Dukey

We are thinking of making a circuitous drive through at least part of the PNP probably starting out at Bagneres-de-Bigorre and heading west toward Oloron.
We are interested mainly in the scenery and will not be hiking, etc.

Has anyone ever done this? It seems like it would be worthwhile but am open to alternative suggestions. Are there any spots which offer particularly memorable views?

Thanks for any input.

PalenqueBob

I didn't do an extensive motoring tour but did go to the Cirque de (du) Gavernie and hikes around the circle - this was a fairly awesome place and very well known place to go. The roads here and throughout the Pyrenees i found rather sinuous - keep your distance expectations low.

Dukey

We'll be doing it, if at all, next July. I assume your rec to keep distance expectations low is because of the roads but were they in decent shape (in your opinion)?

Are we talking James-Bond-car-chase- without-guard-rails and watch out for those sheep here???

StuDudley

We spent several days in that region in June '04. Don't remember the roads being bad, though. The weather can be a major factor. At one point, we could not see the front of the car - fog/clouds came on suddenly. There was nothing we could do except keep driving & cross our fingers. Much of that area is open range. Cows were often laying down in the middle of the road & we had to drive around them. Sheep too, except they typically didn't lay on the road.

It's a beaufitul area - definatly worth a visit. Great views from the col de Tourmalet area and col d'Aspin.

Stu Dudley

Michael

The roads are in good shape, but can be crowded. Usually the Tour de France hits the Pyrenees (the col d'Aubisque and the col de Tourmalet, unless the itinerary has been changed) in early July. You do not want to be on those roads at the same time. I recall coming down the Tourmalet and being stuck for 20 minutes because a driver on the fall side of the road suddenly panicked when a bus came from the other direction.

Dukey

Many thanks for the replies and the reminder about the Tour. Fortunately we will have left the area before the cyclist are scheduled to arrive.

I hadn't thought about the possible sudden weather changes so thanks for that particular reminder.

Cows lying in the road...sounds like fun and my GPS obviously isn't going to help much for that sort of event!

PalenqueBob

The road beds were fine, just the roads rather sinuous - in a mountainous terrain. It just seemed to take forever to get from here to there.

Michael

If going to the Cirque de Gavarnie, which can be viewed only after a hike or a mule ride, try to stop by the hamlet of Chèze between Pierrefitte-Nestalas and Luz-St. Sauveur. It has a charming active mountain chapel at one end of the hamlet. But be warned that the road is even narrower than the road to Gavarnie, and it is not easy to find. Going up, it will be on your left side, i.e. up the mountain rather than across the torrent.

nessundorma

I reiterate the warnings about the sudden changes in weather, especially fog. I drove through part of the Pyrenees with my window rolled down and my head stuck out the window so I could steer the car -- at 5 mph -- but the white stripe in the middle of the road, which ws truly all that I could see.

Fog aside, I found a trip up to the Pont d'Espagne, which includes several waterfalls enroute, extremely rewarding. On my first forays into the Pyrenees, I was quite frightened by the first incredibly steep downhill grade I encountered (no guardrails, nothing but switchbacks) and was worried about what my rental could handle.

The views were memorable everywhere.

The only place to avoid as far as I am concerned is Lourdes.

Michael

Most of Loourdes should be avoided, but it has a nice medieval fortress which has a folk lore museum, at least it did the last time I visited it.

PalenqueBob

<Most of Loourdes should be avoided>

depends what you're looking for - to me Lourdes was the Human Comedy at its most comedic. One of the absolute highlights in terms of bizarreness in all my travels. The daily Parade des Malades is one of the most macabre spectacles in the world.

And it something ails you then you certainly don't want to avoid Lourdes, but use it as a quick fix up.

StuDudley

We had to drive through Lourdes on two of our sojurns into the Pyrenees. My wife had sore feet at the time, and she stuck them out the door as we drove through hoping for a cure. Didn't happen.

Stu Dudley

PalenqueBob

Well Stu, of course you also need be annoited with the holy water, i think, from the spring to make it all better. But by her sticking her feet outside the car i supposed may you feel a bit better!

Dukey

I appreciate the further responses and i will assume the "avoid Lourdes" thoughts were spoken because of the traffic.

We've actually been to Lourdes in the past, visited the shrine, etc., and may very well do so again this next trip if the timing seems appropriate. I know how crowded it can be and I also know why.

nessundorma

I suggested avoiding Lourdes because unless you buy into the myth, it's pretty horrible to see all those extremely sick people, lured there by the promises of a cure.

PalenqueBob

<it's pretty horrible to see all those extremely sick people, lured there by the promises of a cure>

Aaah yes! But it's all in the eye of the beholder - you could also see the glimmer of hope in their eyes when all else has failed - the belief, yes granted in a myth IMO, that they will get better - a blissfulness often that they will get well - it need not be a gloomy sight, though macabre in the eye of the outsider.

Dukey

I appeciate the thoughts. I work with the sick every day here in the US and a lot of them are hoping for a cure, too. Recognizing that people who are desperately ill often resort to methods which are unusual/unconventional comes with the territory I guess.

I actually appreciated our last visit to Lourdes for its historical value if nothing else and again am grateful for all the replies above.

sheila

Personally I think the whole area is fantastic, and the more you can treat the mountains as the destination and not the route, the better. The roads are in fine condition; they are mostly two way; they are very twisty and the higher you go the fewer the fences.

But the views are spectacular, and the towns very pretty. Get a copy of the Blue Guide for the car. Try to finsih a day in Bagneres de Bigorre and visit the spa.

Dukey

Sheila,

Thanks very much for your comments. Because of this aspect of the trip we have decided to rent a convertible. now, if we can get lucky enough to drive through when it isn't raining....

We are doing this drive for the scenery and actually little else.

thanks, also, for the spa recommendation. I will definitely look into that possibility.

tower

Dukey:

Scenery for sure, is dramatically beautiful. We tried to do all of the major passes followed by various Tour De F's...in many places, some of the "cheer" signs, especially for Lance A. were still visible on the roads..especially around Col d' Aspin and Tourmalet...we did it in autumn and the colors were magnificent..no traffic to speak of...and the towns and villages very appealing. Do it, Dukey...it may be slow-trav in many places, but worth the effort. Enjoy!

Stu T.