The Three Villages Walk and the Tour du Valentin from Laruns

Laruns station car park

(S/E) Walk past the secondary school and then the swimming pool, and continue along the Route de Pau until you reach the first road on the right at a right-angle junction.

(1) Turn right onto the D240E, cross the Gave d’Ossau and head towards the village of Béost. Pass the Béost town hall. Take Rue Cap Dessus, which winds its way up through the village between the houses, alongside the town hall.

(2) At the cross, turn left onto a stony path that climbs. Take a hairpin bend to the left, then first turn right then left at the stone bench. At the top of the path, join the Route de Bages (D391).

(3) Turn right onto this road. Then, 200 m further on, turn left onto a small road that climbs and arrive at the entrance to the village of Aas.

(4) Take the road on the right, pass close to the church, then continue along Rue de l’Église. Once past the cemetery, head down the road (with a lovely view of the Eaux-Bonnes spa) to the bridge over the River Valentin.

(5) 100 m beyond the bridge, on the left-hand side, a grassy path leads to the D918.

(6) Cross the road with care, as there is constant traffic to and from Gourette. Turn onto the Promenade Eynard. Winding its way round bend after bend, the path reaches a small plateau above which stands the Butte au Trésor. The short climb is well worth the detour, as the view is truly breathtaking.
On the way back, continue to the right to reach the old mini-golf course, then keep right onto a street leading down towards the village centre. Take the steps on the left-hand side of the town hall. These lead to the Jardins Darralde, which you cross on the left to reach the casino esplanade.

(7) Once past the casino, set off along the 1,500-metre Promenade Horizontale.

(8) At the end, head down the road (Chemin de Lartigues) until you cross the D918 again ; cross it, taking the same precautions. After 50 m, join the old spa road further down.

(9) Turn right onto it, then further on turn left onto a path to join the Route d’Assouste. Follow it to the left and pass through the hamlet.

(10) At the end of the hamlet, turn left towards Château d’Espalungue, then on to the Pon district. Cross the bridge over the Gave d’Ossau.

(11) Turn right towards the campsite and join the Route transversale de Pon.

(12) Turn right and head for the Laruns station car park (S/E).

Please note: at the end of the route, the path between the Valentin campsite and the footbridge is extremely slippery and stony.
Suitable walking shoes and caution are essential.
The two points where the D918 is crossed on a bend: in Eaux-Bonnes near the ‘Chalet Simone’ and below the Artigues neighbourhood.

Not to be missed:
- The carved gables of the slate-roofed houses.
- The panoramic views of the Ger Massif, the glacial valley floor and the Five Peaks.
- Listening to the ‘Siffleurs d’Aas’ using the ‘Vallée d’Ossau’ mobile app.
- The panoramic view of the Eaux-Bonnes resort from the Butte au Trésor.
- The view of Espalungue Castle.