The Pyrenees and Cauterets
Hotel Residence Le Lys
The town of Cauterets located 950 meters in the heart of the Pyrenees National Park gives direct access to many hiking trails which serve natural tourist sites, such as the Péguère, the Gaube lake, the Petit Vignemale (3,032 m), the bridge of Spain, village on the mountainside crossed by a waterfall or the small massif of Fruitière.
The village is at the center of several unmissable sites in the Pyrenees, such as the Pic du Midi, Gavarnie, Lourdes, Hautacam, the Animal Park of the Pyrenees, the Donjon des Aigles, the Val d'Azun valley or the Pays Toy, the famous Tourmalet well known to cyclists…
All you have to do is leave the Hôtel le Lys to begin the adventure.
Cauterets
Family winter sports resort in the Pyrenees
You can practice Nordic skiing in the Pont d'Espagne area with more than 36 km of slopes between fir trees and waterfalls. The Cirque du Lys area has two green runs for beginners, six blue runs for the so-called medium level, six red runs for the so-called difficult level and two black runs for the more adventurous.
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For the most athletic ski touring enthusiasts, far from the crowds, you can take advantage of fantastic routes and slide down virgin slopes and enjoy the preserved areas in the heart of the Pyrenees National Park. Many guides are available in Cauterets to accompany you safely.
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Since 2007 the daredevils are no longer left out. On the upper part of the resort at an altitude of 2000 meters, the first Freestyle Snow Park supported by Oakley is accessible by the Grand Barbat or Crêtes chairlift.
You will find many modules such as boxes, walls, tables, set up and the famous O'Rail unique in the world. This Snow Park extends over almost a kilometer for pure pleasure.
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To reassure you, in February 2013, Cauterets experienced record snowfall, making it the snowiest resort in the world ahead of Mammoth Mountain in the United States of America with 5.5 meters in the resort.
Cauterets is bubbling with energy in summer
Accessible in a few minutes from the Pont d'Espagne by taking the Gaube chairlift or if you are brave by the GR10 (allow 1h15 walk), the mythical Gaube lake will enchant you. With the imposing Vignemale massif (3298m.) as a backdrop, it is one of the most beautiful lakes in the Pyrenees.
The Gaube valley between majestic rivers and magical mountains will enchant you with the beauty of its landscapes. From the lake to the Oulettes refuge, the view of the Vignemale, roof of the French Pyrenees, is impressive and mythical.
Cauterets and downhill mountain biking
The Cirque du Lys tracks are specially designed for mountain biking. Thanks to the Lys gondolas and the Barbat chairlift, you will reach the top of the Cauterets resort, culminating at 2400 meters. In the heart of a grandiose nature you will have the pleasure of having fun in the different modules: banked turns, gaps, singles….
From the top of the resort (2400m) to the village of Cauterets (900m), more than 1500 meters of elevation await you! Downhill mountain biking and thrill seekers will get their feet wet, with the trails laid out. Banked turns, step-ups, road gaps, everything is there, and for all levels!
Running in Cauterets
in the Hautes-Pyrenees
As you have understood, the exceptional geographical location of the village of Cauterets makes it possible to organize mountain trail races which have made its reputation for many years.
Grand Vignemale Trophy, Petit Vignemale Race, Refuges Race, Cabaliros Peak Race, Cauterets-Luz, Monné Race, Vignemale Marathon World Challenge, Lys Challenge, European Championship or Trail Blanc du Pont d'Espagne .
All these events have enabled Cauterets to become one of the most popular spots for trail runners in the Pyrenees. At the Hôtel du Lys, we will bend over backwards to make your race a success.
The heritage of Cauterets
Thanks to its typical 19th century architecture, its grand hotels and its monumental facades, Cauterets has managed to preserve and enhance all the richness of its heritage.
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You will find remarkable monuments such as the station inaugurated in 1901 and listed as a historical monument in 1981 for its facades and roofs. This original wooden construction can be compared to mountain chalets while others will want to see a western decor. The Pierrefitte-Cauterets line having been abandoned in 1949 and transformed into a thirty-kilometre greenway, the station has now become a place for shows and events.
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On the site of the old church demolished in 1884 was erected the Church of Notre-Dame, inaugurated in 1886. In 1995, the Association des Amis de l'Orgue acquired a work by Pierre Baldi: "The Way of the Cross", 1st world prize for sacred painting in 1996, which now stands in the church.
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Various sulphurous hot water springs exploited since the 11th century are at the origin of the creation of the village of Cauterets.
The thermal water offers its virtues for our greatest pleasure and that of our skin at the Bains du Rocher thermal baths. 3-week spa treatments (ENT, rheumatology and fibromyalgia) are offered in the thermal establishments of César or Griffons
Cauterets is also...
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A multi-activity field,
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A bowling alley, pétanque players at your balls!
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tennis courts,
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Two playgrounds for children,
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A games room with arcades, pinball machines,
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A merry-go-round of wooden horses,
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A via ferrata, yoga, paragliding, canyoning, rafting in the valley of the gaves...
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A skating rink
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An indoor and outdoor swimming pool,
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A movie theater,
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mini golf,
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A magnificent Basque pelota fronton and a climbing wall with free access,
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A skate park