As always there were a couple of options driving to our next destination of Cauterets. One was through the mountains and the other out of the valleys and around passing the mountain range. The cloud cover over the mountains made the decision a little easier as our trip through the mountains would have resulted in hot brakes for the van and us not being able to see anything.
It was a little disappointing not to have spent the day gazing at the wonderful vista of the Pyrenees but it was still exciting as we gained altitude up the valley towards our next destination of Cauterets. The campsite we had opted for was close to the village centre which had a real alpine resort feel to it and with the mountains rising up on all sides it looked and felt magnificent. We went for a quick walk through the town to see what we could do and there was so much hiking and mountain biking on offer and the scenery was so fantastic that we came straight back to the campsite and booked for the whole week.
Cauterets certainly felt like an alpine ski resort as you walked around it the fact that everywhere you looked you could see the rugged peaks of the mountains helped too. It has been a while since we have been in the mountains and it was certainly exciting to be back, there is something in the cold fresh air that’s exhilarating and I have to admit I find the scenery quite breathtaking and Cauterets certainly provided loads of classic views not only on the hikes we did but from town too. In fact while we were sat in our campsite we could look up at the peaks right above us.
It did feel a lot more touristy though and with this comes more restaurants and fewer (and more expensive) grocery stores and we struck a balance between eating out (awesome fondue being the highlight) and cooking at the campsite. Our nightly treat was switched from wine drinking to walking into town for a delicious ice cream.
The weather during our stay alternated between glorious sunshine, clouds and even a thunderstorm. For the days of sunshine we went on hikes (more on those later) and while we are still exhausted every time we go on a hike we must be getting fitter and are finding that recovery for the next day is definitely getting easier.
The rainy and cloudy days were spent recouping and relaxing the legs. For this there were thermal baths. They were a reasonably priced affair in an old building in the middle of town. The waters had a slight Sulfur smell and were naturally heated to 34 degrees. There were two main pools one inside and one out and within the pools were what I can only describe as jacuzzi areas. Some where you sat, some where you lay and those where you lay down. These were complimented with a sauna and a steam room. We enjoyed relaxing and treating our weary legs to some well deserved R&R.
The day we went our arrival was timed perfectly as we managed to enjoy a bit of space and just as our 2 hours was up the place really filled up. Lucky.
It was nice to spend some time in one place and while it was only a week we managed to get a lot of exploring done and still probably haven’t even scratched the surface of what’s available in terms of hiking and mountain biking let alone skiing in the winter! The Pyrenees so far certainly hasn’t disappointed at all in fact it’s difficult to describe as to say it’s a “mini alps” would detract from how huge the mountains are. But our sense is that the peaks are a little lower and the valleys a little narrower but the views are just amazing!! Lucky we have only just started our exploration of the area. T
