Walking
Short outings to introduce you to the area include walking in gentle, valley landscapes beside the Bouigane to reach the charming village of Augirein; a brief climb to Galey’s Calvary chapel, perched on a hill with wonderful views of the Bellongue; a stream-side picnic beneath towering border peaks, high in the valley of the Riberot; or an exploration of St Catherine’s cave and the ruins of her tower. If a medium length (half-day) excursion appeals, there are the isolated mountain-side Chapelle de l’Isard to discover, the limpid waters of the Etang d’Ayes, for dipping feet or more, St Lary’s Sentier de Découverte, which illustrates every aspect of mountain life, or a loop through the rustic landscapes of the Bethmale valley. A full-day expedition could take you onto the open grassland of the whale-back ridge of Bouirex, to enjoy huge views north into the Pyrenean foothills and south to the jagged frontier crest; or high into the summer pastures at the head of St Lary’s lonely valleys, where streams splash and tumble and bell-wearing sheep, cows and horses graze on meadow flowers. Your Upland Manager will organise walks that can include climbing St Lary’s local peak – La Calabasse (2,210 metres, after which the village cheese is named!), venturing off-piste in search of the isolated and spectacular Cascade de l’Isard, or exploring the dramatic, glacier-carved landscapes of the Mont Valier massif.
