Le Montagnou de Saint-Pé

Park on or near the Place des Arcades in the village centre.

(S/E) Take Impasse du Pourtalet, one of the five streets leading off the square, heading east.
Reach Rue Darrets Barrats (sometimes spelt or referred to as Desbarrats) via a ramp accessible to pedestrians and cyclists, near the former hosiery factory.

Continue to the right along Rue Darrets Barrats until you reach a small, shaded square. Opposite, take the narrow street leading uphill, Rue Notre-Dame du Montagnou.
Walk up this lane to its end (near a lodge) and continue along the yellow-marked path, the Chemin du Pouey (^GR®®78, also marked as route No. 10 by the Saint-Pé Tourist Office or the Way of St James).

(1) Pass the junction on your left (you’ll take this on the way back).

(2) Carry on to the entrance to Poueyté Farm.

From there, the rest of the walk to the summit of Montagnou has been removed at the request of the owner of Poueyté Farm, who does not wish anyone to enter his land.

Resume the Chemin du Pouey on the descent.

(1) At the fork in the road, turn right towards Notre-Dame-du-Montagnou. Within a few minutes, you’ll reach an esplanade where a statue of the Virgin Mary, Notre-Dame-du-Montagnou, stands watch over the village. The site and the information provided are picturesque and peaceful.

Then follow the same path back to the Place des Arcades (S/E).

Warning
The route no longer leads to the summit of Montagnou; since 28 April 2021, the old route – which crossed private property – has been closed at the owners’ request.

Estimated time
I completed this route in 1 hour, including breaks and photo stops. That’s quite a short time. Allow 2 hours if you’re with your family.

Drinking water
There are no water points along the walk. Bring what you need.

Shelter
There is no shelter along the route. However, at both the start and finish, the Place des Arcades offers shelter all year round under its arcades and its huge white canopy.

Equipment
In summer, bring the usual equipment for a lowland hike (hiking or trainers, suitable clothing, rainwear, water, food, etc.).
In all seasons, bring a map, a GPS or the Visorando app on your smartphone.

Footfall
Very low.

Nearby attractions:
- The village of Saint-Pé-de-Bigorre: the village itself, its cultural heritage, its events, and the Très Crouts forest. A wide range of historical, cultural, leisure and hiking guides are available at the Tourist Office, Place des Arcades (S).
- The town of Lourdes.
- The Marian Shrine of Lourdes.
- The Marian Shrine of Bétharram.
- The Batsurguère Valley.
- The Pibeste-Aoulhet Regional Nature Reserve and water sports.
- The Caves of Bétharram
- The Gaves Valley