Hautes-Pyrénées

French Holiday Homes -
Self catering Gites and Chalets in Hautes-Pyrénées, France

Search Rent-in-France for French self catering holiday homes in Hautes-Pyrénées, France. Created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790 the department is located in the south-western area of France in the Midi-Pyrenees region. Found in the Pyreneean mountains, the Hautes-Pyrénées sits along the border between Spain and France. Its mountainous location is key to the fantastic views and dramatic scenery the Hautes-Pyrénées has to offer which is one of the major attractions bringing holiday makers here each and every year. Around 70% of the Hautes-Pyrénées is covered in mountains with some of the summits reaching above an impressive 3000 meters. The department is also home to a large number of wonderful lakes, rivers and streams. For keen skiers, renting a self catering Hautes-Pyrénées Chalet or Apartment is a great decision - there are a number of popular ski resorts in the surrounding area, including Piau- Engaly, Cauterets, Gavarnie, Hautacam, Saint-Lary-Soulan,  Barèges-La Mongie, and  Luz-Ardiden. Also being home to a large area of The Western Pyrenees National Park, which boasts a number of well known attractions such as the Port d’Espagne and the Cirque de Gavarnie, the Hautes-Pyrénées has become a holiday hotspot for all those mountain and hiking enthusiasts out there.

Places to visit in Hautes-Pyrénées, France 

Lourdes  Lourdes has become a major destination for visitors in recent years. This famous town attracts around 5 million tourists and pilgrims every year, ever since a little girl claimed to have seen a vision of the Virgin Mary. Once a very proud Market town, Lourdes has now become a very modern town with the second largest hotel establishment in the whole of France sitting just behind the Capital, Paris.

Argelès-Gazost  A French holiday rental paradise for all you walking and cycling lovers out there. With around 400km of mountain bike trails for the extreme cyclists there are also plenty of cycle routes marked out for those who want to take it easy. Walkers will absolutely love this area where there are a large number of marked and unmarked trails waiting to be explored whilst staying in an Hautes-Pyrénées Holiday Property. Whether its taking the family out for a gentle stroll and a picnic to taking the challenging routes towards Spain for the experienced Hikers, there are plenty of fantastic views to enjoy during your journey. Standing at the crossroads of the Lavedan valleys, Argelès-Gazost rises up from the rivers edge to its medieval core.

Bagnères-de-Bigorre located an equal distance from both Tarbes and Lourdes this beautiful little spa town is situated on the Adour River. Home to the large Observatory at the peak, taking self catering accommodation here will offer you some fantastic viewing of the stars and some of our surrounding planets in the solar system. Bagnères-de-Bigorre is one of the larger towns in the department. The Adour river runs through the centre of the town where you will find a choice of great restaurants and cafes. From here, cycle to Sainte-Marie-de-Campan and turn right to the top of Col du Tourmalet – If you dare!? 

Hautacam A small ski resort located just outside of Argelès-Gazost. Ideal for families, the resort boasts around 26km of downhill slopes, 15km of cross country as well as a number of prepared sledging pistes, snow shoe tracks and even dog sledging. The sports station sits at around 1560 meters and the resort offers you some magnificent panoramic views across the region. 

Tarbes Although the second largest metropolitan area of Midi Pyrénées, Tarbes is the capital of the Hautes-Pyrénées. Set against the fabulous backdrop of the Pyrénées mountains the city is located of the edge of the National Park. Due to the fact the city has been battered and bruised from a number of wars over the years and there aren’t many historic landmarks to enjoy,  don’t let this put you off though as Tarbes is still a fantastic base to explore when taking an Hautes-Pyrénées self catering holiday house or chalet.

The weather in Hautes-Pyrénées Is a mixture between a Mediterranean and Atlantic Maritime climate, with very long and hot summers and short winters which are partly helped by the fact that spring time starts extremley early. Located in the south of France means the department gets to see alot of sunshine and it can very often be warm and sunny as early as February each year. 

Toulouse airport is the best option when heading to the Hautes-Pyrénées. Although around 2hrs away by road, the airport receives daily flights from a number of UK airports. Easyjet, Bmi, Bmibaby and Flybe all offer cheap low cost flights all year round. 

Make the Hautes-Pyrénées your holiday destination and enjoy this magnificent area of France. With its breathtaking mountains and lakes, the views are out of this world which make it the perfect holiday for walking, biking, rock climbing, white water rafting and skiing.

Another spectacular feature of the Pyrenees area is the annual pilgrimage in July  by cycling enthusiasts around the world to watch the Tour de France mountain stages as they cross some of the toughest mountain tests that can be found anywhere. The photo, right, shows the 2008 TDF peleton on its way to the Col du Tourmalet, where almost a million people will line the side of the mountain road in a typical year!

The Tour de France is the largest outdoor sporting event in the world, staged over 21 days and covering nearly 3000km of  the country lanes of France. It's free to watch, too. Almost 20 million people will come out to watch before the race is finally decided along the Champs Elysee in Paris where spectators stand 20 deep along the course.