Seasons:
26 April – 31 October 2008
When to go:
May & Jun: Snow lingers picturesquely on Mont Valier, while the high pastures are lush with flowers. One or two of the highest walks may be inaccessible.
July & Aug: Settled summer weather – warm enough for a dip in the turquoise mountain lake of Ayes?
September: The first hints of autumn bring perfect temperatures – high on the crests, or on a lower excursion, perhaps to St Bertrand de Comminges.
October: Stunning autumn colours in the Bellongue forests, with many clear days for long distance views. Weather cooler.
2008 Prices - Land Only
Price per person, including car hire, based on sharing a double/twin room
| 3 nights |
£335 |
|---|---|
| 4 nights |
£415 |
| 5 nights |
£495 |
| 6 nights |
£555 |
| 7 nights |
£615 |
| Extra nights (per night) |
£85 |
Single room suppl. (sharing car) = £10 /night
Children under 2 years old (infants) - Free
Children aged 2-11 years old – 25% discount
For solo traveller prices, click here
Parties/families of 6 or more (excl infants) = 1 person free (conditions apply)
Driving Time From Airports
- Toulouse = 1 ½ hours
- Pau = 2 hours
- Carcassonne = 2 ½ hours
The Couserans
Combine old-fashioned rural France with spectacular mountain scenery, and the result is the Couserans. This network of valleys in the French Pyrenees, half-way between the Mediterranean and Atlantic, is tucked – seemingly forgotten - beneath meadow-crested ridges and the rugged peaks that line the border with Spain. Streams tumble to feed fish-rich rivers flowing swiftly through the meadows and orchards of the valleys floors. Lower slopes are cloaked with mixed woodland; oak, chestnut and hazel surrender to beech and fir higher up, in turn making way for the open grasslands of the summer pastures, above which stand the rocky crests and summits. Authentic and picturesque villages are dotted along the rivers and on the south-facing slopes (called soulanes locally), and the landscape is scattered with the old stone and timber barns that housed hay and livestock. Older generations still speak Gascon, discussing the annual transhumance and fiercely debating the pros and cons of the recent re-introduction of bears to the region.
