Camping in the Pyrenees
Why we love holidays in the Pyrenees
From soaring peaks and rushing waterfalls to authentic mountain villages and thermal spas, the French Pyrenees offer a widescreen adventure, with natural beauty, cultural melting pots and exhilarating hikes galore.
Unlike their more famous Alpine cousins, the Pyrenees maintain a wilder, less developed character that rewards visitors with pristine landscapes and a genuine sense of discovery. Hike through glacial valleys, marvel at the thundering cascades of Gavarnie's 422-metre waterfall, or simply relax in thermal waters that have drawn health-seekers since Roman times. The Pyrenees also offer a fascinating cultural experience too, where ancient Basque traditions meet Catalan influences. We think the French Pyrenees offers a refreshing alternative to more crowded mountain destinations—one where nature still holds the upper hand.
The essence of the Pyrenees
Fresh mountain air
Strap your boots on and hike the highest peaks, or simply park the car, unwind the window and breathe deep. This land of contrasts will amaze, delight, and reawaken your senses. The Pyrenees is a land where nature really is in charge.
Breathtaking landscapes
From the dramatic Cirque de Gavarnie with its towering waterfall to the serene beauty of Lac de Gaube, the Pyrenees offer an ever-changing panorama of mountains, forests, and valleys.
Authentic mountain culture
The Pyrenees region preserves its unique cultural identity through distinctive architecture, traditional festivals, and local crafts. Culture that blends French, Spanish, Basque, and Catalan influences.
Our favourite things to do in the Pyrenees
Fun days out
The Pic du Midi Observatory offers stunning experiences, reachable by cable car from La Mongie, where you can enjoy breathtaking 360-degree views from the summit at 2,877 metres. The on-site museum explains the scientific work conducted here, while the spectacular stargazing opportunities at night make it worth considering an evening visit.
For wildlife enthusiasts, the Parc Animalier des Pyrenees near Argelès-Gazost is the place to go for encounters with native mountain species including bears, wolves, lynx, and playful otters in naturalistic habitats designed for animal welfare and visitor education. The Train Jaune (Yellow Train) in the eastern Pyrenees offers an excursion as it winds its way through mountain scenery on narrow-gauge track, crossing viaducts and climbing to heights of 1,593 metres between Villefranche-de-Conflent and Latour-de-Carol.
Getting active
It’s all about the hiking here, with trails for every ability level, from gentle family walks around mountain lakes like Lac de Gaube or Lac de Loudenvielle to challenging multi-day treks on the GR10 route that traverses the Pyrenean range from Atlantic to Mediterranean (don’t worry, you don’t have to tackle the entire length).
White-water adventures abound on the region's fast-flowing rivers, with rafting on the Gave de Pau offering thrilling descents through breathtaking gorges, while canyoning in the Aure Valley combines swimming, climbing and sliding through sculpted rock formations. Mountain biking enthusiasts can explore extensive networks of trails, including the dedicated bike park at Saint-Lary-Soulan where gondolas carry riders and bikes uphill for gravity-fuelled descents through alpine terrain suitable for beginner to advanced riders.
Cultural hotspots
The town of Lourdes draws millions of visitors annually to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, where Saint Bernadette reported visions of the Virgin Mary in 1858. Faith or no faith, the town offers museums, a medieval fortress, and the evening torchlight procession. Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, an important stop on the medieval Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route, is a preserved fortified old town, its red sandstone buildings, and picturesque setting by the Nive River one of the region’s prettiest spots.
The fortified citadel town of Mont-Louis, built by Vauban in the 17th century and now a UNESCO World Heritage site, combines military architecture with solar energy at the world's first solar furnace showing historical and contemporary scientific importance. The thermal spa town of Bagnères-de-Bigorre, with its healing waters, is another good bet for a memorable afternoon.
Our favourite things to see in the Pyrenees
Historic sites
The Château de Foix dramatically crowns a rocky outcrop, with its three impressive towers offering commanding views—inside, multimedia exhibits and demonstrations of medieval skills bring to life the castle's rich history as a Cathar stronghold. The UNESCO-listed citadels designed by military architect Vauban include the star-shaped Fort Libéria above Villefranche-de-Conflent and the walled city of Mont-Louis, both great examples of 17th-century military engineering at its finest.
The prehistoric caves of Niaux and Mas d'Azil contain remarkable Paleolithic paintings and artifacts dating back more than 15,000 years, offering a rare glimpse of some of the world’s earliest Banksy-style artistic expressions! The fortified church of Saint-Jacques in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port has a strong history as a pilgrimage route, with medieval architecture, and impressive stained glass.
Cities and towns worth seeing
Bagnères-de-Luchon, often called the Queen of the Pyrenees, combines Belle Époque elegance with a vibrant mountain resort atmosphere, famous for its thermal baths, flower-filled parks, and easy access to excellent hiking and skiing areas. The charming medieval village of Aínsa, just across the border in Spain but easily visited on a day trip, has a preserved plaza mayor, Romanesque church, and spectacular mountain backdrop.
Font-Romeu-Odeillo-Via in the eastern Pyrenees offers a fascinating combination of a modern ski resort, one of Europe's oldest pilgrimage sites at the Hermitage, and the world's largest solar furnace—a striking architectural and scientific marvel. The picturesque town of Ax-les-Thermes grew up around its thermal springs with numerous distinctive public foot baths scattered throughout the old town where you can soak weary feet in the natural thermal waters!
Natural wonders
The Cirque de Gavarnie, a spectacular glacial amphitheatre crowned by the Grande Cascade, is one of Europe's highest waterfalls and a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Néouvielle Nature Reserve protects a high mountain landscape with more than 70 sparkling lakes, rare pine forests that thrive at unexpected altitudes, and unique alpine flora adapted to the tough granite terrain.
The gorges of the eastern Pyrenees, including the Gorges de la Frau and the accessible Gorges de Galamus with its cliff-hugging road, show the powerful erosive forces that have shaped these mountains over millennia. The Brèche de Roland, a 40-meter-wide, 100-meter-high natural gap in the mountain wall on the French-Spanish border, features in local legends as being created by the knight Roland with his sword Durendal. We’d suggest it was formed by glacial erosion instead. Not quite as romantic, though, is it? Either way, a hike to the top gives you terrific views over to Spain.
Travelling to the Pyrenees
Nearest airports
- Perpignan
- Lourdes–Tarbes
Nearest train stations
- Lourdes Station
- Hendaye
Nearest ports
- Bilbao (2 hour drive)
All parcs in the Pyrenees
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