Page 341 - Lonely Planet France’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

exposed, but it’s a wonderfully Parc Animalier des Pyré- has clung on to much of
scenic drive. You’ll cover about nées (%05 62 97 91 07; www. its fin-de-siècle charac-
52km, but allow yourself at parc-animalier-pyrenees.com; ter, with a stately spa
least 1½ hours. Once you reach adult/child €18/13; h9.30am- and grand 19th-century
Argelès-Gazost, head further
south for 4km along the D101 to 6pm or 7pm Apr-Oct) does all residences.
St-Savin. the hard work for you. To see the scenery at its
It’s home to a menagerie best, drive through town
of endangered Pyrenean along the D920 (signed
4 St-Savin animals including to the ‘Pont d’Espagne’).
After the hair-raising drive wolves, marmots, lynxes, The road is known locally
over the Col d’Aubisque, giant ravens, vultures, as the Chemins des Cas-
St-Savin makes a welcome racoons, beavers and cades after the waterfalls
refuge. It’s a classic even a few brown bears that crash down the
Pyrenean village, with (the European cousin of mountainside; it’s 6.5km
cobbled lanes, quiet cafes the grizzly bear). of nonstop hairpins, so
and timbered houses set The Drive » Take the D921 take it steady.
around a fountain- filled south of Argelès-Gazost for 6km At the top, you’ll reach
main square. to Pierrefitte-Nestalas. Here, the giant car park at
It’s also home to the road forks; the southwest Pont d’Espagne (cable cars PYRENEES & SOUTHWEST FRANCE 31 THE PYRENEES
one of the Pyrenees’ branch (the D920) climbs up a adult/child €13/10.50). From
most respected hotel- lush, forested valley for another here, a combination
11km to Cauterets.
restaurants, Le Viscos télécabine and télésiege
(%05 62 97 02 28; www.hotel- (adult/child €13/10.50)
leviscos.com; 1 rue Lamarque, TRIP HIGHLIGHT ratchets up the moun-
St-Savin; menus €49-75; 6 Cauterets tainside allowing access
to the area’s trails, in-
h12.30-2.30pm Tue-Sun & For alpine scenery, the
7.30-9.30pm daily; paW), century-old ski resort cluding the popular hike
run by celeb chef Jean- of Cauterets is perhaps to the sapphire-tinted
Pierre St-Martin, known the signature spot in the Lac de Gaube.
for his blend of Basque, Pyrenees. Hemmed in by 54 p343
Breton and Pyrenean fla- mountains and forests, it
vours (as well as his pas-
sion for foie gras). After
dinner, retire to one of the
cosy country rooms and
watch the sun set over the DETOUR:
snowy mountains. CIRQUE DE GAVARNIE
4 p343 Start: 6 Cauterets
The Drive » From St-Savin, For truly mind-blowing mountain scenery, it’s
travel back along the D101 well worth taking a side trip to see the Cirque de
to Argelès-Gazost. You’ll see Gavarnie, a dramatic amphitheatre of mountains
signs to the Parc Animalier des 20km south of Luz-St-Saveur. It’s a return walk of
Pyrénées as you approach town. about two hours from the village, and you’ll need to
bring sturdy footwear.
There’s another spectacular circle of mountains
5 Argelès-Gazost 6.5km to the north, the Cirque de Troumouse.
Spotting wildlife isn’t It’s reached via a hair-raising 8km toll road (€5 per
always easy in the Pyr- vehicle; open April to October). There are no barriers
enees, but thankfully the and the drops are really dizzying, so drive carefully.

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