Gère-Bélesten walks

Two options: either a 2-hour family walk, the Fontaine d'Estéret route (a circular PR® route marked in yellow), or a longer route including the ascent across the Pla Dou Soum (1,391m) with a beautiful view of the Massif de Ger.

You walk along old stony paths, unfortunately including a track. There is a beautiful view of the Ger massif and the Pic du Midi d’Ossau, and you eventually come to numerous barns, many in ruins but a few well-maintained.

A relatively short walk accessible to all, allowing you to discover the Séris waterfall and the typical narrow streets of Laruns.

This lovely walk allows you to discover the typical villages of the Ossau Valley from a higher vantage point. The old paths that connected them are still paved in places, and the slate-roofed houses, grouped around the church, feature beautiful engraved marble portals.

Located 40 minutes from Pau, the Benou plateau is a well-known destination for families looking to get some fresh air in a beautiful pastoral setting. You can easily reach the famous stone circles (cromlechs), burial sites of our Iron Age ancestors (3,000 years ago) overlooking the Ossau Valley. And if you're feeling brave, head to the Pic d'Escurets to admire the panorama stretching from Tarbes to Bayonne. Superb!

Easy hike to the Col d'Aran and the famous rock of the same name. And if snow prevents you from reaching the rock, walk along the ridge to the east and enjoy a very pretty view.

This hike has a moderate elevation gain but is a bit long. The Pic d'Escurets is a magnificent viewpoint. From the summit, you can see the towns of Pau, Tarbes and Oloron-Sainte-Marie. And many peaks such as the Pic du Midi de Bigorre (2,872 m), the Balaitous, the Palas, the Lurien, the Gabizos massif, the Pic du Ger and many others. On the way down, the view of Benou is absolutely beautiful.

This circular route, without any particular difficulty, offers you a connection between Eaux-Bonnes and Laruns, passing through the villages of Assouste and Aas, typical of the Ossau Valley. The walk offers both beautiful panoramic views and the opportunity to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the 19th-century spa era.

La Montagne Verte is a plateau at a moderate altitude (1,200 m) but offers superb views of Eaux-Bonnes and the peaks of the Ossau Valley. The route starts in the village of Aas, known for its whistling shepherds. You can extend the walk to Mont Larive, adding an extra hour for the return journey.

Montagne du Rey, whose highest point is Soum de las Picarras (1,349 m), is the first peak in the Ossau valley and offers a superb 360° panoramic view from the Pau plain to the Pic du Midi d'Ossau.

This is a fairly easy hike that leads to a very large summer pasture area. There is plenty of water in this area. It is suitable for families, with a simple return trip to the hut. This hike can be done on snowshoes. The entire circular hike requires a minimum sense of direction. The GPX track may be useful.

A fairly short but steep hike in places, well marked, with superb views of the foothills, the towns of Pau, Tarbes, Oloron, and also the peaks: Pic du Midi d'Ossau, Pic de Ger, etc.

Ascent to Lac de Montagnon via the Cure det Cam hut. ⚠️ 02/07/2025: Parking in the car park is compulsory and subject to a fine:reservations are compulsory and free from 2 April to 30 November. See practical information. ⚠️ 22/05/2025: Departure car park changed following a municipal by-law.

Pic d'Escurets is a small peak that can be easily reached in about 1½ hours. At the summit, a magnificent 360° view awaits you.

A short hike through woods and pastures, along easy mountain paths. From the summit, the view of the surrounding valleys and peaks is magnificent. This walk is certainly less crowded than those starting from the Benou plateau.

Is it hot or grey? Here is a half-day forest trail that is perfect for children. However, avoid periods when it is too wet due to some slippery descents. At the top of the walk, you can enjoy a view of Arudy, and birds of prey are often visible. Above all, don't forget a torch to venture a little way into the cave. Opposite, the other cave, which is closed, contained prehistoric remains (on display at the Arudy museum).

From the village of Eaux-Chaudes, with its old-fashioned charm and romantic 19th-century thermal baths, to the remarkable entrances to the two caves of the same name (although the water is cold), this hike is accessible to all and offers many surprising and visually stunning discoveries. At the end of the trail, venture underground along the riverbank by lamplight to admire some of the wonders of the underground world, adding an extra thrill and unforgettable excitement to the experience.

This hike takes us on a very airy route along the facilities created in 1954 by the SNCF in the middle of the mountains to collect part of the water from the underground river in the massif and part of the water from the Artouste power station, and to channel it through a penstock to the Miégebat power station on the Gave d'Ossau. After the Grottes des Eaux-Chaudes caves, the route follows the Artouste-Miégebat underground water supply canal with its many windows.

A somewhat long walk, but not difficult, with good yellow PR® Route de la Vallée d'Arudy signposting, which occasionally overlaps with a GR®. Beautiful views of the Ger massif and perhaps towards Ossau. Several interesting churches along the way.

An easy, rural circular from Sainte-Colome in the Ossau Valley, alternating between beautiful woodland paths and farm tracks, offering a wonderful introduction to the Béarn foothills and the pretty village of Sainte Colome. Marked with PR®, then VTT and then GR®78.

A short, easy outing to a remarkable viewpoint.

This is a short hike with little elevation gain and no difficulty in clear weather. The view from the ridges of all the surrounding peaks and villages is magnificent all along the way. From the Gros huts, the return trip along the trail is very easy.

This hike follows old paths, with the view changing as you climb: the Lescun cirque (Pic d’Anie), Layens, Ourdinse, Mailh Massibe, and of course, the Bergon. You arrive at a charming hut where you can stop for a picnic.

Loop in the foothills of the Béarn Pyrenees. Beautiful view of the Bruges Nay plains and, further away, towards Pau. Although Ossau is not visible, Durban, Montdragon and Moulle de Jaut beckon, inviting us to climb them soon.

This is a family hike in the Ossau Valley, south of the city of Pau, between the villages of Bescat and Sévignacq-Meyracq. Mainly through the woods, it leads to the Tos de la Courade (tos = watering hole) and then joins theGR®78via a well-maintained path, before returning to the starting point. It overlooks the Ossau Valley to the south and, in the second part of the walk, the plain of Pau.

Lake Isabe is one of the most beautiful and mysterious lakes in the Pyrenees and, in any case, a real gem set in a mineral landscape with steep cliffs. Towering above it, above the last snowfields of summer, rises the Pic de Sesques (or L'Escarbu). To reach it, you will have to traverse chaotic landscapes and climb a narrow couloir to reach an aerial ridge, but it is not dangerous. A beautiful mountain hike with a nice 1,700 m elevation gain over a fairly short distance of 14 km.

A beautiful circular route above Gourette with the ascent of Pic Sanctus (2,482 m), which offers a stunning panorama, particularly of Pic de Ger and the Vignemale and Gabizos massifs. The return route via Lac d'Anglas is dotted with the remains of the old zinc mine.

A lovely loop from Gourette that takes you past numerous lakes. Best undertaken in good weather. Part of the route is unmarked. The GPX track may prove very useful.Follow the directions in this description. You must ascend via the water channel.Classified as difficult due to a tricky (but safe) section on the old penstockReported on 08/09/2024: very recently, a handrail (chain) has been installed along the entire length of the penstock

The Lac d'Anglas hike is one of the must-do routes starting from Gourette. It offers a varied mountain landscape where waterfalls, cliffs and lakes enhance the magnificent scenery of the high-altitude summer pastures you will be crossing.