The 9 most beautiful places to visit in the Pyrenees National Park

The Pyrenees National Park is one of the most beautiful parks in France. Paradise of hikers, its steep reliefs and its rich valleys will not fail to amaze you!

Located west of the Pyrenees Mountain, the Pyrenees National Park is part of the ten French natural parks. This nature reserve aims to preserve the beauty of its breathtaking wild landscapes and the diversity of the fauna and flora it houses. Lovers of large spaces will be filled: its grandiose summits, its deep lakes and its traditional pastures are all the reason to go to its discovery.

With an area exceeding 2000 square kilometers, the Pyrenees National Park has a lot to offer visitors. In this article, discover the 9 most beautiful places it contains!

1. Cirque de Gavarnie

A circus is a rocky enclosure with steep walls. The Pyrenees National Park is home to several of them, Cirque de Gavarnie ( ola de Gavarnia in gascon) is the most remarkable. With a height of 1700 metres, he formed a sort of gigantic theatre that Victor Hugo called "impossible and extraordinary object."

Formed by water and ice millions of years ago, the circus now offers a striking show to travellers. The Gavarnie waterfall is broken on its feet from the top of its 422 meters: it is one of the highest in Europe.

Would you like to admire this colossal landscape? You can access it by hiking accessible to the whole family!

2. The Pont d’Espagne

On the site of the Pont d’Espagne , nature offers a grandiose show: forests, pastures, massive and especially impressive cascades... The whole soul of the Pyrenees is found there. The Pont d’Espagne owes its name to the small stone bridge crossing the Gave which allowed in the past to reach Spain.

You can easily access it from the city of Cauterets: if you want to take your eyes full, take the way to the bridge. Several hikes allow you to reach other sites, such as the Marcadau valley and circus or Gaube Lake.

3. Le Lac de Gaube

The Lake Gaube is located on the Cauterets Valley, at the foot of the Vignemale peak. Its crystal clear waters, breathtaking views and very good accessibility attract many visitors every year. This does not prevent the site from retaining all its authenticity and spectacular landscape that it actually offers one of the most beautiful places in the Pyrenees National Park.

When the sun darts its rays on the lake, its water takes an enchanting turquoise color. But Gaube Lake is also worth a visit in winter: its waters are sometimes frozen and the summits around it cover snow.

4. The Ossau Valley

Ossau valley , in the heart of the Bearn, is a cradle of Pyrenean pastoral traditions. At the beginning of the summer, the transhumance and the villages of the valley, such as Laruns, celebrate folklore festivals with ossalian colours. There are many prehistoric vestiges, witnesses of a very ancient presence of man: dolmens, stone circles, tumulus, etc. Visiting the Ossau valley is therefore an opportunity to discover the culture of the region (and its famous cheese!).

The Pic du Midi d’Ossau draws on the horizon a well recognisable silhouette, from its isolation and its characteristic shape of tooth. He would represent the cut head of Jean de l’Ours, a popular creature in the Pyrenees, born from the union of a woman and a bear. You can reach its summits and admire a splendid view of the valley.

Don’t miss the tour of the Ayous lakes, to admire their pure and quiet waters on which the peak of Ossau is reflected. A must-see ballad that may allow you to see the Pyrenees desman, also called Rat-trompette. The refuge of Ayous is a very nice stop.

5. The Massif du Néouvielle

Located in the Occitania region, the Neouvielle is a treasure of the Pyrenees National Park. Here, large summits covered with centuries-old pines surrounded by sumptuous lakes. In particular, the Lake of Cap-de-Long is the second largest water reservoir in the Pyrenees, perched at more than 2000 metres above sea level on the massif. Its deep blue water offers a striking contrast to the grey and snowy mountains that encirculate it.

If you are observers, you can see the inhabitants of the place: marmots, isards, raptors...

However, it is better to be a little used to hiking to discover the massif. However, shelters effectively match the paths and points of view it offers are worth the candle!

6. The peak of the Midi de Bigorre

The Pic du Midi du Bigorre is perhaps the most beautiful view of the Pyrenees National Park. With almost 3,000 metres above sea level, it is the land of many legends since ancient times. Indeed, Pyrenean mythology, a mixture of Greek and local pantheons, presents the peak as the tomb of a mythical snake, the son of Heraclès and Pyrenees. Pyrenees die just after giving him life, killed by wild beasts. Heracles erects his grave in the heights... What could be the origin of the name of the Pyrenees Mountain Range!

Today, the peak of the Midi du Bigorre houses an influential astronomical observatory and light pollution is very low: it is an ideal place to observe a pure sky constellated with stars! Visitors can even learn more about astronomy in the planetarium. Especially since the site is accessible to the youngest thanks to the cable car.

7. Borce

This charming medieval village is located in the hollow of the green Aspe valley. It is composed of historic buildings, which give its streets an undeniable charm: stables, bread oven, washing, church... Borce is a very nice stage of the pilgrimage of Santiago de Compostela. A visit to be made if you want to discover old stones in the heart of the Pyrenees National Park. Enjoy it to taste local gastronomy: Bearnese specialties await you!

Borce is dominated by Fort du Portalet, perched like an eagle nest on a cliff at 700 meters above sea level. It is open to the visit and allows you to admire a magnificent view of the valley.

8. Val d’Azun

The Val d’Azun It is full of marvels: territory steeped in pastoral traditions and the beauty of its landscapes, it is a destination of choice to immerse yourself in the Pyrenees National Park. Taste the delicious cheese of Val d’Azun, made under the tops of Balaitou. This territory is bathed with a particular luminosity that gave its name to the val: Azun actually means light in patois.

Mountain sports enthusiasts will find their happiness, whether they turn to mountain biking, trailing, paragliding, climbing or zipline. But also and above all towards skiing, thanks to the resort of Val d’Azun which runs more than 100 kilometers of slopes. For hikers, there are many trails that cross the val reliefs, scattered with barns and charming cottages.

9. La Pique Longue du Vignemale

Long line of Vignemale is the highest point of the French Pyrenees: 3,298 meters of altitude to be exact. Its ascent requires a little training and solid crampons (a bit of climbing awaits you!), but hikers are arguing and especially mountaineers will find their happiness! The route begins along the Ossoue glacier before joining the spa. Ideally plan two days to fully enjoy the beauty of the site.

At the end of the trip, a simply extraordinary panorama of all the Pyrenees awaits you. An experience that will certainly remain engraved in your memory.