# Pyrenees



## Sandy_Saunders (Nov 17, 2008)

We are aiming to do a bit of touring in the Spanish Pyrenees and need some advice on the suitability of the roads. Our van is 7.4m long, 2.3m wide and 2.85m high. We will be visiting in mid-May, so hopefully snow will not be a problem as long as don't venture too high up.

In particular we would like to visit:- 

1. Hecho and the Infierno del Hecho, 
2. San Juan de la Pena, 
3. Riglos, 
4. the Ordessa national park 
5. Lloare Castle. 

So advice on accessing these and suitable campsites will be most welcome. Likewise any other places worth visiting, particularly for wildlife. 

Unfortunately the quality of the google earth imagine in this area is not very good.  

Sandy


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## billplant (Sep 1, 2007)

hi sandy,
the ordessa is great walking and i doubt if there will be snow in any quantity if at all.the paths are well laid out and signposted.

we will be back in the pyrenees for the 3rd year running inseptember, our van is a fiat ducato so no problems for us.

i can only advise on ordessa and you will not have any worries the approach roads are used by bus tours etc.

when we were there last year we noticed that there was a notice in the large car park there that campers were not allowed overnight, in the past we have stayed there. 

the tourist office is in the car park and it may be useful to check there perhaps because you are pre season they will let you overnight. if not there is a campsite just outside of the village towards the nat. park but i cannot tell you what it is like.

enjoy your trip

bill and hazel


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## Sandy_Saunders (Nov 17, 2008)

Just as a follow up, a report on our visit to the Pyrenees. This also covers parts of France, so look away now if you can't stand them.  We didn't spend as much time in the Pyrenees as planned due to the poor weather that has prevailed lately.

Here are my highlights.

Mont Louis in France, on the road from Peripignan up towards Andorra. A nice fortified town with a free aire, but the highlight is the little yellow train. You can park in the station car park (it is signposted from the town) and even overnight there if you wish. Take the train back down to Villefranche, this is more scenic direction. By the way, if you stop in Carcassone, the direct road to Mont Louis is very tight for a motorhome unless you have a small panel van conversion. Particularly the stretch after Axat. Very scenic though, if you can dare to take your eyes off the road!

Andorra, this isn't really a highlight, but the opposite. We drove into the place in pouring rain, struggled to park and ended up buying only a baguette. Fuel is cheaper there though. We won't go back.

Benasque, there is a campsite there with some good mountain walking, although it snowed while we were there. The campsite is typically Spanish, low trees and difficult access for a motorhome to many of the pitches. Best to identify a pitch before entering.

Huesca, not really in the Pyrenees, but worth a detour. A decent municipal site and a nice town. We only called by to do our washing, but thought it was a nice town.

Castillo de Loarre, near Huesca. A lovely campsite on the slopes of the pre-Pyrenees, halfway up the hill to the castle. Wonderful views and excellent birdwatching if that is your thing. Nearby at Riglos there are some impressive cliffs, home to vultures etc.

Jaca, another non-highlight. We didn't call this time, but have in the past and it is one of the worst and most expensive campsites in Spain. Pity as the place itself is alright.

Oloron Sainte-Marie, an interesting town and a passable aire after passing through the Col de Somport.

Lourdes, a bit of a marmite place, you will love it or hate it. Aire a bit noisy at night as it is just a lay-by, best to use a campsite and just come to the aire during the day. Note that there are two aires in the book, one just a bus parking place and expensive.

Gavarnie. As long as the weather is good, this is a must. The Cirque de Gavarnie is a wonder of nature and well worth the effort. There is some good walking in the hills nearby and you can drive up to the ski-station. There is a nice little ACSI site at Agos Vidalos just south of Lourdes, the owner, Luc, is quite a character.

Sandy


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## taz (Sep 28, 2005)

Hi Sandy
Thanks for the info.
We are hoping to tour the Pyrenees in September this year in our 8.5m. Were there many roads that you feel would be unsuitable for us. I have Gavarnie, Cauterets, Lourdes, Lac D'Oo on my list plus a few others
Thanks for any extra info
Sally


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## tony50 (Oct 16, 2007)

Sandy_Saunders said:


> Just as a follow up, a report on our visit to the Pyrenees. This also covers parts of France, so look away now if you can't stand them.  We didn't spend as much time in the Pyrenees as planned due to the poor weather that has prevailed lately.
> 
> Here are my highlights.
> 
> ...


I agree Castillo de Loarre is worth a stay , just to see the views , we went up looked great from outside to the castle , lovely people who run the site ,you can camp amonst the almond trees , I must admit when we arrived on site it looked old fashioned ,but has a clean shower/toilet block, eating there is good , the locals from the village way down below eat there at weekends,and there is usually quite a lot of them. As regards to the other places I looked on Google earth and cancelled one of my stops due to photos of hairpin road


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## Sandy_Saunders (Nov 17, 2008)

taz said:


> Hi Sandy
> Thanks for the info.
> We are hoping to tour the Pyrenees in September this year in our 8.5m. Were there many roads that you feel would be unsuitable for us. I have Gavarnie, Cauterets, Lourdes, Lac D'Oo on my list plus a few others
> Thanks for any extra info
> Sally


Hi Sally

Lourdes you will have no problem with, park on the southern end of the aire, which will almost certainly be the end you hit first. There is more room for long vehicles there as the coach park is next to it.

Gavarnie is a fairly sinuous route, but you will not have serious trouble.

Unfortunately bad weather drove us out of the mountains before we could visit the other destinations.

I strongly suggest that you avoid the direct route from Carcassone to Mont Louis via Axat, we have a 7.4 metre vehicle and only the fact that we were travelling on empty roads during Sunday lunchtime kept the heart attacks at bay. I still come out in a sweat thinking about it.

Hope you enjoy your holiday.

Sandy


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## joedenise (Jul 20, 2007)

Wasn't it last week or the week before that they evacuated Lourdes
due to flooding?

joe


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