Where to stay in Pyrenees
Sep 10th, 2003 | 05:01 AM
#1
Original Poster
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 993
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Where to stay in Pyrenees
Will be going from Collioure to Lourdes. I'm looking for a good place to stay in between to explore the Pyrenees. Which town or village and would appreciate any accomodation recommendations. Would prefer small hotel or b&b. Thanks.
Sep 10th, 2003 | 08:09 AM
#3
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 163
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Hi grimmy:
We did this drive last summer following the D117 which begins just north of Perpignan and takes you through the Cathar area and follows north of the Pyrenees.(fairly flat most of the way with the mountains to the south of you) If you take the road south of here ,the N116, it goes through the Pyrenees on the French side. The scenery is spectacular of course and the road gets pretty twisty in spots.
We were in Perpignan about 8 and got into Lourdes about 3ish with a stop in Foix for lunch following the D117. We stayed on this road most of the way then onto the motorway at St Gaudens.
If you want a stop in the mountains try perhaps Bourg Madame or Puigcerda (which is just across the border into Spain) which some posters on this board really like.This may be a bit close to Collioure for your first night however.I'm not sure of any other places I could recommend except maybe further along towards Bagneres de Luchon which is south of St Gaudens off the D125.
Or you could always just get to Lourdes and do your exploration of the Pyrenees from there.
We drove from Lourdes to the fabulous Gavarnie in just over an hour.It was a beautiful drive. There are some lovely little inns and B&B's there in the village of Gavarnie. ( I can't give any specifics on quality as we didn't stay but some looked very quaint and perfect for a mountain holiday.
Do take the walk from the village of Gavarnie up to the cirque de gavarnie. It's a circle of waterfalls coming over the Pyrenees from Spain. It's absolutely awesome. Complete with some areas of glacier you can access on foot. There is a little inn right at the Cirque which you can stay at as well.
There are lots of towns around here that you can explore as well. Luz st Sauveur, Cauterets and some fabulously twisty roads through the mountains with other little villages dotted along it.
If any of this sounds like what you were looking for let me know on this board and I'll look for some info I brought home regarding this area.
regards
We did this drive last summer following the D117 which begins just north of Perpignan and takes you through the Cathar area and follows north of the Pyrenees.(fairly flat most of the way with the mountains to the south of you) If you take the road south of here ,the N116, it goes through the Pyrenees on the French side. The scenery is spectacular of course and the road gets pretty twisty in spots.
We were in Perpignan about 8 and got into Lourdes about 3ish with a stop in Foix for lunch following the D117. We stayed on this road most of the way then onto the motorway at St Gaudens.
If you want a stop in the mountains try perhaps Bourg Madame or Puigcerda (which is just across the border into Spain) which some posters on this board really like.This may be a bit close to Collioure for your first night however.I'm not sure of any other places I could recommend except maybe further along towards Bagneres de Luchon which is south of St Gaudens off the D125.
Or you could always just get to Lourdes and do your exploration of the Pyrenees from there.
We drove from Lourdes to the fabulous Gavarnie in just over an hour.It was a beautiful drive. There are some lovely little inns and B&B's there in the village of Gavarnie. ( I can't give any specifics on quality as we didn't stay but some looked very quaint and perfect for a mountain holiday.
Do take the walk from the village of Gavarnie up to the cirque de gavarnie. It's a circle of waterfalls coming over the Pyrenees from Spain. It's absolutely awesome. Complete with some areas of glacier you can access on foot. There is a little inn right at the Cirque which you can stay at as well.
There are lots of towns around here that you can explore as well. Luz st Sauveur, Cauterets and some fabulously twisty roads through the mountains with other little villages dotted along it.
If any of this sounds like what you were looking for let me know on this board and I'll look for some info I brought home regarding this area.
regards
Sep 10th, 2003 | 08:36 AM
#5
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 56
Likes: 0
Another vote for St. Lary Soulan, went there skiing last december and love it. It's a small village but beautiful!. We were lodged at Hotel Les Arches (www.hotel-les-arches.com.
