Something to see: Luchon

The town of Luchon is one of the most visited in this part of the Pyrenees, and it is quite easy to see why. Not only is its location picturesque and very close to some of the attractions I have already highlighted in the blog so far - such as the St. Bertrand de Comminges and Lac d'Oô - it also has some unique qualities of its own. 

One of the major attractions is its large spa baths, housed in fantastically ornate buildings which act as great monuments in themselves even if you aren't a spa frequenter. More widely, Luchon is a haven for cafes and souvenir shops, and I would heavily suggest you take the time to enjoy both. 

Something to see: St. Bertrand de Comminges

As we have seen, this area has historic and religious significance accompanying its geographical scenery. Perhaps the best example of this is the Cathedral at St Bertrand de Comminges, in the Luchon valley, and a must-see if you are at all interested in the history of the area.

The cathedral itself is something to marvel at - as you approach the town, you will see the cathedral and the rest of the town sitting on a hill; you immediate realise the cathedral dwarfs everything else around it.

Walk up the hill, and on the side of the hill facing you you will see ruins which look like barricades - these are in fact the remnants of a theatre, which was used in the middle ages. Rather than following the road, you can cross the ruins and take a footpath leading through the trees - this follows the contour and then rises steeply, to hit the road further up. A further fifty metres and you will see the main entrance to St. Bertrand de Comminges.

The town itself is almost stereotypically quaint-medieval: coats of arms fly from wooden beams and stone gateways; little shops sit on the corners of cobbled streets. Take your time to browse, or follow the signs to the main square, and the cathedral.

The cathedral is even more impressive up close: looking from the square, you can see on its left flank a series of curved stone pillars, which culminate on the tower at the front. This tower continues up to the sky until it stops, with a small wooden extension clinging onto its summit, like a bird's nest to a tree. This reflects the cathedral's formation: it had been built up over centuries, beginning in the medieval period and continuing until the sixteenth century, every addition tacked onto what had gone before. This does not diminish how impressive the cathedral is, however, and this is compounded when you go inside - stare at the ceiling and you realise how vast the space that those medieval workers built. The cathedral is also surrounded by a series of stone terraces, which offer great views across the rest of the valley.

St. Bertrand de Comminges

Aside from the cathedral itself, there are all sorts of museums, galleries and shops which I would recommend visiting - the tourist information centre on the main square is particularly useful in gaining a greater insight into why this cathedral is here.

Overall a must-see if you would like to know a bit more about the place you're visiting (which is never a bad thing) or to do some souvenir shopping. Recommended.

Something to see: Arreau

Of the many villages in the Val Louron, Arreau is perhaps the prettiest: not too big and not too small, the town's architecture dates back to the medieval period, evident not only in the church, but also the fantastic balconied buildings which overhang the river, which runs down the centre of the town. While a little worse for wear currently, these old buildings have extremely ornate architecture, complete with stone pillars. Next to the tourist information centre (opposite the church) there even stands a building made almost entirely out of wood, which was traditionally used exclusively for chopping wood. The brilliant history that Arreau has gives it a quirkiness which makes it a great place to visit.

In addition, there is no shortage of shops to visit. Souvenir shops, French cuisine shops and even those of a more obscure nature - such as one dedicated purely to Pyrenean rocks and jewellery- are quite heavily concentrated around the main square, which sits just to the west of the river.

Arreau is a great little town and worth having a look round if you have time - also a fantastic opportunity to grab a souvenir or two.