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| Walking
Holidays in the PyreneesHolidays |
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| wilderness |
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Walking
the Pyrenees |
in
a nutshell |
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Organised
Walks |
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In each of our resorts, Luz-St-Sauveur and Panticosa,
we offer two spectacular walks five days a week
(not Wednesday or Saturday). |
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One walk would take place at medium level, whilst
the other would be a more challenging route at high
level. |
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These
walks are free of charge and completely optional.
If they interest you, simply drop into |
Office
Hour to sign up for the next day's itinerary.
Walks set off after breakfast.
We usually take a packed lunch and return to the
village late afternoon, depending on the length
and location of the walk. |
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Spectacular
Scenery |
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Expect
lowland and upland meadows, woodland trails, riverside
tracks and sleepy hamlets, all with the spectacular
massifs towering high above. Waymarking is good
and navigating is generally easy. |
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Be
Independent |
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The
advice and guidance of our Walk Organisers is available
each evening at Office Hour. We have documented
over 20 walks and Route Laminates of these are available
to anyone wanting to go out independently . |
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| high
alpine terrain |
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| We
believe the wilder character of the Pyrenees gives you
the opportunity to experience one of Europe’s
last great wilderness areas. The walking options are
superb and hill walkers with a passion for high mountain
terrain are sure to feel at home here. |
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Routes
vary from rambles across grassy pastures and plateaus,
to high trails, which wend their way through the peaks
of the frontier ridge. Old trading, pilgrim and smuggling
routes thread the mountain cols, whilst the wonderfully
exposed ‘fajas’ of the Ordesa canyon are
the ultimate in high level exhilaration. |
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| The Sierra
de Partacua from the Punta de Pacino. |
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| national
parks |
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Together
Luz and Panticosa are superb springboards for two of the three
National Parks in the Pyrenees with their numerous trails,
magnificent scenery and mountain huts. |
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The
Pyrenees National Park protects a band of high mountains stretching
from the Col de Laraille in the west to the edge of the Néouvielle
Lakes in the east. It contains more than 100 mountain lakes
and some of the great Pyrenean jewels, such as the Pic du
Midi d'Ossau, Balaïtous, Vignemale and the renowned cirques
of Gavarnie and Troumouse - valley heads bounded by awesome
and sheer walls of curving rock. |
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Ordesa & Monte Perdido National Park is best accessed
from Panticosa. It is situated high on the Spanish side and
is surely one of Europe's hidden treasures. With its breathtaking
canyons, glorious peaks, abundant flora and fauna, you will
find stunning natural beauty and supreme tranquility on any
of its many walking trails. It is unquestionably one of the
most scenically dramatic parks in Europe and in 1997 it was
declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. |
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Looking
out from the Cirque de Troumouse towards Mounherran.. |
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| famous
routes |
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| Three
world-renowned long distance walks negotiate this part
of the Pyrenees and during your stay you join certain
sections of them. The GR10 is a formidable two month
coast to coast route stretching the entire length of
the French side. People staying in Luz will come across
its red and white markers whilst out on the hill.
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GR11 is Spain's answer to the GR10 and tackles the wilder
and more remote back country of the Spanish side. It
is tougher than its French counterpart. From our base
in Panticosa, many of our Organised Walks will feature
sections of the GR11, which boast some of the best scenery
in the Spanish Pyrenees..
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| The
mediaeval pilgrimage routes of the Camino de Santiago
converge on the cathedral in Santiago de Compostella
in north west Spain. Many of these traverse mountain
cols in the Pyrenees. One route crosses the border near
our base in Panticosa. Some of our Panticosa-based itineraries
will include sections of this historic mountain trail..
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Having
a break to consult the map and pinpoint local surrondings.. |
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| being
independent |
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Ideas
& Information Files & Route Laminates |
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| People
who prefer to be independent can browse through our
Ideas & Information Files*. These will provide you
with invaluable information concerning walking itineraries,
places of interest and other possible activities. |
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addition, we will lend you Route Laminates that correspond
to each of these proposals. This is a laminated A5 version
of your chosen itinerary. It contains the relevant section
of map and other useful details to help you on your
way. |
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| The
Lac de Coueyla Gran in the Val d’Aygues Cluses.
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