The Pyrenees; world famous roads, glacial lakes, and towering mountains
My first stop as I headed south from Morzine was Aix-les-Bains; a lovely lakeside town on the shores of Lac Bourget. I resupplied my store cupboards and headed to the lake for a swim and chillax before I continued onwards in search of a place to call home for the night near my next destination, Pont-du-Gard.
It was a long driving day and felt more so after more than a week in one place, but I arrived that evening to an Aire which provided a safe and good night’s sleep, and offered me a great starting point to visit the famous Pont-du-Gard aqueduct the next day.
After a slight ‘accident’ where I reversed into a hidden metal pole shattering my rear light cluster and denting the van, I continued on to the visitor centre and carpark. The carpark was huge (€9 a day), which made me regret my earlier plan to park in a teeny spot and walk, which resulted in said ‘accident’… but anyway, I was there and it was time to go exploring.
The Pont-du-Gard is a Roman built 49m high, 3 tier bridge, spanning the river Gardon, topped by an aqueduct that helped to transport fresh water over 30miles to the citizens of Nîmes until the late 6th Century. After this era it became a Toll Bridge to levy taxes from folk crossing the river, but fell in to disrepair in the 17th Century when some of the large stones were stolen; amazing considering some of the blocks weigh 6 tonnes.
Today it is a spectacular place to visit, mooch around, swim in the river and admire the stunning architecture and engineering on show. The bridge itself is extremely impressive and you need to see it to justify the workmanship involved in building it, especially considering when it was constructed… I mean how?! The trails are well marked around the site and you can climb up to the top of the bridge and see the remnants of the old aqueduct and other buildings associated with it, plus views up and down the beautiful river Gardon.
After exploring the structure and walking over it at least three times, I headed to a quiet river spot for some lunch and a swim in the deep river pools. There’s definitely enough here to keep you occupied for a day and it’s dog and family friendly too; there’s even a yummy café!
I couldn’t stay at the Pont-du-Gard the night and I was loathe to return to the scene of my ‘accident’, so I continued south towards the Mediterranean.
I had booked an Aire in a little seaside town near Sérigan, which was a short stroll to Plage de la Grande Maire. It was busy; a shock to the system after so long travelling and being in the mountains. The sand was hot between my toes and I set up amongst the loungers and umbrellas on this long stretch of soft sand that sweeps into the dark blue depths of the Gulf of Lion. I snorkelled in the clear waters and spent the afternoon with my book enjoying the sound of the sea and the warm sun on my back, before I retreated to my van for a well deserved meal and cold beer or two.
It was a fleeting visit to this popular coastal area but a day was enough for me; the mountains were calling, and I must go...
As promised, I met back up with Paul in the small town of Céret, where the tiny streets and overhanging balconies nearly scuppered Buttercup and me, but we weaved away, lost in the maze of side streets, until we stumbled upon the museum’s carpark and a restaurant where Paul and I had arranged to meet. From here, I followed his teeny French car high into the mountains, past wild goats, coarse dry grasses, dark forests and red brick villages to the village of Boule d’Amont and found a spot for to reside during my visit (difficult as it’s very steep and narrow!). After some cheese and wine, and hugs with Henry the dog, I hiked back to Buttercup for my first night in the Pyrenees.
The next day I woke with a swollen eye unable to see and feeling like my eyeball may have vanished from the socket. So a trip to the local hospital was needed and an amazing doctor saw me within the hour, prescribed me drops, antibiotics and eye patches and off I went looking like an extra from the Pirates of the Caribbean back to Buttercup to rest. The cause of the eye infection, probably the dog - I should know by now to stop hugging fluffy animals!
A few days of rest and my eye was well enough to drive again and I said goodbye to Henry and Paul and continued my adventures into the Midi-Pyrenees. The drive took me through deep gorges carved out by the fast flowing rivers, and through quiet villages where the streets were lined with avenues of trees and markets popped up in the village squares.
I stopped off in the riverside village of Place de l’Église for the night before I resumed my drive further into the mountains and the Vallée du Lis. The weather had turned again, yet I headed out on a circular hike to see some of the dramatic waterfalls in the area. The walk started from a cute carpark besides the river and a tiny café, before heading through an alpage and into the woods to the first waterfall, Cascade de Coeur; from here the path steepened and zig zagged through the misty moody forest to the Cascade de Cau.
The weather was getting worst but I was well equipped and sticking to a well defined route, so I plodded on. I entered a large alpage where the route split to head up to the Lac des Graués and onwards to the Col du Pinata. I carried along the path crossing a pretty bridge that spanned the Houradade and past the hydroelectric pipe wormk running from the summit and Lac d’Enfer high above. As I started to descend the weather perked up and I stopped at the Gouffre d’Enfer bridge to admire the Cascade d’Enfer before my final descent via the hydroelectric station and back to Buttercup for dry clothes and a cuppa. This was a lovely walk and it would be great to head out on some of the longer routes in the area, and maybe embrace an overnight stop at the Refuge du Maupas.
Warm and dry I set off up my first big mountain pass - Col de Peyresourde – and on towards the pretty town of Loudenvielle.
Every steep mountain pass I drove I saw idiotic road cyclists following in the tyre tracks of Tour de France heroes, and had to cautiously overtake them and their carbon beauties, whilst hoping not to meet an oncoming truck or slip off the side of the cliff face! It made for intense, fun and stunning driving.
Loudenvielle sits in the Louran Valley and is a beautiful lakeside town, with a thermal spa, hotels, campsites and nearby ski resorts. It's a popular tourist spot and has even hosted three stage finishes on the Tour. I parked up and went for a stroll before heading to nearby Arreau, a pretty riverside town boosting traditional architecture and quaint shops, but didn't venture for long as I wanted to head on towards the Col d'Aspin and then to Baréges for some mountain biking.
The view at the summit of Col d'Aspin (1490m) offered beautiful views back down the valley, and after a quick photo stop I carried on to the Col du Tourmalet, one of the highest paved routes in the Pyrenees and a favourite of the Tour. It promised views to rival any to date.
The steep winding bends mooched up the mountain to the pass which sits at 2115m, passing a very ugly ski resort before I entered unbelievably dense fog... and then the road, views and, thankfully, cyclists disappeared. I assume the cyclists had disappeared and not just gone over the edge; I couldn't say as I literally couldn't see a thing. I drove on at about 5mph in the hope the van would somehow just stick to the tarmac and I would make it out of the fog quickly and without incident. I made it a few miles back down the precarious hairpins and the fog started to thin, and as the heavy grey veil started to part, a huge bird of prey flew inches from my window and startled me. I pulled over to regain composure and looked out across the hill to see hundreds (not exaggerating) of bearded vultures sweeping to the ground to a mass gathering of others to indulge in a hearty meal of dead cow.
I drove on a short distance to a pull in where a few pro photographers had gathered and watched this amazing sight unfold before me. I'd never seen or heard anything like it. As the feeding frenzy started to quieten down, I continued down the mountain to the ski resort of Baréges. I snuck on to the ski lift's WIFI and let everyone know I was alive, before snuggling down in the carpark for the night with a movie.
Baréges Bike Park is part of the Grand Tourmalet resort, that sits not far from the quite modern village of Baréges, in the Val de la Batsus. The bike park is right at the foot of the Col du Tourmalet and the area boosts a couple of quaint wooden houses, a nice restaurant and the two main lift systems; one of which is used for mountain biking in the summer months. The riding is great fun; there are downhill and enduro runs which offer a good variety for all levels of riders; some super fast flowy trails and techy jump lines. I loved the enduro runs that weaved through the woodland and had some fun obstacles en route. Just watch out for cattle and fences! The lift system was well run and not expensive and the views were epic and lots of 'weeeees' were enjoyed. A great day on my bike; I will be back for sure as there looks to be some great hiking in the area too and possibly a peaceful wild swim spot...
Another night in the carpark to recoup after my day on the bike and then I carried on down the valley towards the picturesque ski and thermal spa town of Cauterets. I drove on through the pretty traditional town, full of hotels, shops, spas and restaurants and headed up the mountain towards the Pont d'Espagne.
The winding road offers stunning views of the icy blue water of the Gave du Marcadau, as it carves its way through the rocks to meet with the Gave de Lutour, before they crash and gurgle over a series of cascades to form the Gave de Cauterets, which feeds the thermal spas in the town below. At the top you enter a large carpark and visitor centre, where you start the hike up following the GR10 route through the trees beside the stunning river and falls to the spectacular sight of Lac de Gaube. The walk from the car park to the lake is just over 4km and is quite steep at the start but otherwise not too technical but hiking boots or shoes are recommended. Alternatively you can buy a ticket to hitch a ride on the Gaube chairlift to an information and view point which is then just a 15minute walk on a flat track to the lake. Be aware that dogs aren't allowed on the GR10 but can go on the chairlift and along the track to the lake.
It was a hot day and so I decided to hop on the chairlift... I kicked back and watched the world fall away beneath my feet as I climbed effortlessly up to the viewpoint and then strolled along the woodland lined path towards the lake I had been imagining and anticipating for weeks. I was desperate to see a marmot, as this is a well know location for them, but as normal had forgotten my binoculars! So I continued on the path keeping my eyes peeled and as a rounded a corner the lake came into view...
At 1725m above sea level nestled in the Guabe valley sits a 19 hectare emerald lake, where the often snow capped mountains of the Hautes-Pyrénées are reflected in it's mirrored waters. The towering peaks of Vignemale (highest mountain in the French Pyrenees at 3298m), Mayouret, Paloumères and Gaube surround it like guards on sentry duty protecting its serenity. Cattle and sheep roam and graze the sumptuous grass on the lake's shores and a hôtellerie provides a lovely spot for a traditional French lunch whilst enjoying the views before you. Bring a picnic, or grab a spot to eat in the hôtellerie, but be prepared to make a full day of it as it's too beautiful to want to leave too soon.
After staring at the lake for a long time and taking A LOT of photos, I decided to keep strolling. The main track alongside the lake is steady and relatively flat with minimal elevation gain, it's narrow in parts but pretty accessible on foot. The lake continues to shimmer to your left and the sun beats down on you as there is no shade or shelter here. At the head of the lake there is a large flat area with some trees for shade and random boulders that look like they'd be fun to clamber over. It's the perfect to relax, eat that picnic and access the cooling waters.
I carried on my hike as it was getting busy by the lake and I wanted to climb to the top of the Cascade d'Esplumouse. It's quite and peaceful trek, I only passed a handful of folk who were doing the GR10 or mooching back from the refuge, but you need to be relatively fit and wearing appropriate kit as it is rocky underfoot and steep in places. The waterfall sits at 1949m and from here the views back down to the Lac de Gaube are breathtaking. Take time on the walk and stop at the wee bothy just off the track. I stopped here for my lunch and sketched the epic view of the valley and Vignemale peak beyond; a little bird made friends with me and I shared my lunch before continuing to the top of the waterfall.
At the summit there are some flat rocks to sunbath on and a few small pools of ice cold water to rest your feet, but the current is too fast for a dip. The views are simply stunning and if I had longer I would have loved to have carried on hiking the GR10 towards Vignemale and what I expect would have been more awe inspiring sights.
I sat for a short while chatting to other hikers before I headed back to the lake for a swim to cool off.
Despite the very hot day, blue sky and stillness of the lake, the water was freezing... A few others ventured in looking brave and tough, to only run out seconds later screaming like small girls. This made me laugh!! I pottered in and did my little prayer stance before submerging beneath the clear water, feeling the buzz of the cold as it enveloped me. It was so unbelievable clear; more so than the water at Annecy, I could dive under and see the rocks and fish beneath my feet. The lake is extremely deep, so I didn't venture out too far but enjoyed a good swim and float under the sun before getting out and drying off. I kept my swim kit on incase I fancied another dip, and started walking back along the lakeside towards the hôtellerie. A short distance along I heard bells behind me and stopped to see a large flock of sheep being brought down from the surrounding hills by the shepherds and sheep dogs; the young lambs were slung over the shepherds shoulders getting a lift on the long hike back to their winter pastures. It was lovely to see this traditional type of farming at work, no quadbikes or fancy kit up here in the mountains!
I decided one more swim was on the cards as the lake is really that stunning you never want to leave, and so I found a lovely rock to dive from and enjoyed another cooling swim in the emerald waters before I too headed down to the pastures below.
I followed the GR10 back towards the car park, which was much nicer going down than coming up I expect! It was a little techy underfoot with huge root systems stretching across the track creating unique patterns in the rock bed, and the river could be heard to my left as it weaved its way through the boulder strewn landscape creating small waterfalls and deep pools at the base of each cascade. Birds chirped and flitted around in the trees and a little respite from the sun was provided by the trees foliage above. Near the bottom of the hike you come to the extremely popular and scenic Pont d'Espagne, part of the old mountain path that connected France to Spain and allowed trade to pass over the mountains. The 'Spanish Bridge' sits high above the Gave du Marcadau where a narrow gorge forces the water over a series of fast flowing falls. It really is a beautiful spot and photos don't do it justice. It's also a very short and easy walk from the car park, so a great place to stop and admire regardless of your abilities.
I headed back to Buttercup and started planning my next port of call; alas you couldn't overnight in the car park here and it was time to find a home for the night after such an amazing day.
I headed back into Cauterets then on towards Argelès-Gazost before rejoining the Route des Cols and its many mountain passes again. First stop the Col du Soulor (1474m), another popular point on the Tour for those made cyclists in conjunction with the famous Col d'Aubisque 'Hors catégorie' climb (that basically means near impossible for mere mortals!). The Col du Soulor can only be described as classic picture postcard French Pyrenees - it is stunning. Horses, donkeys, sheep and cattle roam free with the ding dong sound of their bells echoing around the valley. Small copses are scattered throughout the alpage offering shelter and shade from the intense heat and bearded vultures and marmots can often been seen in the area foraging for dinner. The silvery mountain tops emerge from the green skirts of the lower slopes and the narrow road continues through tiny tunnels that are carved out of the rock.
Wispy clouds started to gather as I sat eating my dinner watching the view in front of me, when suddenly a nose was poking in my door... a friendly donkey decided they would like to share my meal, but being a good outdoors girl I did not allow this! But I did give her a little noggin rub and sent her on her way before she climbed in and set up home in Buttercup! I had a very peaceful night up on the mountain with lots of vans for company along with the animals, and woke to a beautiful cool morning alpine glow (I know it's not the alps!) and started a very early drive towards the Col d'Aubisque.
I was setting off early due to the fact I was unsure if I'd fit through the tunnels or along the mountain road... I had read it was extremely narrow and the tunnels rather low in places and I didn't want to meet someone else if I got stuck and needed to reverse back out! Only one way to find out... 'follow me' I called to no one, and off I went.
There is something rather intimidating about driving a road that you don't know, have no idea if you'll fit and unsure what may be found around the corner; however it's also quite exhilarating! I slowly crept towards the first tunnel trying to remember the height of Buttercup and praying to not hear the sound of rock on the roof and seeing my roof windows or solar panels on the road behind me. I fit through with no issue and on I plodded. The road became narrow with a plummeting drop to my right but Buttercup took it all in her stride and before long we were summiting the Col d'Aubisque in the morning light.
Bikes are everywhere up here - albeit giant art installations - and a memorial to André Bach, a local member of the résistance during the war, avid cyclist and local club president, sits alongside his old bike outside the summit restaurant. The views are as expected at this height, and the Pic de Ger, 'mountain meadows' creates a gorgeous silvery backdrop to the alpages and villages that sit in the depths of the valley below. I had a little walk about, took some photos and then continued my drive down the steep descent which the cyclists normally come up (idiots!!) through the unattractive ski town of Gourette and onto the more visually pleasing spa town of Eaux-Bonnes.
The Pyrenees had certainly been eye opening (apart from when closed to to infection!) and offered so much variety in landscapes, wildlife, architecture and excursions. The walking had been fantastic, the opportunity to dip in the icy waters breathtaking and the park ups perfection. I wanted to explore further, head down every narrow dead end mountain pass and search for more swim spots and peaceful mountain refuges, to continue my search for the elusive marmot, eat a few more crepes and climb into those thermal spas. But alas my time in France was drawing to an end; so with only a week to go, I started heading towards the west coast and the sand dunes and surf of the Bay of Biscay.
Thank you for reading and I'll see you in the surf!
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