Gavarnie-Gedre

4 saisons
Relaxation
In nature
Sport and thrills

On the border with Spain, Gavarnie-Gèdre is a high mountain area which is home to the great glacial cirques, of which Gavarnie is the most famous, accessible all year round. Troumouse and Estaubé are discovered in summer, when the snow has given way to herds and marmots. UNESCO World Heritage, Grand Site Occitanie, emblematic heart of the Pyrenees National Park... Simply mythical!

The 3 circuses

listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site

The cirques of Gavarnie, Troumouse and Estaubé offer extraordinary landscapes in the heart of the Pyrenees National Park. With a Spanish side made up of large canyons and the Ordesa National Park, they form a unique cross-border site in the world included on the UNESCO World Heritage List: the Pyrenees – Mont Perdu site.

The Cirque de Gavarnie in spring in the Pyrenees National Park

The Circus of Gavarnie

the most famous

It is a true wonder of nature: 6,5 km in circumference, 1 m in height, peaks exceeding 500 m and one of the largest waterfalls in Europe. It can be admired from the village of Gavarnie in all seasons, and can be accessed by snowshoes in winter or on foot or on horseback in summer. The Gavarnie-Gèdre ski resort promises beautiful descents and breathtaking landscapes! UNESCO World Heritage, Grand Site Occitanie and emblematic heart of the Pyrenees National Park, it is indeed this “possible and extraordinary object” described by Victor Hugo.

Hike to the Cirque de Troumouse in Gavarnie - Gèdre

The Troumouse Circus

the “shock” for the eyes… and the heart!

The Cirque de Troumouse is the largest of the three cirques, with a circumference of around 11 km. Faithful to its pastoral tradition, it is home to numerous herds of cows and sheep from the beginning of summer. Its grandeur combined with a peaceful and green atmosphere give it a very special charm. The road leading to Troumouse is a spectacle in itself: you can drive to the Plateau du Maillet then reach the Cirque on foot or by tractor-drawn train at an altitude of 2 m. Once there, you will discover a preserved mountain landscape of rare beauty... to be explored in summer only!

The Cirque d’Estaubé

from Lac des Gloriettes

Smaller and more discreet than its two neighbours, the Cirque d'Estaubé is a remarkable natural site. Mecca of pastoralism in the valley, nearly 400 cows and 1 ewes graze there every summer. Along the Gloriettes lake then the Estaubé stream, this route is an ideal place to observe marmots. We discover it in summer for hiking or simply lounging at the water's edge; in winter it becomes inaccessible again.

Pyrenees - Mont Perdu

Discover the site in images

From its geological formation to ancestral traditions, discover the history of the massif.

History of a landscape

A living history

The emotion of a landscape

Anthony Garcia

Gavarnie and the Pyrenees

ASCEND, WRITE AND FEEL

In 1898, in his book One Hundred Years in the Pyrenees, Henri Béraldi evokes for the first time pyreneism which he defines as an intellectual approach to the mountains combining both writing and sporting achievement. For him, “the ideal of the pyreneist is to know how to climb, write, and feel at the same time. Like Béraldi, mountaineers and writers thus contributed to defining, much more than a sport, a philosophy.

Pyreneists who made the reputation of the Pyrenees

Climb the peaks, perceive all their beauty and transcribe it in books. So the philosophy that inspired the greatest Pyrenees who came to the Pyrenees from the XNUMXth century. The Pyrenees would therefore have multiple skills, at the same time scientist, artist, sportsman and explorer eager to share his discoveries. It is for these multiple talents that characters like Russell, Nansouty, Schrader or Ramond de Carbonnières are remembered.

Victor Hugo and Gavarnie

GOD, A MYTHICAL POEM

The reputation of the Cirque de Gavarnie was built in the XNUMXth century by the multiple explorations of botanists, scientists, painters, romantics, and of course mountaineers in search of discoveries and prestigious ascents. The Pyrenees are then painted, described and told. Victor Hugo also largely contributed to his reputation thanks to the poem “God” written following his stay in Gavarnie: “ It is a mountain and a wall at the same time; it is the most mysterious edifice of the most mysterious of architects; it is nature's Colosseum; it's Gavarnie ". Words that still resonate today!

The hydroelectric plant

AN IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE IN PRAGÈRES

Between heritage and virtual reality, let yourself be told the history and operation of the hydroelectric power station of Pragnères, an incredible construction. Live a unique and immersive experience thanks to virtual reality!

An industrial and historical heritage

It is an iconic place with an incredible history and operation. The Pragnères hydroelectric power station is one of the most visited in the great southwest. Commissioned in 1954, it revolves around 40 km of galleries, 4 dams, 30 water intakes, a production plant and two pumping stations! It is the most striking example of water harvesting in the Pyrenees.

Visit the Pragnères power plant

Visit of the Pragnères Hydroelectric Power Plant in the Gavanrie-Gèdre Valley

A unique guided tour for all ages

For many years, his guided tour has been a great success. Virtual reality is now invited, for a new 4.0 experience! Embark aboard the nacelle at an altitude of 1 m, fly over the Cap de Long dam in a helicopter, follow the path of the water to the turbines through galleries to which only technicians have access... It is now possible thanks to virtual reality headsets. A real complement to the visit which shows everything that you cannot usually see. Strong, new and surprising sensations! The opportunity also to test the hydroball, a pinball machine unique in the world, with a classic look but ultra connected.

Virtual reality at the EDF hydroelectric power plant in Pragnères

Gavarnie Festival

Life-size theater

In the heart of the Cirque de Gavarnie, an exceptional altitude theater festival has been held every summer since 1985. Facing the majestic peaks over 3000 m, the spectators are caught up in the acting, the sumptuous costumes and the staging, but most often it is the emergence of stars twinkling above the Cirque that attracts attention. A unique artistic experience in a natural amphitheater!