Laruns Travel Guide

 kokoryko Says:  Aaaaaaaaaaaaah, finally, we are on top; I forgot to take a picture of the café on the pass; there is a parking, a café, place for four-wheeled people to have a rest too, because driving up in the curves might not be totally relaxing!Anyway, I could enjoy the view towards... 

 kokoryko Says:  Pedalling slowly uphill you have plenty of time to look at flowers, here a yellow Tussilage (Tussilago Farfara, bull’s foot) (Picture 1), very tiny and elegant; amateur botanists or simply flower lovers can find lots of flowers in the Pyrenees, and a special field book is... 

 kokoryko Says:  Aaaaaaah, finally, I arrive at the small thermal resort of Les Eaux Bonnes (the good waters).This is a tiny village (450 permanent residents) which displays a typical 19th century resort architecture; a wide central square with high buildings around and a bit further big... 

 kokoryko Says:  Before the serious climb begins, better to have a rest in Laruns.This is the main village of the upper Ossau Valley; the general view on picture 1 shows it is where the real mountain begins; it is at the junction of several creeks which merge as the “Gave d’Ossau”. it is a... 

 kokoryko Says:  On the moraine hill on the right (East) bank of the gave, is this little village which kept buildings from the 16th century, and parts of the church are from the 12th century. The church contains a remarkable altar piece, but it is generally closed, and I could not make a... 

 kokoryko Says:  On the road up the Gave d’Ossau valley, you may go across many small villages located either on the the riverbanks or on the slopes of the hills. I may add more descriptions when I go back and think the make some pictures. . . . Just after Louvie-Juzon, the valley narrows,... 

 kokoryko Says:  From Sevignac-Meyrac, with fine weather, you have a nice view over the upper Ossau valley. Picture1. was taken in May and Picture2. was taken in October. At the back you can see the Pic du Midi d’Ossau, “this terrible monster” (Victor Hugo, free translation) watching tower... 

 kokoryko Says:  This is a tiny typical béarnaise village, with stone houses, narrow streets, small gardens. . . As it is on a hill the houses built on the slope have often a porch, with the street going under the porch (Picture2). Of course, like in most villages, there is a church; there... 

 kokoryko Says:  This village on km 21 is located on a small path from where you have a broad view over the Ossau valley to the south. The road sign still tell you are 33 km from the col d’Aubisque. . .For a short visit, you can park your bike (your car) on a little parking place just left... 

 kokoryko Says:  Rebennacq village, like Gan traversed previously, is also a bastide which has been built in the 12th century. Small houses with porches and arcades, and the chuch may be worth a stop.The church was open when I was here last time (oct2006) and it is possible to visit the... 

 kokoryko Says:  If you want to bike in the area (not only “my” tour), you must be aware the road conditions are very changing. There are wide roads with tracks for cyclists like on Picture2, but on other places the road is narrow and the car drivers do not really take care of cyclists; I... 

 kokoryko Says:  This church has a typical clock tower for the Bearn area, with the clock case fixed above the onion shaped roof. At the entrance of the church is a mosaic, part of a memorial for the victims and heroes of WWI displaying the symbols of Gan (picture 2): the bearnese cows and... 

 kokoryko Says:  Spend some time to visit the village of Gan, a bastide, typical south western France villageAh, what is a bastide: it is a “settlement” where houses are built around a square place; the houses have generally arches on the basement floor where the shopkeepers can display... 

 kokoryko Says:  Cave cooperatives can be literally translated into cooperative cellar; the small grape producers bring their grapes to the cooperative where they are weighted, tested, etc, and transformed into wine; the producer is either paid with money or gets his wine and the cooperative... 

 kokoryko Says:  It is not possible to visit the “cheese factory”, and Jurançon is much better known for its wines than for its cheese, but about wine, it will be in another tip. Two kilometres after having left the circular road around Pau you will see on your left, the cheese factory: big... 

 kokoryko Says:  When you leave Pau southwards you pass the . . . Henri IV bridge, crossing over the Gave and follow the main road; the road if flat, it is easy to go fast ahead, and just have a glimpse left to the castle (picture 1) and right to the river banks (picture 2) where Tony...