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Outline
Itinerary
q
Day 1: Arrive
Lourdes. Taxi or a bus and a short walk, (neither included), to the first
hotel. Try
and find time to explore this extraordinary pilgrimage town and the area
around the grotto where Bernadette is reported to have seen the
apparitions of the Virgin Mary on many occasions.
q
Day 2: From the hotel
it is a short walk across to the lower station of the funicular railway
that takes us up almost to the summit of the Pic de Jer (890 m) from where
there are excellent views looking back over the town. From the summit we
follow a network of paths and tracks above the East side of the main
river, the Gave du Pau. After passing through a number of typically
Pyrenean villages we drop down to the attractive spa town of Argelès-Gazost
20km/370m ascent/5½ hrs.
q
Day 3: From
the hotel it is a short walk to the edge of the town from where a path
climbs through the mixed deciduous forest to reach the grazing land above.
A combination of easy tracks and quiet roads take us through to the
cobbled main street of St Savin where it is possible to visit the
impressive 12th Century abbey church and perhaps enjoy a drink
at the café opposite the Post Office. The route continues past the
Chapelle de Piétat where there are excellent views back to St Savin and
then climbs again to a former hermitage the Chapelle de Poueyaspé.
Descending through the forest of mainly beech the route arrives at a
cycleway, which we follow through a tunnel to the town of Pierrefitte. A
bus is used from here to take us through the narrow gorge to Luz St
Sauveur. 14 km / 650m ascent /
4½hrs.
q
Day 4: With
two nights at Luz St. Sauveur it is possible to have a day off and enjoy
the town which has plenty of shops, cafés and restaurants. The ruined
castle of Sainte-Marie can be visited as well as the unusual fortified 12th
Century "Templar" church of Saint André. The spa facilities may
also tempt those with aching legs! For those who prefer a more energetic
day a short bus ride up to the village of Barèges takes us to the start
of a lovely walk mainly following the GR10 through the Bastan valley back
to Luz. 15 kms/250 m ascent/800 m descent/4½ hrs.
q
Day 5: Within
half an hour of leaving the hotel at Luz the route following the
GR10 takes us over the impressive Pont Napoleon, which in one graceful
arch spans the gorge and river 66 metres below. After climbing through the
forest and past a series of waterfalls the route reaches the Croix de Sia
on a promontory overlooking the valley. From here we follow the GR10 up
the valley for another 1½ hours before using a combination of tracks and
quiet roads to reach the village of Gèdre. 15 kms/ 650m ascent/4½ hrs.
q
Day 6: A
quiet road, which become a dirt track leads us away from Gèdre back to
the GR10. The route then climbs through a beech & fir forest to reach
high summer pasture land with stunning views in all directions. The route
crosses the Plateau de Saugé with views ahead of the Cirque de Gavarnie
growing larger by the minute. The final descent into the village of
Gavarnie ends a memorable day best rounded off with a cold beer on the
terrace of one of the several cafés. 20 kms/ 930 m ascent/ 6 hrs. There
is a shorter walk option 13kms/ 650 m ascent/4 hrs taking a more direct
route from Gèdre to the Plateau de Saugé.
q
Day 7: Two
nights at Gavarnie allow a full day to explore this spectacular area.
Detailed route notes are provided for three alternative walks. An
excellent circular walk taking in the Cirque de Gavarnie and the slopes
above both sides of the valley not only crosses the Greenwich Meridian
twice but has a couple of shortcut option too. 12kms – 18 kms/ 660m –
930m ascent/ 3 - 5½hrs. Alternatively it is possible to hire a taxi to
the Col de Tentes (2208 m) and walk back to the village of Gavarnie
possibly taking in the famous Brêche de Roland (subject to weather &
snow conditions) or more directly by the delightful Pouey Aspé valley. 16
kms/ 660m or 500 m ascent/ 1400m or 1300m descent/ 6 hrs or 5½hrs.
q
Day 8: Depart
Gavarnie by bus or taxi.
Please Note:
That
the holiday price does not include the cost of public transport to the
first hotel in Lourdes on Day 1, the funicular train on Day 2 (approx. 7€), the bus to Luz on Day 3 (approx. 4€),
the bus to Barèges on Day 4 (approx. 2€),
the taxi on Day 7 (9€
to 30€
depending on numbers) and transport from Gavarnie to departure points on
Day 8.
Accommodation & Meals
Accommodation
is on a half board basis in 2* or 3* hotels. Bed and breakfast and 7
evening meals are included. Picnic lunches are not included in the tour
cost but are available from hotels or can easily be obtained from local
shops. We indicate in the route notes where there are suitable restaurants
or cafes for lunch stops, or recommend you carry food if there are none
convenient to the trail.
Most frequently used hotels are described below but alternatives of a comparable standard are used on occasion when room availability is limited.
q
Night 1: q
Our
first night is spent in Lourdes at a 3* hotel in a quiet area of
the town overlooking the Gave du Pau river. Half board
q
Night 2: At
Argelès-Gazost the 2* hotel has a pleasant garden area and a large
and popular restaurant. Half board
q
Night 3 & 4: The
two nights at Luz St. Sauveur are spent at a traditional family run
2* hotel. Half board
q
Night 5: At
Gèdre the 2* hotel has been in the same family for three
generations and enjoys excellent views from most of the bedrooms. Half board
q
Nights 6 and 7:
At
Gavarnie we stay for the final two nights in a comfortable 2* Logis
de France hotel. Half board
Level of Difficulty
Fitness:
The
walking on this tour is varies between moderate and quite challenging. A
reasonable level of fitness, a reasonable head for heights and an ability
to cope on rocky paths is required on some days. You need good boots
throughout the tour: The trails are generally good, but on occasion there
are steep or winding sections of loose limestone shingle. Carry plenty of
drinking water and adequate protection against the sun, including a sun
hat. There are steep ascents / descents sometimes in hot weather. You will
need to take care walking on this tour.
Day stages: In
the region of 12km to 20km per day with average altitude gains of 500m
(maximum 800 m). 5 to 6 hours walking per day for most people. Slow
walkers will take a little longer.
Waymarks: The
trail follows in the main well-established paths, much of the way being
waymarked with the distinctive white/red/white GR (Grande Randonnee)
waymarks and presents no special difficulties. Other sections have yellow
or red paint marks. A compass and the skill to use it can be desirable at
one or two points.
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Travel
Information
Season:
Mid-May to the end of July and September to the end of October. August is
best avoided as it can be hot and busy. The alpine flowers in the Spring
and early Summer are wonderful whilst the air clarity and autumn colours
are appreciated by both locals and visitors alike. Both spring and autumn
can bring rain spells and high summer can also produce electrical storms,
usually late in the afternoon.
Arrival: After
5 p.m. at the first
hotel in Lourdes
Via Air: Scheduled
flights to Toulouse with BA (Gatwick).
Air France (Heathrow) or Easyjet (Gatwick) or Ryanair to Pau or
Biarritz. Bus or taxi to railway station then train to Lourdes.
By Rail:
Eurostar St Pancras to Paris and then train to Lourdes.
Getting to the railway station at Lourdes:
From Toulouse Airport: Shuttle bus from the airport to the SNCF railway
station (Matabiau) in Toulouse. The shuttle is every 20 minutes, 05.00 –
24.00. Journey about 20 mins, costs approx. 4 € single and 6 € return. Tickets can be bought on the bus. Or catch a
taxi to the station from the airport approx 25 €.
Train from Toulouse to Lourdes: There are several direct trains each day
at intervals of between 2 and 3 hours. The journey time is between 1½ and
2¼ hrs. A standard return costs about 47 € but it is often possible to get a reduction if booking
several weeks in advance. Details available at http://www.sncf.fr/.
From Pau Airport: There is a shuttle bus from the airport at 09h35 (i.e.
20 minutes after the arrival of the Ryanair flight!) to the SNCF railway
station at Pau. The bus arrives at the railway station at 10h25 and a
single ticket costs approx. 5 €.
Or catch a taxi to the station from the airport approx 25 €.
Train from Pau to Lourdes. There are several direct trains each day at
intervals of between 2 and three hours. The journey time is about half an
hour. A standard return costs between 12 and 14 € but it is often possible to get a reduction when
booking several weeks in advance. Details available at www.sncf.fr.
A taxi from Pau to Lourdes would need to be ordered in advance and would
cost about 80 €.
From Biarritz Airport. There is a scheduled bus service from the airport
to the SNCF railway station at Bayonne. There is a bus about every hour
and the journey time is about 30 minutes. Details from www.bus-stab.com.
Cost about 1.20 €
single. A taxi will cost about 12 €
Train from Bayonne to Lourdes. There is a train or an SNCF operated bus
every three or four hours. The journey time varies between 1 and 2 hours.
A standard return costs about 30 € but it is often possible to get a reduction when
booking several weeks in advance. Details available at www.sncf.fr.
From the railway station at Lourdes to the hotel:
The easiest way is to take a taxi from the taxi rank outside the station,
which should cost less than 10 €. There is also a bus service – le citybus.
Line 1 leaves from outside the railway station and there is a stop at the
junction of the Pont Peyramele and the Avenue Peyramele. The
buses leave every 15 – 30 minutes and a single costs approx. 1.20 €.
From the bus stop follow the riverside upstream for a couple of minutes to
the hotel.
Arriving by car
The hotel does not have any private parking available, as is the case
with many hotels in Lourdes. However, just across the river from the hotel
is a large free car park.
End of Tour - Getting back to the railway station at Lourdes from
Gavarnie
By taxi direct: From Gavarnie to the railway station at Lourdes – cost
about 80 €.
It would also be possible to arrange a taxi from Gavarnie direct to the
airport at Pau – cost about 130 – 190 €s.
By bus all the way: There is a regular bus service from Gavarnie to Luz
St. Sauveur and from Luz St. Sauveur to Lourdes. The times in 2008 were as follows:
Gavarnie to Luz:
During school periods – Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday
Leave Gavarnie
07h45 or
17h45
Arrive Luz
08h15 or 18h45
During school periods – Wednesday
Leave Gavarnie
07h45 or
13h30
Arrive Luz
08h15 or 14h00
During July & August
Leave Gavarnie
10h00 or
18h30
Arrive Luz
10h35 or 19h05
The bus fare is approx. 6 €
single
Luz to Lourdes
20 minutes after leaving Luz St. Sauveur the bus stops at
Pierrefitte-Nestalas where it is necessary to change to a connecting bus
that uses the same bus stop. The total journey time from Luz St. Sauveur
to the railway station at Lourdes is one hour.
Departure times from Luz St. Sauveur:
Every day: 09h50,
12h55 & 15h50
Sundays & public holidays: 07h20
& 17h30
Monday to Saturday (except public holidays): 19h30
The bus fare is about 7 €
single
By taxi to Luz and then bus to Lourdes: It is
also possible to get a taxi to Luz St. Sauveur and then the bus to
Lourdes. A taxi would cost about 30 €.
General information
Baths: it is not normal for your room to have a bath, the main reason being that it takes up a lot of space, some hotels/guesthouses may have a separate room in the house where a bath is available to guests, but in the main en suite bathrooms have showers rather than baths.
Breakfast: in countries such as France usually consists of coffee and toast/croissant, if you want more for breakfast then we would suggest you purchase some food the night before. It is important for you to tell us if you have any dietary requirements when you book your holiday so that we can inform everyone that you are staying with.
Single Supplements: are payable on most of our tours.
1) The single supplement guarantees the privacy of your own room, however, rooms can at times be small and in some places may not enjoy the same facilities as double/twin rooms.
2) You are not just paying a supplement on the room but the luggage transfer costs you are paying in full. The cost of moving 1 bag or 2 bags etc remains the same. On some of our trips it is possible to reduce the cost of the single supplement if you happen to be a 3rd person travelling, or have chosen a date when other clients are booked.
Late bookings: Please note that if our normal hotels do not have
availability or are closed on the day you wish to stay, we will use other
hotels , which offer a similar standard of accommodation and cuisine.
Language: Note that you will not necessarily come across people speaking English. Remember you have left home to experience a different culture: bring a phrase book, try to learn a bit of the local language.
Luggage: When
staying in hotels, sometimes your luggage will have been taken to your
room awaiting your arrival. However don’t be surprised if your luggage
is waiting for you to take it up to your room please politely ask someone
if you need assistance.
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