fortress of the So Viscounts. Further up the Têt, most of the settlements are high on the mountainside, connected by ancient footpaths and dry-stone terraces, the most breathtaking of which is Canaveilles; from the main road it’s three kilometres of vertiginous single-track hairpins to reach this characterful old village. If you cross the main N166 road from the foot of Canaveilles and follow the well-trodden path to the river, you’ll see a stone basin with scalding thermal water pouring in from the mountainside with a makeshift sluice gate in the river for temperature adjustment. Some 3km further on the south side of the valley, the wild, wooded Gorges de la Carança (Thuès-Entre-Valls is the nearest village) cuts south through the mountains towards Spain.
One trip worth making, particularly after a heavy day’s trekking, is
to Les Bains de St-Thomas (daily
10am–7.40pm; July & Aug last admission 8.40pm; closed early June
& Nov; €6.50; 04 68 97 03 13, bains-saint-thomas.fr). Signposted from Fontpedrouse, 11km
west of Olette, there are three open-air thermal pools here set at a
pleasant 36–38°C, and located in a beautiful pine forest.
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING: UPPER TET VALLEY
There is a real dearth of accommodation options in this well-touristed area, except for holiday homes that usually rent by the week. Crucially there are no restaurants here either; the nearest are either back in Villefranche or up in Mont Louis.
La Fontaine In the centre of Olette 04 68
97 03 67, atasteofcatalonia.co.uk. An
excellent, English-run chambre
d’hôte with five very tasteful rooms including
a family suite. Breakfast is provided here but for all other
meals in this town there is only a café across the road
selling sandwiches. Closed Jan. €58
The Cerdagne
Twenty kilometres up from Olette, the Mediterranean climate slips away as the gradient flattens onto the wide, grassy Cerdagne plateau, whose once-powerful counts controlled lands from Barcelona to Roussillon. It’s a region that’s never been sure whether it is Spanish or French. After the French annexation of Roussillon, it was partitioned, with Spain retaining – as it still does – the enclave of Lliva. The Petit Train Jaune snakes laboriously across the entire plateau, though stations aren’t always convenient for the settlements they nominally serve.
Mont Louis
Easterly gateway to the region, the little garrison town of Mont Louis, built by Vauban in 1679–82, is France’s highest fortified town. The top citadelle is still a training school for paratroops and marines. Today the town is an attractive halfway station between the Mediterranean and Andorra, and has a few shops, bars and restaurants.
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING: MONT LOUIS
Chambre d’hôte La Volute 1 place d’Armes 06 21 58
01 80, lavolute.wix.com/lavolute. Set in
the seventeenth-century former governor’s mansion, with
a garden atop a section of the ramparts overlooking the
moat and mountains beyond. Minimum stay of one week
outside of low season €110
Le Rucher de l’Ours 6 bd Vauban 04 68 04 11
26, miel-lerucherdelours.fr. Welcoming
little crêperie serving three courses for €16 under a
stone-vaulted roof or outside in the often chilly wind.
The restaurant is owned by a fantastic honey producer so
be sure to stock up from the vast array of bee-related
produce also sold here. Wed–Sun
noon–2.30pm & 7–9pm; daily, with extended
opening hours during school holidays.
Les Lacs des Bouillouses
The Têt ultimately has its source in the Carlit massif, which looms above the lovely Lacs des Bouillouses. This huge park in the high Pyrenees is strikingly beautiful; the sky is a different, purer kind of blue and the river and lake waters are clear and fresh. There are moderately difficult, circular hikes around the lakes that feed into the main reservoir as well as idyllic picnic beaches along the banks of the gentle river. Wild swimming in the summer months is a more than appealing prospect. To get here, turn north from Mont Louis and from there it’s well signposted.