Introduction to Loudenvielle

This year's undiscovered walks sees your intrepid explorer head not to the Alps, but the Pyrenees. The Pyrenees National park is as beautiful and well visited as its Ecrins and Vanoise counterparts in the Alps, and is thus a great destination for any budding explorer. As this blog's title suggests, however, I am not always interested in the great heights of these national park areas, as awe-inspiring as they are. No - often I am more concerned in highlighting some of the areas and walks which many of the other guides miss. That is why, this year, I have come to the Val Louron (the Louron valley) and the village of Loudenvielle.

The Val Louron is a good few valleys east of the Pyrenees National Park, but still maintains the beauty inherent in the national park itself. On the edges of the valley are rolling green hills and crooked mountain ridges; if and when the cloud lifts you realise that these are just small fry compared to what is lurking behind. At the centre of the valley is the Lac de Genos-Loudenville, which shines a brilliant blue just north of the village. Snaking up the valley, the Louron river feeds into the lake and out again, acting as a constant presence for all of the walks in the valley. What is most notable about Loudenvielle, however, is how vibrant it is.

Loudenvielle is not as quiet as some of the other places I have visited - indeed, when i arrived the place was bustling and busy. That may have been something to do with the Tour - the day of my arrival was the day that the Tour de France passed through the Louron valley, and I was fortunate to catch a glimpse of the cyclists go past. 

Spectators watch the Tour de France cyclists go past, near Loudenvielle

Even after the cyclists and their fans had left, however, Loudenvielle remains a hub of activity: pedallos float atop the Lac de Genos-Loudenvielle, while fishers take advantage of the vast quantities of fish the lake has to offer; kids play football and tennis and other ball sports on the green fields between the village and the lake; there is an array of hiking shops, a water sports centre, a swimming pool and even a spa; up above, paragliders swoop and swerve, dotting the sky with a bright burst of colour.

The Lac de Genos-Loudenvielle

That is not to say that finding places of solitude is impossible in this area, or that it will be extremely difficult to glimpse the wildlife which is so elusive in busy areas. On the contrary - this shall all be the topic of the next umpteen posts.

Of particular note at this point, by way of an introductory walk to the area, is the ruined chateau. This is an impressive medieval fort which sits at the northern tip of the Lac de Genos-Loudenvielle, employed originally by the French to repel bandits. After ascending a short quarry-like hillock, you can sit by the fort and look back up the valley, and towards some of the areas we shall be exploring over the coming days.

The Chateau

It's going to be great.