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Pyrenees?


Pommier
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My recent flat is in the foothills, not that far from Foix and I can suggest a few gîtes in the area.

Send me a pm if you want.

Quillan of course has a chambre d'hôte in the eastern side...

These are of course the easten Pyrénées. Further over to the west there is the area round Lourdes, south of Pau and the path leading over to the Spanish side that some people follow for the St Jacques pilgrimage

The weather is much wetter than over by the coast at the same latitude.

My experience has been that the Spring is worse for that than the Autumn.

This site is a reasonable basis to start:

http://www.ariege.com/what-to-visit-in-ariege/index.html

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You don't say what time of year you are going.  We stayed in St Lary Soulan for along weekend in summer about 2 years ago. Pleasant place, big enough without being overwhelming, lovely mountain views from the top (ski lift runs all year) ... plenty to do, nice scenery even in the valley, and not too difficult to get to, can do a quick trip to Spain if so desired (we didn't) ... and skiing in the winter ...

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Many thanks for the replies. We'd probably be going in summer (well, certainly not winter, but I wondered if spring would be nice) and we'd have our dog with us.

I've been looking at your link Norman and at St Lary Soulan, but it's such a big area it's hard to pin down where would be best, never having been to this part of France.
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Your Spring may well be still their winter.

Once you get out of the valley bottoms it is not uncommon to find that campsites have an 8 possibly 9 week season - and there is a good reason for this.

Any walking up in the mountains outside July and August means you should certainly consider taking winter gear with you and this probably would include rope, ice axe and crampons. Obviously with the highest peaks you might need this all year round. Remember the French Pyrenees are north facing and therefore do not benefit from the spring sun melting the snow.
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Hi

As I have lived here for the last 10 years I suggest the Pays Basque

Spring is a good time its not that cold here we often have a sit in the sun between 11 and 3 in mid winter

Steve

PS the Pyrenees range is over 200 miles and a lot of different climates try both ends its about 4and a half hours drive on the auto routes
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[quote user="basquesteve"]Hi

As I have lived here for the last 10 years I suggest the Pays Basque

Spring is a good time its not that cold here we often have a sit in the sun between 11 and 3 in mid winter

Steve

PS the Pyrenees range is over 200 miles and a lot of different climates try both ends its about 4and a half hours drive on the auto routes[/quote]

Yes, the pays Basque is full of interest.

Beautiful scenery and I love the buildings.

Lucky dog; wish I could take mine there.

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[quote user="mint"][quote user="basquesteve"]Hi

As I have lived here for the last 10 years I suggest the Pays Basque

Spring is a good time its not that cold here we often have a sit in the sun between 11 and 3 in mid winter

Steve

PS the Pyrenees range is over 200 miles and a lot of different climates try both ends its about 4and a half hours drive on the auto routes[/quote]

Yes, the pays Basque is full of interest.

Beautiful scenery and I love the buildings.

Lucky dog; wish I could take mine there.

[/quote]

We're further along twixt Tarbes and Toulouse, just north of Cagire. I think the scenery, towns and villages all along the chain are stunning but if I had two weeks to explore I'd spend a week at Bagneres de Bigorre to explore the high peaks, Cirque de Garvanie, Pic du Midi etc, the route to Spain, and the softer scenery south of Pau, then the second week in the Ariege visiting doing the Cathar touristy route - Carcassone, Foix, Mirepoix, Montsegur etc, with a quick trip up to Andorra. June through to September are good, although in August there's the risk of mountain storms. We went up to Peyragudes ski station (no snow, just cows, hang-gliders and wonderful views), then down to Luchon, through the pass and down to Bossost (Spain) for a tapas luch the other day and it was fab...

On the other hand, hire a gite south of Pau (gites de france64, or through Abritel) with a pool in July, then relax in the garden with fabulous scenery all around!
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the second week in the Ariege visiting doing the Cathar touristy route -

Carcassone, Foix, Mirepoix, Montsegur etc, with a quick trip up to

Andorra. June through to September are good, although in August there's

the risk of mountain storms

I second steve and tom's suggestion of a two-centre stay. They both know the western part far better than I do; but this second suggestion is exactly right, although I would say from the last two years that September has seen better weather than the earlier part of the season. I would add Quéribus and Peyrepertuse to the Cathar castles (probably rather than Carcassonne which is now rather tacky)

As tom says a qick trip over the border to the Spanish side can be interesting, and they are south facing so a bit warmer

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