General
One thing is for sure, when you visit the Haute-Garonne region of France, you won't be stuck for things to see and do! There are ski slopes only 40 minutes away; buildings of historic, cultural, and religious significance abound; nature's beauty is everywhere; you can do anything from white water rafting to a leisurely round of golf or even watch the Tour de France cycle race. Alternatively, you can even go abroad - we are only 25 miles from Spain!
*This section is under construction. Check back soon for more information on activities and days out in our area.*
French-English Translation
This page contains numerous links to websites where you can find further information about the places and activities we have listed. Most of these websites are French of course, and not all of them offer an English language version.
So if your French is not quite up to scratch, a way round this is to use AltaVista's Babelfish - a free online facility that will translate web pages from one language into another. No automated translation service is perfect, but this one should enable you to at least acquire basic information in English from those websites that do not include an English version.
To use this facility, you simply visit Babelfish, type in the URL (website address) of the page you want to translate, instruct the system which language you want it translating from and to, and hey presto.
General
Parc-Pyrénées.com is the official website for the Pyrénées National Park, with plenty of information (in English) for visitors to the Pyrénées region of France.
Golf
Golf du Comminges is a 9-hole public golf course in Montréjeau, our nearest town. It is good family course, suitable for players of all ages and abilities. It is a natural course next to the Garonne river, with beatiful scenery.
Golf de Lannemezan is a an 18-hole public course in nearby Lannemezan, about 10 miles away. Its narrower fairways are suitable for the more advanced player. It also has a pro shop and restaurant on site.

Skiing
As you would expect, there are many ski resorts in the French Pyrénées. We are focusing on those which are easily accessible from here. Among these, you will find skiing and snowboarding facilities to suit all standards - from beginner to expert.
  • Luchon-Superbagnères

Luchon-Superbagnères is one of the smaller ski stations in the area. The village of Luchon is separated from the resort of Superbagnères by 17km of road or an 8 minute aerial tram ride.
  • Peyragudes
Peyragudes offers good facilities for all standards of skiers and snowboarders.
  • Barèges/La Mongie
La Mongie and Barèges are on opposite sides of the vast Col du Tourmalet mountain pass, which regularly features in the Tour de France cycle race.
  • Saint-Lary
Saint-Lary is a very picturesque resort, great for walkers as well as skiers!
  • Boutx-Le-Mourtis
Boutx Le Mourtis is a small family resort with tree lined pistes in the forest of Boutx.
Thermal Spa
Luchon has been the area's prime location for thermal spas and steam baths since Roman times. An excellent and therapeutic day out is assured.
Rafting/Kayaking
The Haute-Garonne area offers plenty of opportunity for thrills and spills on the water.
Antignac Rafting, near Luchon, offers you rafts, canoes, kayaks and hydrospeed for the more adventurous.
Les Pagaies at Valcabrères offers a variety of water-based activities from the gentle to the exilarating.
Underground Caves
Grotte de Gargas, the 'Sanctuary of the Hands' is a stunning prehistoric cave system. The ancient inhabitants traced their hands on the walls, and you can still see these echoes from the past after all these thousands of years, along with drawings of animals and scratched engravings.
Le Gouffre d'Esparros is another cave system south of Lannemezan. Here you can see beautiful rock formations and stalactities galore.
Historical
Cathédrale de St Bertrand de Comminges, south of Montréjeau, is a majestic, late-medieval cathedral, one of the most beautiful historic buildings in the Pyrénées.
Chateau de Mauvezin is a medieval fortress near Lannemezan, just off the main A64 road. It's a fascinating step back in time to the Middle Ages.
Abbaye de l'Escaladieu is a very well-preserved Cistercian abbey, founded in 1142. It is near the Chateau de Mauvezin.
Lourdes is a place of pilgrimage for Christians from all over the world. The offical website has a schedule of events of interest for visitors.
  • And while you're in Lourdes, you might like to visit the Aquarium de Lourdes, the largest fresh water aquarium in the world, showcasing the aquatic fauna of the Pyrénées area, with 5000 fish in 1,500,000 million litres of water!
Chateau de Valmirande at Montréjeau is set in a landscaped park of 40 acres. Built in the 19th Century the house, with its stunning facade, is classified a historic monument by the French ministry of culture, who also designated the garden a 'jardin remarquable'.
 
Montmaurin Gallo-Roman Villa, built in the 1st Century AD and modified over the years, was one of the largest Roman villas in France.
Jardin Aromatique Romain, or Roman Aromatic Garden, is a small botanical exhibition in the town of Valcabrère. It provides an interesting insight into the ancient Romans' use of plants in the kitchen, as well as for for medicine and perfume-making.