The French Pyrenees are one of Europe’s great mountain regions, and at their heart lies the Pyrenees National Park, a protected landscape of dramatic scale and outstanding natural beauty. Within this national park, the vast cirques of Gavarnie, Troumouse, and Estaube form some of the most impressive walking terrain in the range — monumental glacial amphitheatres where towering limestone walls, high mountain pastures, and cascading waterfalls define the hiking experience in the French Pyrenees.
Our new guided hiking holiday has been carefully designed to explore this exceptional area in depth, combining iconic landscapes with quieter, less-visited valleys that lie entirely within the national park. The itinerary is structured as a two-centre guided holiday, with four nights in Luz-Saint-Sauveur, close to Gavarnie, followed by three nights in the elegant spa town of Cauterets. This approach allows guests to experience different parts of the Pyrenees National Park avoiding long transfers or rushed days.
Hiking at a steady, well-managed pace and led by an experienced local guide, this holiday offers an ideal introduction to the landscapes, wildlife and cultural heritage that make hiking in the French Pyrenees so distinctive.
French Pyrenees
Explore Gavarnie, Troumouse and Pont d’Espagne
27 June - 4 July 2026
The cirques of Gavarnie, Troumouse and Estaube in the Pyrenees National Park
The cirques of Gavarnie, Troumouse and Estaube lie within the core area of the Pyrenees National Park, one of France’s most important protected mountain environments. Recognised as part of a UNESCO World Heritage landscape shared with Spain, these cirques are outstanding examples of glacial geology, shaped over thousands of years by ice and water.
The Cirque de Gavarnie is the most famous of the three, and one of the most iconic landscapes in the Pyrenees. Its immense limestone walls rise more than 1,500 metres above the valley floor, forming a natural amphitheatre of extraordinary proportions. Walking here is both humbling and uplifting, as paths lead beneath cliffs, past waterfalls and into open valley floors where the scale of the landscape becomes fully apparent.
In contrast, the Cirque de Troumouse feels broader and more expansive. Less frequented by visitors, it offers wide open spaces, gentle gradients and panoramic views that stretch across the high Pyrenees. The sense of tranquillity here is striking, making it an ideal area for unhurried walking and quiet immersion in the national park landscape.
The Cirque d’Estaube, close to the Spanish border, provides a more intimate walking environment. Green pastures, mountain streams and well-defined paths create a softer atmosphere, deeply connected to the pastoral traditions that have shaped this area for centuries. Together, these three cirques offer a rich and varied experience of walking in the Pyrenees National Park.
A two-centre walking holiday designed for balance
One of the key strengths of this guided walking holiday in the French Pyrenees is its two-centre design, which allows walkers to settle into each area rather than moving accommodation every night.
The first part of the holiday is based in Luz-Saint-Sauveur, a lively Pyrenean town with a long history as a base for walkers and mountaineers. Its location makes it ideal for exploring Gavarnie, Troumouse and Estaube, all within easy reach. Staying four nights here provides flexibility to choose the best walks according to weather conditions and allows time to experience the surrounding valleys fully.
The second part of the journey moves east to Cauterets, a charming spa town set at the gateway to some of the most beautiful valleys in the central French Pyrenees. Known for its Belle Époque architecture and mountain setting, Cauterets offers a different atmosphere — refined yet deeply connected to the surrounding landscape. This change of base adds variety to the week and completes the journey through this part of the Pyrenees National Park.
Why choose a guided walking holiday in the Pyrenees National Park?
This holiday is ideal for walkers who want to experience the French Pyrenees in depth, without the demands of planning routes, managing logistics or navigating unfamiliar terrain. By combining the iconic landscapes of Gavarnie with the quieter cirques of Troumouse and Estaube, and by basing the journey in two well-located towns, the itinerary offers a balanced and immersive approach to hiking in the French Pyrenees.
For those seeking dramatic scenery, protected national park landscapes and a carefully paced walking holiday led by experienced local guides, the cirques of the Pyrenees National Park provide an unforgettable setting.
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