Meet the animals as a family

With your family
In nature
Winter

Winter holidays in the Gavarnie Valleys often go hand in hand with skiing, snowshoeing or even hiking. Ideal activities to recharge your batteries and enjoy the snowy nature. And if we offered you to change a little and discover our valleys in the company of animals? Dogs, llamas or even wild animals, they are all determined to make you experience beautiful discoveries in the Pyrenees!

Sled dogs in Barèges

Observe the beauty of these dogs joining forces to create a common and unparalleled force. An unusual experience to live that seduces everyone!

An outing in the Lienz forest

It is in the heart of the hook pine forests of the Lienz plateau that you can meet the mushers of theWild Call and their pack of Husky. With them, embark on a dog sled ride in a natural setting with winter colors.

Passionate about their job as mushers and especially about their dogs with whom they have established a real relationship of trust, the members of the team are committed to sharing their daily lives with as many people as possible.

Mushing and preparation of the dog in the Pyrenees

In the shoes of a musher

This is how it is possible to visit the kennel, participate in a driving course or even spend the evening and the night up there to spend more time in the company of the dogs.

The little ones (from 3 years old and up to 7 years old) can also take advantage of this activity during a day at the Baby Park to learn how to drive their own sled in complete safety.

Zoom on …

the profession of musher

Meeting with Julia, an aspiring musher who lives in the Val d'Azun. With her pack of 7 dogs, she trains every day on the trails around Arrens-Marsous, especially between the Col de Couraduque and the Val d'Azun.

The start of a passion

"I started cani-mountain biking 10 years ago with my dog Guinness, to whom I owe my passion, to share a sporting activity together; back in the Pyrenees I switched to scooters, then to karts when I I've had more dogs. They are the ones who progress more and I learn a little more every day thanks to them! I no longer count these wonderful sunrises which are always different with each outing, the starry sky above out of my head and nothing else around."

Husky sled dog unusual activities in the Pyrenees

Living with a pack of 7 dogs

I have 7 dogs: an Alaskan Malamute (who comes with us free from the age of 10) and 6 Alaskan huskies. On a daily basis, it's a lot of time spent with them to educate them, create a bond with each dog and train them, often very early in the morning or very late in the evening. It's also a lot of bowls to prepare and a lot of droppings to pick up daily (but when you love, you don't count, right?)! But that's 7 times more hugs, and a lot of fun.

Tips for becoming a musher

"If there was really one to give, it would be to get closer to clubs and events around mushing in order to meet as many people as possible in the field, and their dogs, who will be very good advice. I am part of the CPSTC , one of the oldest clubs in the area and it is with them that I learned a lot."

Walks with llamas in Hautacam

Hiking is good, but with a llama, it's better!

Unusual hike with llamas

Gilles Tosca, former cheese farmer, mountain guide offers unusual walks alongside his lamas, Tio, Tchupi, Nahual, Névé, Joke and Igloo. Passionate about local tales and legends, Gilles will be able to guide you along the trails, transporting you through the ages and plunging you into the secrets of our valleys.

Discovery of local history

These walks will allow you to know every little local anecdote, while making friends with endearing llamas. An exotic and fun mountain experience to make the whole family enjoy hiking

©A.Pernet

Visit of the Les Escales honey house

Another essential little beast of the valleys: the bee! This small yellow and black insect is an essential link in the chain and guarantees the balance of our ecosystem.

Manufacture of honey from the Pyrenees

Between the bee and the delicious jar of honey, there is a whole very interesting manufacturing process.

To get to know it and discover how a hive works, nothing beats visiting a honey house!

Babeth and Jacques opened the doors of the Miellerie des Escales in Villelongue to tell us about their job and how their business works in winter.

Legal notice (copyright)© Mélanie Mengarduque

Honey farm of Les Escales in Villelongue

In winter, there is always the visit of the hives. At this time they are already starting to go out and collect pollen. We also check regularly that there are no diseases, that the bees are not starving. And finally, we take care of all the maintenance, we repaint the hives, we redo the frames that have been damaged by adding sheets of wax to rebuild the cells.

Visits to the honey house

If you also want to know more about the profession of beekeeper and bees, don't hesitate to meet them! Their shop is open every day from 13:30 p.m. to 19:30 p.m. during school holidays. You will find a wide variety of honeys, but also original products such as Honey Ô Lemon or Honey Ô Blueberry, artisanal soaps, sweets or gingerbread.

Alternative text (SEO) Pots of honey in the shop of the Miellerie des Escales

Alternative text (SEO) Shop and products derived from honey from the Pyrenees

Guided hikes to discover animals

Supervised by mountain professionals, go hiking in the footsteps of the animals of the Pyrenees.

Pyrenean fauna in winter

A footprint left in the snow, a feather gently fallen on the ground, the rest of a meal nibbled on...

In the mountains, there are many clues disseminated by animals. By following them, you can easily have the chance to observe squirrels, foxes, hares, capercaillies or even chamois… To set out to meet this wildlife, the guides and guides reveal their favorite techniques and corners.

With family or friends, sharpen your 5 senses and follow them through vast snowy expanses or in the middle of deciduous and coniferous woods.

Accompanied hiking program

Yvan Brown offers to follow in the footsteps of the izards opposite the Cirque de Gavarnie. On snowshoes, this easy hike will take you to a plateau where you can observe the izard, endemic animal of the Pyrenees and emblematic figure of the Gavarnie Valleys. Every Thursday, live this privileged moment with the local fauna.

Selection of accompanied outings