Page 158 - Lonely Planet Europe’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

Central street parking villages such as Sar- 60km. The first part
is mostly payant (charge- rance, Borcé and Etsaut. of the valley as far as
able), but there’s free Near the quiet village Laruns is broad, green
parking on place de Ver- of Bedous, it’s worth and pastoral, but as you
dun and the street lead- detouring up the narrow travel south the moun-
ing west of there (av du 18 road to Lescun, a tiny tains really start to pile
Régiment d’Infanterie). hamlet perched 5.5km up, before broadening
above the valley, overlook- out again near Gabas.
54 p161 ing the peak of Pic d’Anie Halfway between
The Drive » To reach the (2504m) and the cluster of Arudy and Laruns, you
Vallée d’Aspe from Pau, take mountains known as the can spy on some of the
the N193 to Oloron-Ste-Marie. Cirque de Lescun. Pyrenees’ last griffon vul-
The first 30km are uneventful, The valley ends 25km tures at the Falaise aux
but over the next 40km south further south near the Vautours (Cliff of the Vultures;
of Oloron the mountain scenery
unfolds in dramatic fashion, with Col du Somport (1631m), %05 59 82 65 49; www.falaise-
towering peaks stacking up on where a controversial aux-vautours.com; adult/child
either side of the road. tunnel burrows 8km un- €6/4; h10.30am-12.30pm &
der the Franco-Spanish 2-6.30pm Jul & Aug, 2-5.30pm
border. The return drive Apr-Jun & Sep). Once a com-
TRIP HIGHLIGHT
FRANCE 11 THE PYRENEES
to Pau is just over 80km. mon sight, these majestic
2 Vallée d’Aspe The Drive » To reach the birds have been deci-
The westernmost of the Vallée d’Ossau from Pau, take mated by habitat loss and
Pyrenean valleys makes a the N134 south of town, veering hunting; they’re now pro-
great day trip from Pau. south onto the D934 towards tected by law. Live CCTV
Framed by mountains Arudy/Laruns. From Pau to images are beamed from
and bisected by the Aspe Laruns, it’s about 42km. their nests to the visitors
River, it’s awash with centre in Aste-Béon.
classic Pyrenean scenery. The ski resort of
The main attraction here 3 Vallée d’Ossau Artouste-Fabrèges, 6km
is soaking up the scenery. More scenic splendour east of Gabas, is linked
Allow yourself plenty awaits in the Vallée by cable car to the Petit
of time for photo stops, d’Ossau, which tracks the Train d’Artouste (%05
especially around pretty course of its namesake 59 05 36 99; www.altiservice.
river for a spectacular com/excursion/train-artouste;
adult/child €25/21; hJun–
mid-Sep), a miniature
mountain railway built
THE TRANSHUMANCE for dam workers in the
1920s. The train is only
If you’re travelling through the Pyrenees between late open between June and
May and early June and find yourself stuck behind a September; reserve
cattle-shaped traffic jam, there’s a good chance you ahead and allow four
may have just got caught up in the Transhumance, in hours for a visit.
which shepherds move their flocks from their winter
pastures up to the high, grassy uplands. The Drive » The D918
This ancient custom has been a fixture on the between Laruns and Argelès-
Pyrenean calendar for centuries, and several valleys Gazost is one of the Pyrenees’
host festivals to mark the occasion. The spectacle most breathtaking roads,
switchbacking over the lofty
is repeated in October, when the flocks are brought Col d’Aubisque. The road feels
back down before the winter snows set in. exposed, but it’s a wonderfully

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