Pyreneanism 

The beginnings of pyreneism 

For centuries, the mountain is considered a hostile place that is only used for pasture. But in the 18th century, the first conquests of the summits with Mont-Blanc in 1786, which marked the beginnings of mountaineering. The first Pyrenean summit over 3 meters was conquered in 000 by Henri Reboul and Jacques Vidal with The Turon of Neouvielle. 

In 1789, Ramond de Carbonnieres, advisor to Cardinal de Rohan exiled to Barèges publishes “ Observations made in the Pyrenees in which he recounts his discovery of the Pyrenees after that of the Alps. He becomes one of the first explorers of these mountains. 

Over the course of his long walks (he crossed Mont-Perdu in 1802), he described the history of the lands crossed and the customs of the inhabitants. Geologist, naturalist, illustrator, he is considered the pioneer of pyreneism. 

During the 19th century, which also represents the golden age of hydrotherapy, artists, aristocrats and intellectuals will follow in the footsteps of Ramond de Carbonnières and create the history of Pyreneism.  
 
The geographer and painter Franz Schrader realizes in 1874, a real work of art with his 1/40th map of the Gavarnie - Mont-Perdu massif.

The English aristocrat Ann Lister is known as the first lady to have climbed to the summit of Vignemale in 1838. The story of his ascent will only be discovered in 1969! The count Henry Russell, a native of Toulouse, devoted most of his life to exploring the Pyrenees to the point of having caves dug as a shelter for sleeping in the high mountains. This contemplative Pyrenean created the first learned society of mountaineers in Gavarnie in 1865 alongside Packe, Maxwell and Frossard. 
 
Let us also quote Henry Brule considered the founder of the pyreneism of difficulties. With the guide Célestin Passet, the two men undertake a great fourteen-day tour in the Pyrenees. They climb about twenty peaks including all 3000 known between the peak of Maladeta in Spain and Gavarnie. 
 
Today, other travel writers like Sylvain Tesson recount their experience of solitary roaming like Frederic Julien in his adventure story The great crossing of the Pyrenees ».  

Famous pyreneists rest in the small cemetery of Gavarnie located next to the Notre-Dame du Bon Port church in Gavarnie. It is indeed from the village of Gavarnie that the majority of Pyreneists left to make their ascents in the Pyrenees. The communal cemetery houses the graves of the inhabitants and those of famous Pyrenees recognizable by their cutout in the shape of mountain peaks.

It includes in particular that of Georges Ledormeur who has climbed more than 1500 peaks and John Arlaud, doctor for the first French expedition to the Himalayas in 1936 and a great Pyrenean climber.
There is also a small rock in the shape of a mountain in the Pyrenean cemetery which houses commemorative plaques dedicated to famous pyreneists.

To find out more about pyreneism, go to the Gavarnie National Park House. You will be able to discover the exhibition on the Pyrénées-Mont-Perdu site classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site which presents the greatest expeditions in the mountains of the Pyrenees and the most beautiful writings of Pyreneism. 

To immerse yourself in this philosophy, be accompanied by an experienced mountain guide, or in the village of Gavarnie, take part in a guided tour by a guide speaker.
 
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