Footraces in the Pyrenees

Let's set the groundwork before continuing. The Pyrenees, straddling Spain, Andorra, and France, stretch over more than 19,000 km (we'll let you imagine the possibilities) and on the French side include the Pyrénées-Atlantiques (the only department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine), the Hautes-Pyrénées, the Pyrénées-Orientales and of course the Haute-Garonne, the Aude, and the Ariège (for Occitanie). We'll thus talk about "low Pyrenees" (below 2000m), Eastern Pyrenees to the East (or Catalan) and Central Pyrenees (no need to draw a picture for the latter 😂). In the lower mountains, you can wander through stony scrublands, black oak forests, and Scots pine trees. As you ascend, in the highest valleys, vast green meadows will open before you, and you can discover wonderful tall firs and lose yourself in forests of beech and hooked pine trees. With its oceanic climate to the west and north, continental and Mediterranean to the south and east, the area is teeming with running spots to Run in the open air. Not only is there the GR10 but in total, you’ll find 900km of marked trails from the Atlantic to the Great Blue to encounter roe deer, ibex, wolves, and even bears.

Endowed with exceptional fauna and flora, the 45,707 hectares (because we're precise here at Finishers) of the Pyrenees National Park offer unmatched hiking trails because they’ve remained wild and preserved. To prolong the pleasure, the Park offers 230 high-altitude lakes (230, yes you read that right 🙊), offering plenty to do in terms of water activities. And what about the Regional Natural Park of the Pyrenean Ariège with its 202 km of GR and 166 km of trails. You can also dip your feet in its beautiful rivers, train in the heart of peat bogs, or play the adventurers in the many caves in the area... After all that, you definitely have to go to the Catalan Pyrenees Natural Park which also will charm you with waterfalls, caves, rivers, and trails. If you're still up for it and want to gain some altitude, you've clearly come to the right place, you can set off exploring the giants in the area. We warn you, it won't be easy between the Pic du Midi, the Balaïtous, Vignemale, the Pic de Montcalm, The pic de metro good-Néouvielle, the pic de Taillon needles, the pic Long, the Pic de Perdiguère or even that of Marboré. What a great lineup, if they went to Coachella, they would all headline on Saturday 🔥…

The Pyrenees are full of natural treasures to discover in all seasons… The Ars waterfall with its three successive drops will leave you with an unforgettable memory, as will those of the Artigue. After that, you must see the lakes d’Oô (and yes, we remind you that a lake is made up of water 🤷‍♂️) and Gaube… And if you're not afraid of depths, the Labouiche underground river is worth discovering, as is the Niaux cave and the Gorges of Galamus. To stretch your stride in complete tranquility, at the heart of true nature, you can head to the Cirques of Gavarnie and Troumouse, it smells of freedom… If you want a lot of elevation with viewpoints, don't hesitate to climb the Obispo Obisque pass, the Tourmalet… To recharge (or to perform 💪) you can set off to explore the natural reserves of the Pyrenees, such as those of Ossau, of Néouvielle, of Aulon, of Pibeste or even of Orlu. Let us know how it goes 🤗!

If you want to combine running with cultural discovery, several towns and villages in the Pyrenees are steeped in rugby and the Tour de France. Lourdes is the second-largest pilgrimage site in the world after Rome. Bagnères-de-Bigorre is renowned for its spa on the banks of the Adour and the healing waters of the nearby Castres fountain. Ax-les-Thermes in the high Ariège Valley, a department dear to Fabien Barthez, is also worth a visit, as is Font-Romeu known for its ski resort and hosting the world's top athletes like Mo Farah. During your training, be sure to stop in the authentic villages of the massif like Villefranche-de-Conflent, Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, Evol (not a Pokemon name 🤣), Castelnou, Eus (not a Greek God), Amélie-les-Bains. One thing's for sure, running in the Pyrenees opens you to a great risk: stumbling upon exceptional buildings, like the Château de Montségur, the Holzarte footbridge (don't have vertigo 😱) at the Church of Luz Saint Sauveur (better known as the Templar church) or the Abbey Saint-Martin-du-Canigou (really, if you can, try to visit them all!).

As you might guess with so many landscapes, elevations, and climate diversity and variety, the Pyrenees are a true land of trails ! The schedule is quite packed, offering routes for all tastes and levels. The Pyrenees offer a multiplicity of landscapes. You'll see it if you join a race in the Pyrenees like the Grand Raid, Luchon Aneto Trail, the 100 miles South of France, or the Gavarnie Trail...

After your escapades, take the time to listen to the poetry of Pyrenean songs and then settle down at a nice table to savor a spit cake, a ouillade, the local stew, as well as a generous piece of Bethmale or Cabécou.

The Pyrenees, for those who love chain reactions !