Located at the foot of the Pyrenees mountains on the banks of the Adour river, the welcoming spa resort of Bagnères-de-Bigorre is a top destination for many reasons: the lively old quarter with beautiful old houses dominated by the Flamboyant Gothic Tour des Jacobins tower, the thermal baths with curative properties, the spa and well-being centre Aquensis, the casino and the lovely Parc Thermal spa garden which is a great place for a stroll.
Not to be missed: the Street Arts Weekend festival (Week-end des Arts de la Rue) that takes place every beginning of August in the town's streets, squares and gardens – the atmosphere is fantastic!
Bagnères-de-Bigorre is located at the entrance to the upper valley of the Adour, below the Pic du Midi. The river is still a torrent has three sources, he digs into the mountains three axes, one to Chiroulet (15 miles from Bagneres) that ends in a parking lot and from where hiking routes. The other two sources are one of La Mongie (25 miles from Bagneres), on the slopes of the Col du Tourmalet, the other Payolle (20 miles from Bagneres), under the Col d'Aspin. It is therefore possible when the passes are open to make routes through Lourdes in loops on one side or Arreau and Saint-Lary on the other side.
Bagneres is a spa known since Roman times. But with Jeanne d'Albret as "tourism" is beginning to develop: walks in sedan chairs or horse excursions accompanied by Bagnèrais. Particularly popular, the city has received celebrities as Madame de Maintenon and the Dauphin, then Stendhal, Lamartine, Rossini ...
West side, Bagneres is backed by the forest. Remains of the romantic era of landscaped parks that climb through the mountains, forming a transition between urban civilization and wilderness, as Bedat and Vallone Hi.
The cuisine combines a very good meat and a tradition of légumage. Around Bagneres, farmers still live the traditional livestock (mainly cows and sheep): high in the calf's mother, the lamb of countries are excellent. The trout fishing in all arms of the Adour and is also part of delicacies. Emblem of the Pyrenees, the cabbage soup combines all the traditional products: the country ham, confit of pork and duck, Tarbais beans, cabbage, carrot, leek, turnip and potato. For dessert, Bagneres has two specialties, the pie of the Pyrenees and the cake to the pin.