Nearby Lakes & Rivers Canoeing & Rafting

Walkers Paradise

Nearby Oloron Sainte Marie

Mountains are not traditionally a place for beach lovers, but the Pyrénées are unusual in that you are never too far from the sand even when you're halfway up a mountain.  The Pyrénées is for those who want the fresh air, scenery and wildlife of this breathtaking land.    

Hiking: the famous GR10 trail winds its way through the mountains and there are hundreds of shorter alternatives whether it's a few hours or a week of walking that you're looking for. Horse-trekking: treks through the Pyrénéan foothills including overnight camps and special 'junior' excursions. Fishing: the mountain streams are well-stocked with plump freshwater fish. International salmon and trout fishing tournaments are regularly hosted here. Birdwatching: the Pyrénées is one of Europe's last natural habitats for golden eagles and there is a Vulture Look-out Centre. Cycling: the Tour de France carves a particularly sadistic route through the Pyrénées. In 2006 and again this year, the tour runs through the village of Issor.  There are an abundance of tracks for mountain biking or VTT as it's known in France. Golf: Continental Europe's oldest course is located at the city of Pau. Mountain pursuits - why walk in the mountains when you could climb up them, absail down them or parascend over them? There are numerous white-water rafting and canyoning centres in the area. Wine-tasting: the foothills south of Pau are home to the excellent Jurançon vineyards. Whites and rosés are the main attraction - the sweet white is an excellent alternative to the more famous Sauternes, also of south west France. Rioja country is not far over the border into Spain. Not forgetting Skiing of course. We are only a 40 minute drive from the beautiful ski resort of La Pierre St Matrin. Several other resorts are within easy reach including Spanish resorts.

Located very near, our previous visitors rated these attractions as favourites with children, Bearn Aqua park http://pagesperso-orange.fr/aquabearn/ and Aramits adventure park  www.aventure-parc.fr/aramits/. 

We are ideally situated for golfing holidays and golf is a boom sport here in France and has been for 10 years or so now. In fact, the game of golf in France, started in Aquitaine. What’s more, golf in continental Europe started in Aquitaine! Pau Golf Club (founded 1856) was the first course built in Europe outside of the British Isles. And Biarritz Le Phare (founded 1889) was the second! Seven of Aquitaine's 40+ courses date back to pre-war times.

Enjoy The Superb Local Shops & Restaurants.

If a day-trip is all you can manage, then a day-trip to the beautiful City of Pau, just 50mins away, is well worth a visit. There are lovely boutiques to shop, tea-shops for refreshments, the castle of Gascon king, Henri IV, to visit and the spectacular Boulevard des Pyrénées to roam. Pau - like much of Aquitaine - has strong historical links with Britain. Wellington's troops used the city as a station and after the war, many British remained in Pau. Golf and horse-racing were introduced by the British and many of the leafy streets and grand villas were built by British and American families, seduced by Pau's genteel lifestyle and climate.Béarnais villages - arguably, pretty villages are in shorter supply than in the Basque Country. However, you should not miss out on Sauveterre-de-Béarn or Salies-de-Béarn. Fortified Sauveterre benefits from elevated views of the Gave d'Oloron. It's only a small village but has an air of history plus some interesting architecture. Salies is a very pretty spa town whose thermal cure station remains active today. Historic Orthez and Oloron-Ste-Marie are also worth a visit especially on market day. Across the border into the Pays Basque, Cambo-les-Bains and St-Jean-Pied-de-Port are both attractive towns to visit; at Cambo, visit the beautiful Villa Arnaga, home of Edmond Rostand, author of Cyrano de Bergerac.Lourdes - for the Catholic faithful and the plain curious, the mecca of Lourdes makes for an interesting spectacle! Spain - Pamplona is just over the border and also Rioja country, San Sebastian and Bilbao.

The cuisine of the Pyrénées is dominated by its Gascon roots, and what could loosely be described as "country cooking". Thus, garlic, stews, game and poultry are ubiquitous, complemented by liberal doses of Jurançon and Béarnais reds. Legend has it that King Henri's grandfather smudged the lips of the newborn Henri with a little garlic and Jurançon wine just to make sure he started life as a true Gascon. If there is one dish that typifies the region it is King Henri's favourite, Poule au Pot - essentially a chicken stew. The mountains of course, have their impact on the region's cuisine - cheese in particular. Fromages de brebis or sheep's milk cheeses are the norm. Bon appetit!