Hiking in the Pyrenees
 

We are headed to the eastern Pyrenees in Spain for 3 days in April. Friends recommended we take guided hikes in the Pyrenees. Does anyone know how we arrange them? Also, we're staying in Meranges and would love recommendations for walks, hikes, towns, restaurants, etc.

We went to Ordesa National Park, when we were in the Pyrenees. Unfortunatly, we didn't schedule enough time to hike an overnighter but it was teeming with wildlife and very well worth bringing your hiking boots. (Besides hiking boots are very comfortable on cobblestone streets.) We spotted were fortunate enough to spot the mountain goat, (Ibex) that the park was intended to protect. If you go, have your camera handy.
I don't know of any guided hikes but oddly enough I found out a bit about the Pryenees from little webpage devoted to motorcyclists. This was 5 years ago so who knows if it's exists today.
Hope this gets you on the trail. Happy hiking, it's awesome.

debwhite,
I don't know if you're checking responses to your question but just in case you are I found this site that may interest you.
http://www.peaktopeak.net, it has hiking info for many countries.

debwhite,
By any chance are you staying at the Can Borell in Meranges? We stayed there in the summer but didn't hike in the area. But the dining at the Can Borell is lovely. But I believe the restaurant may only be open from Fri. to Sun. lunch before May 1. It's just such a peaceful, serene spot in the Cerdanya. We loved our stay, and I'm sure the owners could advise you about hiking in the area. If you're staying elsewhere, I would go to the tourist office on Querol 1 in Puigcerdá to arrange a guided hike.
Open in April from 10-1, 4-7 Tues-Sat and Sun from 10-2.
or just email them:
[email protected].

For other dining in the area, Puigcerdá has plenty of options, but for something really special, I'd venture into Llivia, a picturesque Spanish enclave within France, not far at all from Puig., to the atmospheric Can Ventura on the main square. Pretty, rustic decor in a building from the 18th century. Charming.
www.paisos-catalans.com/restaurants/ventura.htm

On the Spanish side, for traditional, refined Catalan cooking, I'd head straight to Boix at Martinet de Cerdanya, right on the highway.
The owner, Josep Maria Boix is one of the region's very finest chefs. It's open all yr, but extremely popular on wkds, because he's a gastronomic legend (and the family also owns the R &C Torre de Remei and a Barcelona restaurant, Boix de la Cerdanya in the Eixample district).
For something inexpensive, the Hotel Muntanya in Prullans serves good and heartty home cooking, and it's even recommended by Penelope Casas in her
wonderful Discovering Spain guide.

Other villages we enjoyed visiting in the area:
tiny Llo, a short detour from Saillagouse and Mont Louis on the French side. We took the delightul Petit Train Jaun" from Mont Louis to Villefranche-de-Confluent, called the "liitle canary" or the "Pyrenees metro", a Disney-esque ride that was unforgettable, but I don't know if it runs during your dates.

On the Spanish side, tiny Alas i Cerc, which has the Hostal Dolcet for hearty catalan cooking, but they don't take reservations.

Hope this helps.

Thank for the wonderful suggestions. WE are staying at Con Borrell (ala Karen Brown) and look forward to checking out the places you mentioned. How did you find out about all of them?