The Pyrénées
The natural border between France and Spain, the Pyrénées
mountain range stretches for 430 kilometres. You can go around the mountains
at either end - from Bilbao and San Sebastien to Hendaye and Biarritz
on the west, and from Barcelona to Perpignan on the east - and there
are also passes, cols in the French language, to cross over the top
of this spectacular range of ancient stone.
A true European jewel, the Pyrénées are one of the best
kept secrets of France. In winter they offer untouched slopes, priceless
views, relaxation opportunities, charming hospitality and uncrowded
powdery rides. There are three ski resorts (Artouste, Gourette and La
Pierre Saint Martin) within close distance and more than 50 ski lifts
catering to all levels of skiers.
When the snow melts however, the Pyrénées come to life!
There are plenty of sporting activities in the Pyrénéan
Valleys such as fishing, rafting, canyoning, horse riding and hiking.
To walk in the Pyrénées is magical, full of magnificent
landscapes and crystal clear mountain lakes. If you enjoy cycling, the
high mountain passes in summer, such as at the col d'Aubisque in the
Ossau Valley, provide superb panoramic views. They also feature in the
gruelling mountain stages of the tour de France. The Pyrénées
also provide thrill-seekers with a range of extreme sports from white-water
rafting to paragliding.
Among the varied fauna of the Parc National des Pyrénées,
you'll find species of lynx, wild bear and Royal Eagles making this
one of Europe’s most exotic wildlife locations. Beyond the National
Park, in the western and lower Basque Pyrénées, there
are less wild animals, with the region characterised by the pottocks
which are Basque small horses, roe deer and hares. The predominant wild
species found here is the griffon vulture.
Forêt d'Iraty
A natural reserve since 1986, the beautiful and mythical forest of
Iraty covers over 20,000 hectares, approximately 2,500 hectares in France
and the remaining 17,500 in Spain. This is an environment preserved
and perfectly intact, due to the previous inaccessibility of the region.
As the remarkable flora and fauna have suffered little change, they
provide a true look into the environmental history of the Basque lands.
The fauna of the forest is incredibly rich, with lots of different fish,
deer, foxes and wild boars.
In the heart of the biggest deciduous forest in Western Europe, mainly
made up of beech trees, the forest is a spectacular area and in winter
provides 44km of picturesque cross-country skiing pistes between 1200
and1500m altitude. Or if you’d prefer to do it an easier way,
try horse-trekking instead!
SAMPLING THE SOUTHERN BASQUE COUNTRY
Just across the border from the
Pyrénées-Atlantiques lie the Southern Basque provinces.
The delights of the Spanish cities of San Sebastian, Pamplona and
Bilbao are on your doorstep and so easy to sample in a day-trip!
San Sebastian
is the Southern Basque Country's equivalent to Biarritz - a wonderfully
stylish town, culinary haven and one of the finest town beaches in Europe.
Bilbao is worth a trip thanks to the Guggenheim museum and Pamplona
is quite simply, Pamplona!
