Espoey walks

A circular route around the lower part of the village of Soumoulou via Gomer, where you can discover part of Henri IV's trail, the GR® 782, in the hills. The village's central square offers easy parking.

An accessible and varied circular route on the balcony of the Pyrenees. Starting and ending in the centre of Soumoulou, this hike is appealing for its practicality: spacious car park, easy start and a circular route that avoids any complex logistics. The route alternates between quiet roads, country lanes and PR® footpaths, offering a gentle immersion in the contrasting landscapes of the Pyrenees and the Béarn plains.

A hilly route through the woods along the Chemin Henri IV. The second part is mainly on a gravel track. There is little tarmac.

Easy country hike around Nousty, starting from the village centre with its beautiful buildings and wash house. On this very rural route, the Houn de Moussu is a local curiosity, a fountain providing water that is very good for your health, according to the elders. Legend has it that Henri IV drank from it when travelling from Pau to Coarraze. There is a viewpoint shortly after the 419-metre altitude on the Chemin Henri IV. The return through the fields, crossing fords, adds extra charm to the outing.

A walk above the Nay plain, with panoramic views of the Pyrenees and the Piedmont!! Bring a picnic and enjoy the fresh air!!!

An ideal route for Nordic walking in winter as it is in very open countryside; pleasant in fine weather with magnificent views of the Pyrenees. You’ll pass the menhir on the Plateau de Ger, as well as numerous roe deer, a few does and wild boar. This route takes less than two hours to complete at a brisk pace using Nordic walking poles. Allow three hours for a leisurely walk.

The route starts at the top of the Ger hill in Ibos and takes you to the Menhir on the Ger plateau. After entering the woods, the route becomes shaded and you will walk up the Géline. You will see a mini waterfall. You may even spot some deer... Moderator's note : the slate bridge has been destroyed: see the notice dated 21/03/2022.

Hike in the Bois du Commandeur in Ibos and Bordères-sur-l'Échez along the Souy river.The route is located between the D817 road from Pau and the D2 road from Bordères to Pintac, mainly using forest paths and trails. However, there are some short sections on roads. ⚠️ Read the comments on this hike.

A beautiful route on the hillsides of Rontignon, a few kilometres from Pau. Several beautiful views of the ridges and the Pyrenees.

First, discover the site itself, the Sanctuary of Notre-Dame de Piétat, built in 1661 by the inhabitants of the farming community of Pardies. The region is rich in history! Next, enjoy the splendid view of the Nay valley to the south-east of Pau, and another beautiful panorama of the Pyrenees from the sanctuary's orientation table. Finally, you can have fun discovering the fountains and other springs hidden in the woods and hills of the site....

This beautiful, accessible walk is steeped in history; it follows the old Pontacq road used by charcoal burners in days gone by. Once you arrive at the Mousqué plateau, you can enjoy a shaded picnic area at the foot of century-old oak trees. From there, admire the superb view of the Saint-Péen massif and its countryside, then the Nay plain stretching all the way to Pau.

A must-visit spot for the locals of Saint-Pé and their friends, the peaks of Le Mousqué and La Tourette offer a change of scenery and magnificent panoramic views of the surroundings of Saint-Pé-de-Bigorre.Ideal at sunset in summer.

In the Hautes-Pyrénées, near Lourdes, Saint-Pé-de-Bigorre reveals some of its charms during this hike: architecture, limestone massif and caves (with views of the Gave de Pau and the surrounding mountains), and even its Devil's Bridge!

Starting from the Place des Arcades in Saint-Pé-de-Bigorre, enjoy a pleasant, peaceful walk to reach one of the hills sheltering the village, the “Montagnou de la Lit”, to the east. From up there, you can easily reach the entrance to the Grotte de la Résistance and, for the more adventurous, that of the Tute Faiouias.Magnificent views over the Gave de Pau valley and the ridges of the neighbouring peaks of the Saint-Pé massif.Return via the “Montagnou”, another hill above the village.

A few kilometres from the centre of Saint-Pé, a small pebble beach is the perfect spot for a refreshing dip in summer and a peaceful picnic break. The knitting rabbit is hiding in the tall grass on the neighbouring property!

On the hillsides of Saint-Pé-de-Bigorre, this 10 km route with an elevation gain of 180 m takes you through everything that makes the immediate surroundings of this village so beautiful: its small paths, meadows, woods, rivers and houses, in short, its rural heritage.Whether you're a regular walker or runner, a local or a visitor, you're sure to enjoy yourself here!

A short walk in the hills above Saint-Pé-de-Bigorre offering breathtaking views of the village and its exceptional heritage: its 11th-century church, the former seminary and Catholic school, and the remarkable streets and houses dating from the 15th to the 18th centuries.There are also beautiful views of the mountain range to the south, including the Très-Croutz forest and the ridge of the Cirque de Bat dé Haü, stretching from the Toupiettes in the west to the Aülhet in the east.

A pleasant walk through the woodland along the banks of the Gave de Pau, passing through Rieulhès, a typical Pyrenean hamlet. You’ll enjoy several remarkable views of the village of Saint-Pé-de-Bigorre.

About fifteen kilometres north-east of Pau, the walk takes you through cornfields and oak and chestnut woods.

A beautiful route linking Lourdes to Pau along an ancient Roman road steeped in history. The Henri IV trail stretches across the Hautes-Pyrénées and Pyrénées-Atlantiques departments, along the foothills of the Pyrenees.

Just a few kilometres from the centre of Lourdes, without ever really straying far from the town, Lake Lourdes looks like something straight out of a postcard. Formed by a glacier and nestled in the foothills of the Pyrenees, it offers a circular route of around six kilometres where calm waters, forests and clearings alternate at every bend. Along the way: a remarkable peat bog designated as a Natura 2000 site, unobtrusive yet very much present flora and fauna, and, in fine weather, the Pyrenees mountain range stretching out on the horizon. No daunting climbs, no technical difficulties: simply the pleasure of walking at your own pace alongside tranquil waters, just a stone’s throw from the hustle and bustle of the Marian city. A walk accessible to all, to be enjoyed with the family or on your own, and which holds a few surprises for the observant walker.

This walk takes you past the unmissable medieval castle of Gaston Fébus, built entirely of brick, and explores the countryside around the village of Montaner.

This walk will take you to the four churches of Montaner, through forests and, from the plateaus, to vast panoramas with the castle tower as your anchor point.

On the outskirts of Lourdes, the Bois de Subercarrère stretches out over four hundred hectares of shade and coolness. The Castet Bern trail winds its way peacefully through the deciduous trees and undergrowth: 3.9 km, 54 m elevation gain – perfect for a leisurely family walk.The town fades from view. You walk to the sound of birdsong, on the lookout for a roe deer, a great spotted woodpecker or a red squirrel. Fun information boards and a game booklet spark the curiosity of the youngest visitors and turn the walk into a land of discovery. But the woodland also holds its secrets: a name meaning ‘above the road’, legends that storytellers still bring to life, centuries of forestry history and, nearby, the route taken by pilgrims on the Way of St James. A breath of fresh air in the countryside, a real forest bath, within everyone’s reach.