Page 340 - Lonely Planet France’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

Allow yourself plenty course of its namesake
of time for photo stops, river for a spectacular
especially around pretty 60km. The first part
villages such as Sar- of the valley as far as
rance, Borcé and Etsaut. Laruns is broad, green
Near the quiet village and pastoral, but as you
Central street parking of Bedous, it’s worth travel south the moun-
is mostly payant (charge- detouring up the narrow tains really start to pile
able), but there’s free road to Lescun, a tiny up, before broadening
parking on place de Ver- hamlet perched 5.5km out again near Gabas.
dun and the street lead- above the valley, overlook- Halfway between
ing west of there (av du 18 ing the peak of Pic d’Anie Arudy and Laruns, you
Régiment d’Infanterie). (2504m) and the cluster of can spy on some of the
54 p343 mountains known as the Pyrenees’ last griffon vul-
Cirque de Lescun. tures at the Falaise aux
The Drive » To reach the The valley ends 25km Vautours (Cliff of the Vultures;
Vallée d’Aspe from Pau, take further south near the %05 59 82 65 49; www.falaise-
the N193 to Oloron-Ste-Marie.
The first 30km are uneventful, Col du Somport (1631m), aux-vautours.com; adult/child
but over the next 40km south where a controversial €6/4; h10.30am-12.30pm &
of Oloron the mountain scenery tunnel burrows 8km un- 2-6.30pm Jul & Aug, 2-5.30pm
unfolds in dramatic fashion, with der the Franco-Spanish Apr-Jun & Sep). Once a com-
towering peaks stacking up on border. The return drive mon sight, these majestic
either side of the road. to Pau is just over 80km. birds have been deci-
mated by habitat loss and
The Drive » To reach the
TRIP HIGHLIGHT Vallée d’Ossau from Pau, take hunting; they’re now pro-
2 Vallée d’Aspe the N134 south of town, veering tected by law. Live CCTV
images are beamed from
south onto the D934 towards
PYRENEES & SOUTHWEST FRANCE 31 THE PYRENEES
The westernmost of the Arudy/Laruns. From Pau to their nests to the visitors
Pyrenean valleys makes a Laruns, it’s about 42km. centre in Aste-Béon.
great day trip from Pau. The ski resort of
Framed by mountains Artouste-Fabrèges, 6km
and bisected by the Aspe 3 Vallée d’Ossau east of Gabas, is linked
River, it’s awash with More scenic splendour by cable car to the Petit
classic Pyrenean scenery. awaits in the Vallée Train d’Artouste (%05
The main attraction here d’Ossau, which tracks the 59 05 36 99; www.altiservice.
is soaking up the scenery. com/excursion/train-artouste;
adult/child €25/21; hJun–
mid-Sep), a miniature
THE TRANSHUMANCE mountain railway built
for dam workers in the
If you’re travelling through the Pyrenees between late 1920s. The train is only
May and early June and find yourself stuck behind a open between June and
cattle-shaped traffic jam, there’s a good chance you September; reserve
may have just got caught up in the Transhumance, in ahead and allow four
which shepherds move their flocks from their winter hours for a visit.
pastures up to the high, grassy uplands.
This ancient custom has been a fixture on the The Drive » The D918
Pyrenean calendar for centuries, and several valleys between Laruns and Argelès-
host festivals to mark the occasion. The spectacle Gazost is one of the Pyrenees’
is repeated in October, when the flocks are brought most breathtaking roads,
back down before the winter snows set in. switchbacking over the lofty
Col d’Aubisque. The road feels

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