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| The Independent Traveler's Newsletter PAGE FOUR |
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| The Independent Traveler's Newsletter PAGE FOUR |
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A Visit
to
Occitanie & the Pyrénées . . . continued Hautes-Pyrénées  Lying
west of the
Haute-Garonne, this is a small département in comparison to the others and
probably best known as the home of the city of Lourdes, the world's
best known pilgrimage destination. Despite criticism for more
than a hundred years about its crassness and commercialism (not without
good cause, by the way) and in more recent times about souvenirs of
little flasks of holy water and endless crowds and unbearable traffic,
Lourdes still draws people from every country in the world. We
personally would have liked to have found Lourdes to be less commercial
than it is,
but it was a pleasure to visit nonetheless. People of all types,
old or
young, ill or well, those thumbing rides through Europe and those
who are more conservative and come just to see what it's all about ~
they all come
as Lourdes exists for all of them. Because of a sickly fourteen year-old girl, Bernadette Soubirous, and the four visitors of the Virgin Mary that she had with her, Lourdes became an even more important town than it was already. Its location was strategic to the Pyrénéen Basques, Celts and Romans. The Moors were even here in the 8th century. Later, Charlemagne appointed vassals to keep out the Moors ~ the Counts of Bigorre. But, Bernadette made it famous. Her visions in 1858 and subsequent discovery of the spring whose waters to this day are believed to bring miraculous healing, have put Lourdes not only on the map and made it a tourist destination, but made it a destination in itself for people whose hope it is to be cured ~ people who may never take the time to see another part of France and perhaps have no desire to do so. They only come for their miracle to this little town in the Hautes-Pyrénées. Bernadette received sainthood from the Catholic Church in 1933. [Photos: below Pope John Paul II in Grotto of Massabielle, Lourdes, 2004; right the city of Lourdes and Notre Dame de Lourdes along the banks of the Gave de Pau.]  Central to this part of Occitanie is the wondrous Parc National de Pyrénées which stretches 100 kilometers along the French-Spanish border and whose spectacular scenery may well be the finest in all of Europe. Peaks that are snowcapped, even in summer, flower-filled meadowlands and well-marked footpaths all combine to attract visitors on foot and horseback ~ and those who come to this region to rock climb and paraglide. The richness of the park doesn't only lie in its scenery. Its wildlife is diverse, and some is even rare or unique to this area. Fortunate visitors will see unusual butterflies, such as the Cleopatra and Swallowtail at very high altitudes, while several types of vultures may be observed on the faces of cliffs, among which are the Egyptian vulture, the griffon and bearded vulture. Nearly extinct is the Pyrénéen brown bear; a few are still living in the Ossau and Aspe valleys. There are lynxes and civets living in the park. And, the plant life creates a most pleasant color palette with magnificent flowers in the pastures from spring through late summer at various altitudes. Walkers are well taken care of in the park with mountain huts offering shelter and food and trails that are numbered and marked. Information on these facilities and trails can be obtained in Cauterets at the park office of from the Luz-St-Sauveur tourist office all year long. Two hundred twenty miles of footpaths meander through the park! Luz-St-Sauveur and the Gorge St-Sauveur can be found along the dramatic and scenic D918 and D921, while the larger town of Cauterets to the west is on the equally beautiful D920 just north of the park. Luz has an interesting 14th-century church, yet another refuge for the traveling pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Cauterets is another interesting spa town and a center for walkers and hikers to gather before and after venturing into the mountains. South, along the D921 from Luz and a huge attraction for travelers, is the Cirque de Gavarnie, a natural rock amphitheatre on the Spanish border and home to Europe's highest waterfall (nearly 790 feet) which is set among 9800 foot mountain peaks.  
Cirque de Gavarnie and waterfall
Pont Napoleon at Luz-St-Sauveur
In a northeasterly direction from Luz along the D918 high in the mountains at the Pic du Midi de Bigorre is France's Observatoire les Laquets at 2650 meters. It is here that the best images of Venus from Earth have been seen, and its huge telescope mapped the Moon in preparation for the US's Apollo missions. It is reached by a half-hour walk from the Col du Tourmalet along the D918. [Col, pronounced "cawl", means mountain pass, and pic is a mountain peak and is pronounced "peak".  Observatoire les Laquets If you are not used to traveling in rugged high mountains on roads that will literally take your breath away, this part of France may be a challenge for you. The Pyrénées are absolutely stunning, and people who love the mountains will be in heaven there. But, for those who aren't as comfortable that high above sea level, they can still be appreciated from afar. Hautes-Pyrénées means exactly that: High Pyrénées. TOURIST INFORMATION: Visit these web sites for tourist information in the Hautes-Pyrénées Luz St Sauveur tourist office: www.luz.org Office de Tourisme de Cauterets: www.cauterets.com Office de Tourisme de Gavarnie: www.gavarnie.com WHERE TO STAY NEAR THE PYRÉNÉES: In the Haute-Garonne the beautiful and historic Château de St-Martory can be rented by the week, the perfect base for exploring these three départements. Sitting high above the banks of the Garonne River, it offers views of the impressive and dramatic Pyrénées mountain range from the pool or from the windows of the château. Luxury accommodations, a swimming pool, conveniently at the edge of a village, and the opportunity to enjoy a hot air balloon ride over the dramatic landscape are just some of the reasons to stay here.    Click on
the photos to visit the château's web pages, read more about the
amenities and to access contact information.
 SPONSORING
THIS ISSUE:
 Elegant château for sale overlooking the Dordogne River with eight bedrooms and situated on twelve acres of landscaped park. This truly exceptional castle, originating in the 17th century but transformed in the 18th century into the Renaissance masterpiece it is today, is move-in ready with all the 21st century amenities needed for comfort and convenience.   Inquire today for details, price and the opportunity to visit this very special château.
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