Hautes-Pyrénées: Holiday apartments and holiday homes

Anyone wishing to rent a holiday apartment in Hautes-Pyrénées can then continue their accommodation search. The Parc National des Pyrénées extends here into the four valleys of Aure, Barèges, Cauterets and Azun. Its diverse mountain ecosystems include forests, meadows, glaciers and lakes.

Landscape and nature

The French side of the Pyrénées - Mont Perdu World Heritage Site is characterised by the spectacular walls of the cirques. The World Heritage Site also preserves a system of transhumance that has been maintained for centuries, including Spanish grazing on the French side.

The Réserve nationale du Néouvielle contains at least 70 lakes. The protected area was established in its present form in 1968, making it one of France’s earliest nature reserves. It is also home to Europe’s highest forests of mountain pine.

The Parc National des Pyrénées encompasses forests, meadows, glaciers and lakes in different mountain ecosystems. Seven national park houses and five mountain refuges provide overnight accommodation in the mountains.

The Refuge des Espuguettes offers panoramic views of the cross-border peaks of the Cirque de Gavarnie, including the Brèche de Roland and Pic du Vignemale. In Cauterets, the Pont d’Espagne is a bridge built in 1886 that was formerly used as a shepherds’ path for trade with Spain.

Getting around the Pyrenees

The département divides tourism into ten identifiable destinations, each centred around holiday resorts or major attractions. The departmental Géotrek system helps users find official forest walks, climbs for cycling tours and cycle routes in Hautes-Pyrénées. The departmental PDIPR supports routes used on foot, by bicycle, for running and on horseback.

The V81 cycle route crosses Hautes-Pyrénées on low-traffic roads and passes through Lourdes, Tarbes and Lannemezan. The Col du Tourmalet rises to 2,115 metres and offers views over the Bastan and Gripp valleys.

A visit to Pic du Midi begins with a 15-minute cable-car ride to the summit. There, visitors can walk onto a 12-metre-long sky bridge. A hiking route around Mont Perdu was created through a cross-border cooperation initiative.

Culture and history

The torchlight procession in Lourdes was introduced in Lourdes in 1863. The Eucharistic procession leads from the sanctuary’s meadow to the Basilica of Saint-Pie X and dates back to 1874. The Grotte des apparitions is the sanctuary’s central place of worship; it contains the spring and the statue of Notre-Dame de Lourdes.

The Musée pyrénéen is housed in the Château fort de Lourdes and combines medieval heritage, panoramic views and the cultures of the Pyrenees. The museum, which dates back to 1921, displays collections about the societies and traditions of the French and Spanish Pyrenean valleys.

Pyrénéisme was a sporting and literary movement that involved travelling through the Pyrenees and writing about these experiences. It contributed to the development of Gavarnie.

Regional cuisine

The culinary traditions of Hautes-Pyrénées include cheese from mountain farms, Noir de Bigorre charcuterie, mountain honey and garbure. Gâteau à la broche is an emblematic pastry of Hautes-Pyrénées that is still made by hand in some households.

Almost every valley in Hautes-Pyrénées has a craft brewery that uses mountain water. The Madiran and Pacherenc-du-Vic-Bilh wine-growing areas extend into Hautes-Pyrénées as well as Pyrénées-Atlantiques and Gers.

A chocolate house in Lourdes is described as a business supposedly founded by an apothecary in the early 18th century that continues to produce chocolate.

Getting there and choosing a location

Hautes-Pyrénées can be reached by train via the stations in Lourdes and Tarbes.

For further location choices in the département: Arreau, Barèges, Cauterets, Eup, Fronsac, Les Angles, Loudenvielle, Lourdes, Saint-Lary-Soulan, Peyresourde-Balestas, Hourc, Tarbes, Séméac, Odos, Luz-Saint-Sauveur, Germ, Gerde, Gavarnie, Capvern, Ayzac-Ost, Aspin-En-Lavedan, Argelès-Gazost, Lamarque-Pontacq, Aureilhan, Vielle-Aure, Artagnan, Bagnères-De-Bigorre, Clarens, Estaing, Adé, Pierrefitte-Nestalas, Marsac, Orincles, Aragnouet, Vignec, Arrens-Marsous, Vic-En-Bigorre, Gèdre, Bonnemazon, Aucun, Viscos, Ozon, Nouilhan, Orleix, Saint-Sever-De-Rustan, Agos-Vidalos, Asté, Cadéac, Madiran, Campan, Lanne, Soublecause, Uz, Montgaillard, Montignac, Mauléon-Barousse, Ancizan, Puydarrieux, Buzon, Antist, Trie-Sur-Baïse, Lombrès, Juillan, Esbareich, Arbéost, Loures-Barousse, Loubajac, Poueyferré, Thuy, Maubourguet, Peyrouse, Villelongue, Castelnau-Magnoac, Pouzac, La Barthe-De-Neste, Bartrès, Guchen, Génos, Bettes, Asque, Chis, Libaros, Bordes, Fontrailles, Rabastens-De-Bigorre, Arcizans-Avant, Gaillagos, Pinas, Bazet, Galan, Labastide, Seich, Nistos, Vielle-Adour, Sazos, Créchets, Aveux, Cazarilh, Bonnefont, Fréchède, Burg, Nestier, Saint-Laurent-De-Neste, Mascaras, Siradan, Loucrup, Hèches, Luby-Betmont, Thermes-Magnoac, Vidouze, Sacoué, Bernadets-Debat, Azet, Lortet, Larreule, Bourg-de-Bigorre, Auriébat, Ibos, Saint-Savin, Vieuzos, Ilheu, Labatut-Rivière, Lies, Laborde, Sers, Sombrun, Sailhan, Lannemezan, Castelnau-Rivière-Basse, Vielle-Louron, Avezac-Prat-Lahitte, Sarrancolin, Cadeilhan-Trachère, Anères, Saint-Pé-de-Bigorre, Molère, Boulin, Sère-Lanso, Bordères-Louron, Lascazères, Escoubès-Pouts, Ossen, Escaunets, Hibarette, Betbèze, Bazordan, Saléchan, Tuzaguet, Arrayou-Lahitte, Saint-Pastous, Lahitte-Toupière, Gembrie, Fréchou-Fréchet, Camparan, Beaucens, Sariac-Magnoac, Barbazan-Debat, Préchac.

For the higher-level travel overview: Midi Pyrenees.