Ouverture de l'hotel / Hotel Open

We’re back from our holidays in Australia and the hotel is open.  The mountains look fabulous – white tops from all the spring snow with beautiful green pastures and flowers in the valleys.  The rivers are full of rain and snowmelt.  It is definitely one of the most beautiful times of the year and provides a lovely welcome back.

Note that the Col du Tourmalet isn’t open yet (it is always open by the 10th June and sometimes slightly before).  The best way to get to us if you are coming from the east and want to go over the mountains is via Bagnere de Bigorre and then the very pretty road between Montgaillard and Lourdes.  It has great views of the Pyrenees and the Pic du Midi de Bigorre.  The Col d’Aubisque and the Aspin are open however the road between the Aubisque and the Soulor is apparently not yet open.  Two cyclists staying for a couple of days went through on their bikes but don’t try in the car.

If you are coming from Toulouse we highly recommend stopping off at St Bertrand de Comminges.  Roman ruins, huge cathedral on the path to Santiago de Compostella, fortified village, very pretty foothill valley.  Its well worth it.  For excellent views of the Pyrenees get off the motorway and onto the D938 which goes through Capvern, the Abbey of Escaladieu and the Fort of Gaston Febus to Bagnere de Bigorre.  Its a bit windy but the views are great, particularly from the Gaston Febus fort which is also worth a stop.

 

Nous sommes rentré d’Australie en plein de forme (sauf un peut de décalaghoraire).  L’hôtel est ouvert.  Premier jours de beau apparement pour le printemps.  Les montagnes sont superbe avec de la neige en haut et les fleurs en bas.

A noter : le Col du Tourmalet n’est pas encore ouvert.  Il y a toujours plein de neige.  Comme chaque année il sera ouvert vers le 10 juin.  Alors il faut faire le tour par Bagnere de Bigorre et le tres jolie route entre Montgaillard et Lourdes.  Vue superbe sur les Pyrénées et le Pic du Midi.  Deux cyclists qui reste a l’hôtel en se moment nous dit que l’Aubisque est ouvert mais la route entre Aubisque et Soulor n’est pas encore (possible en vélo mais peut-etre pas en voiture).