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The French & Spanish Pyrenees
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The French Side
luz-st-sauveur
Luz-St-Sauveur (Luz) lies 30km south of Lourdes in the beautiful Val des Gaves. It is the last village of any size before the road divides and climbs east to the Col du Tourmalet, the highest road col in the Pyrenees, and south to the mighty cirques of Gavarnie and Troumouse.
Luz is the older of two villages, which make up Luz-St-Sauveur. Neighbouring St-Sauveur grew up around a Napoleonic spa and this may be of particular interest to anyone looking for a soothing post-walk treat!
Today Luz is an eclectic mix of old and new. We are based at the heart of the ‘old’, overlooking the impressive fortified 12th century church, from where characterful narrow lanes radiate. It has a charming atmosphere, enhanced by its ‘frenchness’ and relaxed pace of life. And yet with the many shops and cafes, a vibrant bustle exists in this attractive mountain centre.
A quick look at any map will demonstrate why we have chosen Luz as our base on the French side. It is, quite simply, an ideal base from which to access some of the most spectacular walks and magnificent sights in the French Pyrenees.
To the south is the celebrated Cirque de Gavarnie and the less well known but equally awesome Cirque de Troumouse. To the east there is the Néouvielle Nature Reserve with its sparkling lakes and tarns; and to the west there is the Pont d'Espagne with its magnificent waterfalls, the mighty north face of the Vignemale and the marvellous Marcadau valley.
hotel les templiers
Hotel Les Templiers sits snugly in the heart of the old centre of Luz and dates back to the 17th century. It is a delightful hotel, run with relaxed informality and warm hospitality by our friends, Laurent and Sian Grandsimon.
The hotel is small with just 11 bedrooms, each of them en suite and each of them quite different from the other, such is the rambling character of this rustic old building. What it might lack in more ostentatious, modern-day concepts of comfort, it more than makes up for with its provincial character and cosy charm.
On one side of the hotel’s attractive yet delightfully unassuming entrance hall (with its 170 year old solid wood staircase and balustrade) is a charming and typically French bar and restaurant, where guests of Collett’s will together enjoy a three course dinner (with wine included) six nights a week - not Wednesdays. On the other side of the entrance hall is the ‘salon’ with its impressive fire place, floor to ceiling solid wood cupboards, antique furniture and comfortable chairs. This is where we hold Office Hour six evenings a week.
hotel les templiers prices
Hotel Les Templiers (Luz-St-Sauveur)
  
Low Season
High Season
Half Board
£ 395
£ 425
Bed & Breakfast
£ 355
£ 385
Prices are per person per week and include access to all Organised Walks and information. Stays that are not 7 or 14 days can be calculated on a pro rata basis.
 
Arrive Anyday – Depart Anyday.
All Bedrooms are en suite.
High Season – Sat 14th June to Sun 14th September.
Half-board prices include bed, breakfast and three course dinner (with wine included) six evenings per week. Rooms are cleaned every day.
 
Packed lunches are available daily and can be paid for locally.
Bed & Breakfast and self catering guests staying are welcome to dine in - Just let us know the day before. We serve an excellent three-course dinner with wine included six evenings a week - not Wednesday.
 
Supplements & Other Notes – see main Pricing Page.
Deposit £75 per person.
Walking From Luz
the cirque de gavarnie
The Cirque de Gavarnie is a vast natural amphitheatre crowned by the frontier ridge, which rises up above 3000m. This sensational natural phenomenon is 1400m top to bottom and 5km end to end. As one of the world's best examples of a glacial cirque, it is not surprising that it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
To add to the splendour, Europe's longest waterfall, the 423m 'Grande Cascade,' plunges dramatically down the near vertical walls of the cirque. Another key highlight is the Brèche de Roland, a startling 40m wide natural breach of the cirque wall at an altitude of over 2800m with walls 100m high. It can be seen from many miles away and whilst, at first glance, it might appear to be the domain of the mountaineer, the Brèche offers experienced walkers a once in a lifetime hike to a thrilling high altitude location. Here they can keep one foot in France, put the other in Spain and gaze into the colossal abyss to the south, which is the Ordesa canyon, or look north into the coliseum-like Cirque de Gavarnie.
The awe-inspiring Cirque de Troumouse.
the cirque de troumouse
Although less well known than the Cirque de Gavarnie, and not quite as high, the Cirque de Troumouse is even more monumental. At over 10km end to end, it is easily the largest of all the Pyrenean cirques.
Within the giant amphitheatre created by the cirque, there is a wild mix of rolling pastures, lakes and tarns, all set beneath towering peaks. It is a walker's paradise, whether you seek out gentle strolls across grassy plateau pastures to the lakes and tarns which nestle in the cirque basin, or more demanding ventures into the rocky reaches of the vast eastern wall.
Walking toward the Cirque de Gavarnie from the plateau de Saugué.
the néouvielle nature reserve
Whilst lakes are plentiful on both sides of the border, the Réserve Naturelle du Néouvielle is often justifiably called the 'Lake District of the Pyrenees.' Here you will walk near sparkling green tarns, deep blue lakes and gurgling streams, each one set against a towering backdrop of magnificent granite peaks.
Néouvielle was one of France's first nature reserves and it hosts some exceptional plant and wildlife as well as being home to some of Europe's highest forests of ancient mountain pine. It is wild and remote - and a 'must' for walkers coming to stay in Luz.
Some of the best entry points to the Néouvielle region are just a short journey from Luz. And many exhilarating walks await you, such as the idyllic Val d'Aygues Cluses (the Valley of Clear Waters), the stunning Montagne Fleuri with its wealth of flowers, birds and butterflies and the more challenging Pic de Madamète with its lakes and breathtaking 360º panoramas.
the pont d'espagne
The Pont d'Espagne, where the Gave de Gaube and Gave du Marcadau collide before crashing down to Cauterets over a series of spectacular waterfalls, is the starting point of many magnificent walks, which vary in both length and difficulty.
Walkers will meander through the tranquil pine-filled Vallée Marcadau with its enchanting riverside picnic spots or venture out on to the Chemin des Cascades from La Raillère to Pont d'Espagne along a section of the GR10, which passes thunderous waterfall after waterfall. More ambitious hikers will negotiate the circuit up to Refuge Wallon in the heart of the Marcadau and then on to the wild and remote lakes of Nere, Pourtet and l'Embarrat. Alternatively, by the haunting blue-green Lac du Gaube, which is fed by glacial melt waters, you can start a steady climb up the Val de Gaube for a close up view of the mighty glacier which clings to the sheer north face of Vignemale, the highest peak in the French Pyrenees.