Hautes-Pyrenees
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Visit Hautes-Pyrenees
While the Hautes-Pyrenees is best known for the pilgrimage town of lourdes, be sure to head south into the mountains to discover the true beauty and great mountain scenery of this spectacular department
Selected places to visit in Hautes-Pyrenees
Hautes-Pyrenees sights and places to visit
The Hautes-Pyrenees department is found in the Pyreneean mountains along the French border with Spain. The department falls within the Midi-Pyrenees region of France.
It is the mountains and dramatic scenery that hold much of the attraction of the Hautes-Pyrenees, with outdoor sports in the mountain region (such as hiking, cycling and rafting) being especially popular. Before rushing southwards to the mountains, there are some towns towards the north that also have certain appeal.
North and central Hautes-Pyrenees
Head south via Vic-en-Bigorre to a popular stop-off point en-route for the mountains - the town at Tarbes. By the time you reach Tarbes the views of the distant mountains are starting to emerge as a splendid backdrop.
To the south of Tarbes is the town with more hotels than any other city in France except Paris...Lourdes. Lourdes is of course the famous site of miraculous healing powers and very popular pilgrimage destination that attracts hundreds of thousands of people each year.
Even if you are not in need of the healing powers you might find Lourdes to be an 'interesting' place to visit - if you are expecting a quiet Pyreneean town you might be a bit surprised by what you discover!
South Hautes-Pyrenees
Continue south to enjoy the best of the Pyrenees National Park. The Col d'Aspin is just one of several very scenic routes to follow, as is the Aure Valley further east in the department.
The Cirque de Gavarnie, an imposing cliff face south of Luz and Argeles, again on the Spanish border, is a good place for hikers to start exploring the region - and an impressive sight in its own right, as well as being one of a small selection of locations designated as Grand Sites of France'.
The adventurous can even venture to Mont Perdu in the deep Pyrenees on the Spanish border, a listed world heritage site behind the Cirque de Gavernie.
Skiing in winter, and walking and cycling in summer, make the Pyrenees very much an outdoors destination. Some of the popular ski stations here include Cauterets, Saint-Lary-Soulan, Tourmalet, Luz-Ardiden and Hautacam.
Hautes-Pyrenees is also a magnet for lovers of spa treatments, particularly at Bagneres-de-Bigorre and Cauterets.
Last, but certainly not least, the famous mountain pass of Col du Tourmalet - the highest road in the Pyrenees and frequent Tour de France destination - is also found in the hautes-Pyrenees.
See a list of all Hautes-Pyrenees communes
Map of Hautes-Pyrenees
Page in French? See Hautes-Pyrenees (Francais)
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