This 270 km (5 hours) itinerary will take you through a hinterland full of valleys, straddling the departments of the Hautes-Pyrénées, the Haute-Garonne and the Gers. You will discover the superb Arros valley, the Save gorges, beautiful views of the Pyrenean mountain range and many small authentic villages.
There are 4 tourist stops on this route. You are free to stay for a few minutes or a few hours.
- Saint Bertrand de Comminges
- Caves of Gargas (*)
- Abbey of Escaladieu (*)
- Castle of Montaner (*)
(*) Please check the opening hours and booking possibilities.
1. Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges : Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges was born in 72 B.C. on the Valcabrère plain, where Pompey's legionnaires once lived. A jewel of Romanesque-Gothic art, the imposing Sainte-Marie cathedral is of course the highlight of the visit. You can admire the choir with its 66 stalls carved in oak or the exceptional corner organ which attracts the best organists in the world every summer during the Festival du Comminges.
2. Caves of Gargas : The Gargas caves are the only decorated caves in the Hautes-Pyrénées department open to the public. They were frequented by tribes of Cro-Magnon men and hunter-gatherers. Our ancestors left numerous traces of their passage in the floor of the entrance hall of Gargas, but these are also found in the diversity and richness of the representations left on the walls.
3. Abbey of Escaladieu : Daughter of the Cistercian abbey of Morimond, the Escaladieu abbey was founded around 1140 at the confluence of the Arros and Luz rivers. Its architecture is in perfect harmony with the precepts of the order: simplicity and sobriety. The magic and purity of the place are an invitation to serenity and travel.
4. Castle of Montaner : The keep of Montaner rises to a height of almost 40 m, emerging from a perfect square (medieval symbol of harmony). The coat of arms of the Foix-Béarn family and the motto, Febus me fe, finely sculpted in magnificent limestone, surmount the entrance door like a seal combining strength and refinement.