|
TOUR PROGRAM > PYRENEES > ITINERARY |
"Don't ever change
this trip, it's perfect" Elizabeth Butler
"The Pyrenean tour is
the perfect blend of hiking in stunning scenery and excellent
accommodations. I appreciated the flexibility provided by Dig and Euan - both very professional and fun at the same time. Oh, I
almost forgot to mention the food - scrumptious!" Denise Black
Day 1
The Royal town of Pau is where we spend our first
and last nights on this magical tour of France and Spain. As well
as being the birthplace of Kings of Sweden, Norway and France, during
the Napoleonic Wars Pau also became home to many British after the
Peninsula Campaign.
We meet you at Pau airport and welcome you to this beautiful and
historic town. After a short drive to our hotel, you will have
time for a snooze before we gather to explore the winding streets and
castle. We invite you dinner in the heart of the town.
Dinner is
included.
Day 2
After breakfast we make the short drive up into
the mountains and to our new home, the pretty village of Cauterets.
En route we shall explore the stunning underground cave system of
Grottes de Betharram before arriving at Lourdes. Here in this
lovely setting by the river we will visit the Cathedral and the
shrine to Bernadette. By early evening we will be relaxing
with our host Pierre. Dinner and wine are included.
Day
3
Our morning will start well with freshly baked croissants from the
kitchen. Following breakfast we will walk down to the old market to
select from locally produced cheeses and hams for our picnic. Our
day takes us by Le Pont d’Espagne, almost on the
Spanish frontier. This was the route favored by escaping allied
servicemen during WW2. We follow the river
Gaube, which cascades down through the pine forests from the Lac de
Gaube. The setting is quite magical. Today the valley resounds to the sound of
cowbells and tumbling waterfalls. Our hike will take us
7 miles with 1,100 feet of elevation gain on well maintained paths.
In the evening there will be time to relax in the
square with a glass of wine before dinner. This will be our
second night in Cauterets. Dinner is
included.
Day
4
After breakfast and shopping for our picnic it will be time to bid
farewell to Cauterets and enjoy the spectacular
short drive to Gavarnie. Gavarnie is a little town perched high up in the
mountains under one of the great rock and ice walls of Europe - The
Cirque de Gavarnie (Gavarnie
was on the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela). We will drop our luggage off with
Madame Roselyne at the
hotel and take our picnics to the cirque to watch the waters cascade
down one of Europe’s tallest waterfalls, - the Grand Cascade at
almost 1,500 feet. The hike will be 4 1/2 miles with a gain of 450
feet and we will have incredible vistas all around
us. Later we return to our hotel
the Hotel Marbore, a favorite of ours for many years, not
least because of the superb food produced by
Monsieur Bernard Fillastre.
Dinner is included.
Day
5
Having enjoyed croissants for breakfast in France
we will be enjoying tapas in Spain by 5 o'clock! The hike
takes us over the frontier by forested valleys and snowy peaks with
a steady drop from France to the Ordesa Canyon. Our home will
be the medieval mountain village of Torla. Distance hiked will
be 12 miles with 3,000 feet of descent. During the evening we
will explore the narrow lanes of the village and take dinner at one
our favorite restaurants anywhere, El Rebecco, where good food has
been served for the last 400 years. Dinner is included.
Day
6
A
fabulous hiking day once more. After shopping for picnics in
the village (Aragones hams are very good) we hike
a stunning section of the Ordessa Canyon -
a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We will have
a choice of two hiking routes and we will decide which is most suitable
at the time. We can tell you that this is
a magnificent hiking area and regardless of which route is selected, the day will be one to
remember. Distance hiked will be 9 miles with
2,000 feet of ascent or 8 miles with 300 feet of ascent.
You are free for dinner.
Day
7
Today is a day to relax. Guests will have the
chance to spend the morning at Sarvise Stables. You can choose
from a 2 hour ride in the delightful Aragones countryside or enjoy a
half day's ride over the hills before returning to Torla for siesta
and early evening Tapas. Dinner is included this evening.
Day
8
After breakfast we say goodbye to Torla and drive
south down the valley. This is not a big hiking day, but one
of exploration. Located below the road, nestling in a hollow
by the river, in a never ending sleep, lies a little abandoned
village.
Here narrow
streets curve past ancient, but empty houses where gardens
unattended still produce sweet fruit. The church
frescos look down not upon the faithful but cows seeking shelter
from winter storms and ivy strangles the headstones of a long
forgotten churchyard yet there is a special charm and fascination in
exploring the mystery of this curious place.
The waters of the Rio Ara are warm and shallow here so we often take
some time to enjoy a swim.
In the afternoon
we continue along the valley floor to ur home for one night, the
ancient hilltop town of Ainsa.
The Romans were
the first to build a fort here and since then countless armies have
passed this way including those of Napoleon and Wellington. The
narrow streets, unchanged for centuries, are filled with flowers and
a delight to meander. Dinner is included.
Day
9
We return to France. Our spectacular drive over the mountains will
bring us to the lovely spa town of Bagneres
de Luchon.
En route we shall enjoy a great hike before arriving at our new
home. Distance hiked will be 8 miles with 500 feet of ascent.
Luchon is Victorian in appearance and
thanks to the enthusiasm of the French for thermal waters has long
been a prosperous and very attractive little town. We will arrive in
time to check into our hotel and then enjoy a stroll down the leafy
boulevard where you may be tempted by the chic boutiques
and shops. Today many people come to Luchon to "take the
waters", perhaps you will too. You are free for dinner this
evening.
Day 10
Today we shall lead you on one of the loveliest hikes in the entire
range and one particularly suited to round of our Pyrenean adventure.
The hike begins with
a short walk from our hotel to the ski gondola which will quickly whisk
us high above the forests until we look down upon Luchon nestling in the
valley below. Our trail gently winds it's way around the flanks of
Pic Cecire. In the distance a panorama of glaciated peaks fills
the horizon.
As we drop from the
high mountain side we first arrive at famous refuge
d'Espingo and then through a myriad of flowers to
reach lovely Lac d'Oo where life seems to have changed little in the
last 200 years. We return to Luchon where you are free for dinner.
Day 11
Today we say au revoir to the mountains and return
to the lush valleys of the Bearn region and to our home in Pau.
After strolling the leafy boulevards of Luchon one last time, we shall
arrive in Pau in the early afternoon. This will allow us time to
walk the cobbled streets of the old town, enjoy browsing the antique
dealers and galleries or simply relaxing in the shade of the castle
walls contemplating what a wonderful time we've had in this glorious
part of Europe. Dinner is included and will be a celebration of
our adventure together.
Day
12
Our grand tour complete we escort you to Pau airport
for travel on to Paris, Barcelona or home to the States. We look
forward to sharing this adventure with you in what is one of Europe's
best kept secrets.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AND WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THIS
SENSATIONAL HIKING TOUR AND OUR GROUP RATES, PLEASE EMAIL EUAN WITH YOUR
TELEPHONE NUMBER AND HE WILL BE HAPPY TO CHAT.
ESSENTIAL
INFORMATION
LAND COST:
$3770.
Single Supplement $640.
GUIDES: Dig Bulmer
& Euan Bulmer
ACCOMMODATIONS:
2 Nights
Pau (France), 2 Nights Cauterets
(France), 1 Night Gavarnie
(France)
3 Nights Torla (Spain), 1 night Ainsa (Spain) 2 Nights Luchon
(France).
All
hotels are family owned or run and this reflects a
very high level
of friendly, personal service ensuring guests have a
very comfortable stay.
MEALS:
8 dinners and
all
breakfasts
are included.
GROUP
SIZE:
Limited to 16
plus guides
CLOTHING:
The Pyrenees
enjoy a Mediterranean climate which means days will be warm, at higher
elevations it may be cool therefore some flexibility is needed so
please ensure you have the following;
Waterproof over pants and jacket;
hat and gloves. Both short and long pants (The type that unzip at the thigh are best).
Sun hat/dark glasses/sun screen; comfortable
hiking boots that are not new but well tested at home
& swim suit.
EXTRA
COSTS:
Flight to
Paris or Barcelona. Flight or train to Pau.
3 dinners (Allow a total of $60).
Picnics/lunches are not provided. This allows
guests the opportunity
to enjoy selecting their own hams/cheeses/pates/salads/fresh
breads/cakes at the market which also
means more contact with the locals and the fun that comes with
exploring these wonderful little towns. (Allow
about $90).
"I chose the Pyrenean
tour because I wanted to go to an unknown part of Europe. I was not
disappointed. I've visited Tuscany and Spain before but
this
was the best European trip I've ever
been on." John Schumacher
|
