The Cauterets - Pont d’Espagne Valley

There are 110 kms of well maintained and way marked footpaths that start from the village itself.

 

At the very heart of the National Park Pont d’Espagne is an exceptional area of great natural beauty, giving access to the Cayan plateau and the Marcadau valley. At 7 kms from Cauterets you will discover waterfalls, rushing streams, and lakes with a remarkable flora and fauna, all strictly protected.

 

The site inspired many of the great romantic poets. Marvel at the reflection of the mighty Vignemale (3298m), often seen as the birthplace of Pyrenean exploration. For access to this majestic site you can choose between way marked trails or cable car and a chairlift, which are open each year from May to October.

 

The GR10 long distance footpath crosses the Pyrenees from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, the stages through Cauterets from the Ilheou lake and the Vignemale and on towards Gavarnie are possibly the most spectacular of the whole traverse.

 

The cable car and Grand Barbat chairlift take you effortlessly and silently from 935m to 2450m of altitude. From the Cirque de Lys ridge the panorama is breathtaking.

SPA AND WELLBEING - The Bains du Rocher Spa

Relaxing and tonic - the new Bains du Rocher spa baths : baths with air jets, pool with hydro jets, sauna, massages, remodelling, mud treatments…

THRILLS

Mountain Biking : many way marked trails, the routes are graded by the French Cycling federation.

The Lys Descent : from the Lys cable car and the Grand Barbat chairlift there is a 1500m descent back to the village.

Bike Park : at the bottom of the Lys area you will find a specially constructed bike park where you can practise you biking skills, whatever your level.

LEISURE ACTIVITIES

For three days Cauterets tranforms itself into an immense latin festival with musicians and dancers galore.

 

Discover the wonderful world of the bee and all the benefits of natural honey products - wellbeing, beauty products and delicious mountain honey. There are workshops to discover this fascinating world and a boutique.

LOCAL HERITAGE

The station is classified as an important historical monument. This very original building which appears as if from an American Western was actually constructed in 1898 and inaugurated in 1901. The building is 50m in length and is entirely constructed in pitch pine. Today it is mainly used for concerts and shows.

 

Cauterets has conserved many remnants of its past, notably many fine examples of typical 19th century architecture. Numerous huge and impressive buildings, as was the custom to build at the time, have been preserved. The most important hotels of the town (the Grand Hôtel d'Angleterre, the Grand Hôtel Continental, etc.) were constructed towards the end of the 1800’s by the same architect from Pau. It provides a great unity of style, that of a new style of construction familiar to the great cities, Paris and Bordeaux in particular : monumental facades decorated with balconies and statues, female figurines, grand salons, immense dining rooms illuminated by chandeliers, ornate mirrors.