How do I get to Gavarnie?

The village of Gavarnie is situated 20 kilometres south of Luz-Saint-Sauveur. There are various ways to get there: by Lio bus during the high season from June to September and in winter during school holidays and at weekends, by car via the D921 heading south (allow around 30 minutes depending on weather and traffic conditions; check the traffic information here ), by taxi , booking in advance: Taxi Caussieu (Luz): 05 62 92 97 56 Taxi Montagne Express (Luz): 06 41 18 11 73 Taxi Bruzaud (Gavarnie): 06 08 00 44 61 Taxi Lourdes Services: 05 62 42 08 08 on foot via the GR10 (long-distance hiking trail accessible from the Promenade Napoléon & Eugénie, heading towards the Chapelle Solférino and then the Pont Napoléon; available in summer only)

Where can I park my car?

You must park in the pay-and-display car parks at the entrance to the village, as vehicle access to the centre and the cirque is restricted. Charge: €8/24 hours For motorhomes , there is a dedicated car park a few minutes’ drive from the village, towards the Col des Tentes and the ski resort. It is equipped with waste disposal points and drinking water. Price: €10/24 hours

How long does it take to walk to the cirque?

From the village, you’ll already have a lovely view of the cirque. You can choose to head towards the centre of the cirque via the main path, first heading to the Plateau de la Courade (allow 40 minutes on foot, easy grade) and then, in summer, on to the Hôtellerie du Cirque (220m elevation gain, allow 1 hour 30 minutes in total for the one-way journey). This main path is accessible to dogs kept on a lead. An alternative route also takes you to the foot of the large waterfall in summer in 45 minutes one way (180m elevation gain; difficult as the climb is steep and stony; take care as rockfalls are frequent at the foot of the waterfall). More information here.

Where can I hire donkeys or ponies?

From spring to autumn, you can hire a donkey or a pony to ride to the Hôtellerie du Cirque . You can hire them without booking in advance , directly from the hire operators located at the village exit on the way to the cirque.

Can I go for a walk in Gavarnie with my dog?

You can walk with your four-legged best friend – who must be kept on a lead – along the main path and only as far as the Cirque guesthouse. Although this walk is situated in the core zone of the Pyrenees National Park, a degree of flexibility is allowed. Other hiking routes are not accessible to dogs (Plateau de Bellevue, Refuge des Espuguettes, etc.). However, as the Plateau de Saugué (accessed from Gèdre) is not situated within the core zone of the Park, you can walk there with your dog without any problems, but they must always be kept on a lead as there are herds of livestock in the area.

Is the Cirque de Gavarnie accessible to people with reduced mobility?

Whether you’re using a pushchair, a wheelchair or accompanying someone with reduced mobility , you can access the village of Gavarnie and enjoy the view of the cirque. However, the main path around the cirque is stony and therefore not accessible to pushchairs or wheelchairs beyond the Nadau stone bridge. Our top tip: treat yourself to a delicious blueberry tart in one of the village’s cafés or restaurants overlooking the cirque and its magnificent waterfall!

Cirque de Gavarnie, a UNESCO World Heritage Site Spectacular Pyrenees

Cirque de Gavarnie The Stone Colossus

On the edge of the Pyrenees National Park, Gavarnie opens up a world of breathtaking panoramic views. Hiking, unspoilt nature, sporting challenges… Here, every moment fills you with wonder and satisfaction. Whether it’s the long weekends in May or June, or the summer holidays, come and experience the thrill of the Cirque de Gavarnie, an unmissable gem for mountain lovers and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Pyrenees, Monte Perdú World Heritage

Recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its natural and cultural heritage since 1997, the protected Gavarnie massif, with its unrivalled geological features, where the limestone peak of Mont Perdu rises to 3,348 metres, bears witness to the presence of glacial cirques on the French side, immense gorges and the two deepest canyons in Europe on the Spanish side: Anisclo and Ordesa.
It is also the agricultural traditions and cross-border exchanges between the valleys that have sustained pastoral ways of life still deeply rooted in the high-altitude landscape of the 20th century. The transhumance around Lake Bernatoire perfectly illustrates the route taken by shepherds to lead their flocks from the villages to the high pastures.

It is both a mountain and a wall; it is the most mysterious structure created by the most mysterious of architects; it is nature’s Colosseum; it is Gavarnie.

Victor Hugo (A Journey to the Pyrenees – 1855)

Discover the three glacial cirques

Not one, not two, but three glacial cirques, shaped by the forces of nature, offer stunning panoramic views and gentle walks. Pack your picnic and set off to explore them. Keep your eyes peeled, as along the way you might spot a marmot scurrying between two rocks.

Gavarnie

Above the village of Gavarnie-Gèdre, the spectacular limestone cirque and its huge waterfall create a setting that is unique in the world.

Return walk: 2½ hours. Village to Hôtellerie: 220 m elevation gain
Donkey rides available on site.

Car park at the entrance to the site: €8/24 hours.
Motorhome parking nearby: €10/24 hours.
Dogs on a lead are permitted only on the main path leading to the guesthouse

Estaubé

The Estaubé Valley offers enchanting family walks around Lake Gloriettes, in the heart of a cirque home to remarkable flora and fauna. If you carry on past the lake, you’re very likely to spot some marmots!

1-hour walk around the lake, 80 m elevation gain

Very limited free parking – Very narrow road

Dogs on a lead are permitted only around the lake

Troumouse

In summer, take the little train to the largest cirque in the massif, then hike to a superb viewpoint.

30 mins’ walk there and back – Vierge de Troumouse, 50 m elevation gain.

Guided tour to the Plateau du Maillet by mini train.
June to September – 10.00 to 17.30 (16.30 on Sundays).
Adults: €10 · Children (under 12): €6 · Children (under 4): Free · Groups: €7
Dogs are not permitted beyond the Auberge du Maillet

Walk to the Heart Major Attractions

Explore the spectacular Pyrenees on foot: Gavarnie, the Pic du Midi, Cauterets-Pont d’Espagne… Iconic routes to discover the valley’s most beautiful landscapes, as well as lesser-known trails, far from the crowds and close to nature.

With glacial cirques, majestic peaks, high-altitude lakes, waterfalls and breathtaking panoramic views, every hike is an invitation to escape and explore.

Top 10 walks

Get hold of the guidebook Practical information

Discover the new guidebook *Luz-Saint-Sauveur Valley: Lakes and Peaks… on Foot*: 20 walking routes for all abilities around Luz, complete with maps, practical information and insights into the valley’s nature and history.

On sale at the Luz Tourist Office: €12.50

Contemplate Spain from Gavarnie

Would you like to ride proudly through France and Spain to round off the picture-perfect story of your holiday? The Port of Boucharo, accessible on foot from the Col des Tentes car park, takes you up to an altitude of 2,260 metres, overlooking the Spanish valleys.

From the car park, families can take a short walk to Lac des Espécières for a spot of catch-and-release fishing or a picnic with a view.

Experienced hikers can tackle the technical trail up to the Sarradets mountain hut and the Brèche de Roland, before joining the magnificent Vía de Flor loop (a challenging route best explored with a mountain guide or leader).

Access to the Col des Tentes (summer only): from the village of Gavarnie, follow the road to the “Gavarnie – Les Espécières” ski resort and continue to its end.

You can also reach Spain in 2½ hours by car: Somport Tunnel / Follow signs for Nay / Gourette – Laruns / Col du Pourtalet (snow) or Aragnouet/Bielsa Tunnel / Follow signs for Lourdes / A64 Tarbes – Toulouse / Capvern, exit 15

Have a look through our brochures

Hike from Luz10 summer adventures

Pyrenees, Monte PerdúUNESCO World Heritage Site

Need some information? Practical information on Gavarnie

Itinerary

From Luz: 45 minutes by car

Car park

At the entrance to the site: €8 per 24 hours.

Tourist office

2 Place Henry Russel
65120 Gavarnie
+33 (0)5 62 92 49 10

More info

Website

How do I get to Gavarnie?
The village of Gavarnie is situated 20 kilometres south of Luz-Saint-Sauveur.
There are various ways to get there:
- by Lio bus during the high season from June to September and in winter during school holidays and at weekends,
- by car via the D921 heading south (allow around 30 minutes depending on weather and traffic conditions; check the traffic information here),
- by taxi, booking in advance:
  - Taxi Caussieu (Luz): 05 62 92 97 56
  - Taxi Montagne Express (Luz): 06 41 18 11 73
  - Taxi Bruzaud (Gavarnie): 06 08 00 44 61
  - Taxi Lourdes Services: 05 62 42 08 08
- on foot via the GR10 (long-distance hiking trail accessible from the Promenade Napoléon & Eugénie, heading towards the Chapelle Solférino and then the Pont Napoléon; available in summer only)
Where can I park my car?
How long does it take to walk to the cirque?
From the village, you’ll already have a lovely view of the cirque.
You can choose to head towards the centre of the cirque via the main path, first heading to the Plateau de la Courade (allow 40 minutes on foot, easy grade) and then, in summer, on tothe Hôtellerie du Cirque (220m elevation gain, allow 1 hour 30 minutes in total for the one-way journey). This main path is accessible to dogs kept on a lead.
An alternative route also takes you to the foot of the large waterfall in summer in 45 minutes one way (180m elevation gain; difficult as the climb is steep and stony; take care as rockfalls are frequent at the foot of the waterfall).
More information here.
Where can I hire donkeys or ponies?
Can I go for a walk in Gavarnie with my dog?
You can walk with your four-legged best friend – who must be kept on a lead – along the main path and only as far as the Cirque guesthouse.
Although this walk is situated in the core zone of the Pyrenees National Park, a degree of flexibility is allowed.
Other hiking routes are not accessible to dogs (Plateau de Bellevue, Refuge des Espuguettes, etc.).
However, as the Plateau de Saugué (accessed from Gèdre) is not situated within the core zone of the Park, you can walk there with your dog without any problems, but they must always be kept on a lead as there are herds of livestock in the area.
Is the Cirque de Gavarnie accessible to people with reduced mobility?
Whether you’re using a pushchair, a wheelchair or accompanying someone with reduced mobility, you can access the village of Gavarnie and enjoy the view of the cirque.
However, the main path around the cirque is stony and therefore not accessible to pushchairs or wheelchairs beyond the Nadau stone bridge.
Our top tip: treat yourself to a delicious blueberry tart in one of the village’s cafés or restaurants overlooking the cirque and its magnificent waterfall!