Help with 3 days in Pyrenees
 

Will be in France early September and want to spend 3 days in the Pyrenees area. Can anyone recommend accommodations (B&B, guesthouse, small hotel), itineraries, etc. Will have a car. Thanks.

Where will you be coming from and going to and what do you like to do?

Which area of France are you traveling from...north or south?
I particularly love the Pyrenees around Bayonne....Sare in particular. Wonderful area for wandering in the car.

We have stayed several times at a wonderful auberge...think spelling is Pikasaria but can check my records if you are interested. You open the shutters of your room in the morning and can see the local shephard covered in the traditional "skins" driving his sheep out to pasture. They have wonderful meals available at the auberge.

sheila and lowcountrycarol, I'm sorry to be late in getting back -- had unexpected things come up and was offline for a few days. I hope you're still out there.

Sheila, thanks for the recommendations.
Our itinerary isn't firm yet, but I think we'll be coming from the east. We like exploring by car and on foot (as long as it isn't too vertical), love beautiful scenery, local color, interesting architecture, churches and museums-when-it's-raining. DH is an avid photographer. For lodging, we prefer smaller towns to big cities and look for good value, comfort, and charm as a bonus.

Will appreciate any recommendations.

Kay

Depends how far you wish to travel but Bagneres de Luchon is a lovely small town close to the border of Spain. Interesting historical places to visit, theremes, cafes, mountains and lovely views.

If you want more information please let us know.

Carole and Ron
Chalet le Chapeau Bleu
31440 St Beat

Thanks Carole and Ron,
As things stand now, we will be staying in Montpellier taking day trips from there. Would it be possible to drive to Bagneres de Luchon, see some sights and return in one day?
If so, what especially would you recommend that we see?

When planning a trip for the Pyrenees, I found this website useful for just getting a general feel for what was on offer:

http://www.france-for-visitors.com/l...ier/index.html

You are not conveniently situated in Montpellier to venture much into the Pyrenees, especially if you mean to hike. In early September, you should be able to fly by the seat of your pants in the smaller towns of the Pyrenees. Is it locked in stone to stay in Montpellier?

Or you might consider scenic places closer to Montpellier:

http://www.france-for-visitors.com/l...ges-route.html

http://www.france-for-visitors.com/l...le-desert.html

zeppole, Thank you for the websites. It isn't exactly "in stone" that we stay in Montpellier but it looked like a centrally located place from which to take driving tours. We don't intend to hike in the strictest sense of the word although we like taking scenic walks with few ups and downs (old knees, you know). We already had planned to visit St. Guilhem and would like to take the scenic coast drive into Spain. We're used to driving long hours/miles so that isn't an issue but I don't want to see everything in a blur. Do-able or not?
BTW, is Montpellier pronounced with the "a" sound at the end or the "er" sound?

Montpellier is kind of a hike to the Pyrénées. Doable once but tiring. I suspect you won't be doing the back-and-forth every day. I would settle at the foot of the Pyrénées so that you can go up the mountains, down the coast (Collioure & Banyuls are beautiful fishing villages) or into Spain (try to visit Cadaqués) all within a 30-40 minute drive. We once stayed in a beautiful B&B in that region called Les Fenêtres du Soleil. It would make a perfect base to explore that region.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...oussillon.html

oh and Montpellier is pronounced with an "é" at the end.

In early September there is still going to be considerable traffic on the coastal route. I would not plan to drive from Montpellier, get to some place in the Pyrénées where you could hike, see the lovely villages, and get back again, at least not without it being a hassle and a very long day. I would either plan day trips to places closer by, or change your base from Montpellier to somewhere farther west.

And the A9 highway between Montpellier and The Pyrénées is not a jaw-dropping scenic drive either.