Walked the famous Chemin de la Mature on the French side of the Pyrenees last weekend. This spectacular path is carved into a sheer cliff face. Originally constructed in 1772 to provide access to the forests above which was logged to build ships. These inaccessible forests had ancient huge trees that were perfect for the masts of naval vessels, in fact Chemin de la Mature translates to 'road of the masts'.
This short documentary gives the history of the Chemin de la Mature:
Walking on the Chemin de la Mature
Hi there,
Is it possible to access without a car, i.e. bus or taxi from ?
I will be 80 years old and love to do this type of thing in moderation. This year did the walk La passerelle de Mazamet to Hautpoul. Quite a climb! Very fit at this point of time, lol!
Hi Noela, yes you get to this hike by public transport. From Pau, you can take the train to either Bedous or Oloron Saint Maria and from there a bus to Etsaut which is very close to the start of the Chemin de la Mature. Take a look at the transport route here.
Enjoy the Chemin – it’s a fantastic route,
Phil