Summer Holidays in the French Pyrenees

Stretching from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, the Pyrenees combine tradition, charm and outstanding natural beauty.

The mountain range forms the southern border for three french regions, Acquitaine on the Atlantic side, Midi-Pyrenees, and the Languedoc-Rousillon. The Pyrenees counties within these regions, such as the Pyrenees Orientales, the Haute Pyrenees, Haute-Garonne and Arieges, offer diverse holiday possibilities.

Summer holidays can be as relaxing or as active as you want them to be. Whether you're looking for mountain walks, adrenaline sports, wine tasting, beaches, golf, history and culture, the Pyrenees has it all.

Active holidays:

Cycling and mountain biking has always been popular. The annual Tour de France always has several Pyrenean stages. Many of the resorts have summer lift opening to take the strain out of the uphill sections.

Hiking and walking trails are plentiful. Climbing, via ferrata, white water sports, paragliding - you name it, it's all available.

History & Culture:

Hilltop monasteries, ancient abbeys, famous historical centres such as Carcassonne, Narbonne and Perpignan, all bear witness to the diverse historical influences of the Pyrenees.

For centuries the region changed hands between the French and the Spanish. Catalan influence is also strong.

Toulouse is France's fourth largest town and the capital of the Midi-Pyrénées, or "pink city" as it is also called and boasts an incredible architectural wealth which bears witness to its long history. During the Renaissance period, Toulouse made its fortune thanks to the woad trade in particular.

More things to see and do:

The Cirques: Resulting from the melting of the gigantic glaciers, which have now all disappeared, cirques are one of the distinctive characteristics of the Pyrenean massif. In 1997, UNESCO inscribed the Cirque de Gavarnie, doubtless the most renowned throughout the region, with the famous "brèche de Roland" (Roland's breccia) on the World Heritage List. But such well-earned fame must not stop you discovering other just as lovely sites, such as the wild Cirque de Troumouse, the Cirque d'Espingo situated in the Luchon massif and also the Cirque de Cagateille near Aulus.

Spas and Hydrotherapy: Natural spas can be found throughout the Midi-Pyrenees. Spas and treatment centres can be found at Luchon, Ax les Thermes, Barèges, Cauterets and many more places.