The Pyrenees are mountains in a class of their own. Stretching over 440 km (270 miles), from the shores of the Mediterranean to the Atlantic Ocean, and spreading from 30 to 50 km (18-30 miles) across, they create a natural barrier between the Iberian peninsula and the rest of Europe.
However, this “barrier” has also been, over the centuries, where three countries, Spain, France, and the Principality of Andorra, meet.
This pan-European region crosses four autonomous Spanish states (Catalonia, Aragon, Navarre, and Euskadi, or the Basque country), and three French regions (Aquitaine, Midi-Pyrenees, and Languedoc-Roussillon). Mount Perdu, an important pea straddling the border between France and Spain, is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The landscape of the Pyrenees is a combination of jagged mountains and lush valleys, rocky crags, glaciers, forests, pastures, and waterfalls, as well as numerous, beautiful lakes, giving rise to the nickname “Country of Lakes”. Over 200 peaks in the Pyrenees are above 3,000 meters (9,843 feet). The Aneto, in Spain, is also called “roof of the Pyreneess”, thanks to its 3.404 metre-summit (11,168 feet).
The fauna (chamois, otters, royal eagles, bearded vultures, and Pyrenees bears) and the flora of the central part of the Pyrenees are protected in three National Parks: The National Parks of Encatats and Ordesa y Monte Perdido, both in Spain, and the National Park of the Pyrenees in France.
Adventure Sports It goes without saying that principle winter activities all involve snow play: downhill and cross-country skiing and ice skating. In summertime, it’s impossible to get bored: you can canoe and kayak, parasail, raft, ride bikes, and go for trail rides. A variation on rock climbing is possible on the “Via Ferrata”, or iron roads. These are rock climbing areas permanently equipped in such a way that even beginners can climb in safety.
Probably the most popular adventurous way to discover the beauty of the Pyrenees is to hike, thanks to the development of trails known as “GR” (Grand Randonnée). For example, GR 11 travels the entire length of the Spanish Pyrenees for 850 km (528 miles), from the Mediterranean coast all the way to Catabrie. GR 10, in France, links Hendaye to Banyuls sur mer, thanks to 870 km (540 miles) of marked trails.
The other attractions in the Pyrenees are its rich culture: traditional villages clinging to mountains or nestled in villages, Romanesque churches, forts, monasteries, and ancient hospices. The pilgrims who followed the Camino de Santiago (St. James of Compostella) also travelled through the Pyrenees; the Roncevaux Pass leads to Camino Navarro, and the Camino Aragones crosses the Pyrenees into Aragon. The Camino Frances is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Lastly, “thermal tourism” is also an enticement to the Pyrenees, for relaxing in a “natural spa”.
Whatever kind of activity you like, you’ll definitely have a good time in the Pyrenees!