In and Out of the Mountains - September 29, 2025

In the Pynénées

We stepped out of the door of our hotel this morning to a very pleasant surprise. Directly in front of us was the local Monday market. Here was something to look forward to after breakfast. To that end, we first walked to a local Carrefour for yogourt and fruit. On the way back, we picked up croissants at one of the market stalls. 

Our hotel is on the right.

Olives for sale

Back where we started, we finally had a close look at l'Église des Templiers, Saint-André. This small church was erected in the 12th century, not by the Templars as its name suggests, but rather by the Hospitallers of Saint John of Jerusalem. Two centuries later, it was fortified to protect it from invasions.

Battlements at the top of the wall; loopholes in the middle

The space between the church and the wall

As a result, the crenellated wall encircling it gives the church the appearance of a fortress with battlements, loopholes, and towers. We walked the perimeter inside this wall first, then we made our way to the entrance of the building.

The tympanum

The vault and the altar

We were greeted by a Romanesque façade, embellished by a sculpted tympanum. The interior boasts elements of the Renaissance–a painted vault depicting Christ and the four evangelists–and the Baroque period–an ornate high altar. 

The view from a side street with a mountain backdrop

A wide-angle shot

We photographed the exterior of Saint-André from several perspectives. It was beautiful from every angle. Added to that was our location, surrounded by the Pynénées. At the top of the town, we had great views, so we took a few more pics from behind our hotel. 

The view from behind our hotel

Love that sky!

Then, we shopped the market. Bob liked a top that was being sold for a good price, so he purchased it. Later, we were impressed by a selection of homemade jams being sold by the woman who had set up right in front of our hotel. For the rest of our trip, we enjoyed the strawberry jam we bought that day on our breakfast croissants. Also, a collection of small jars came home with us as gifts for our family.

The Bastan River was a mere trickle in this part of the town.

Our jam lady and her wares

By about 10:30, we were ready to leave, although we had not sat down to eat yet. We decided to look for a place to enjoy a picnic breakfast. Fortunately, there was such a place in Esterre, just outside Luz-Saint-Jean. Nearby, a group of young men were enjoying a game of pétanque, 

Pétanque players

Castle on a hill

As we ate, we looked towards the mountains and spotted a castle ruin on the horizon. We agreed to find our way to this spot after we finished our meal. This was not easy since the route was not well marked. Nevertheless, we drove in the general direction, parked, and then eventually found our way on foot to the ruin. 

The town from above it

The Esterre Power Plant

As we walked, we looked back over Luz-Saint-Sauveur. The combination of lush greenery, mountain peaks, and morning sunshine made for a very pleasant view. Even the Esterre Power Plant, part of the cultural heritage of the area, has been designed to complement the scene. 

The castle ahead

Getting closer

It was only about a five minute walk to our destination–once we found the right path. Le Château de Sainte-Marie is well worth visit. Standing on the summit of a rocky outcrop, over the centuries it has served as a strategic site to protect the valley as well as a refuge for the local people.

Beautiful ruin

A precarious location

The original castle on this site was erected in the 12th century. Two hundred years later, ti was largely rebuilt by the English when they conquered the area. Over the centuries, the fortress fell into disrepair, but, thankfully it was saved forty years ago as a result of an agreement made with the Fontobo family who own it. Thus, visitors like us are able to have a close look at its round tower and square keep, albeit only from the outside.

Outbuildings near the castle

The panorama

I have read that the "panorama is as famous as the stones" and I agree. The above photo is a testament to that sentiment. In fact, the view over the meadow is lovely as well. People come to this area to hike. We had not planned to do so, but this short walk gave us a taste of what the rewards of such an endeavour would be. 

Me and le Château Sainte-Marie

I return to the path

A plaque nearby tells of a local legend. A heartless bandit once took possession of the castle, and true to his nature, he kidnapped a beautiful young girl named Marie who prayed to the Virgin Mary for help to avoid marrying this ogre. On the morning of the wedding, a procession of angels delivered the girl to paradise. At the very same moment, Marie's fiancé killed the bandit by hurling a stone at him. To this day, local men, one dressed as a woman, participate in la "Danse de BaÎard" where they reenact this legend. 

Looking down at our picnic area

As we walked back to the car, I took a short video of this stunning scene. We had only come here by happenstance, because we had stopped at the first picnic area we found and looked up. Sometimes, the unexpected sights are the best.

There he is!!

Closing in on the ground

Back on the road, we encountered another moment of serendipity near Barèges. Bob spotted him first–a paraglider slowly making his way to ground right in front of us. He gracefully floated in the air currents, swinging back and forth, as we tried to capture him in photographs. Above are only two of the shots we took. 

A lost cow near Sers

Bare mountains

Soon afterwards, we began to climb. In planning our route for this day, I had chosen the most direct one as the crow flies. We soon learned that it was the twistiest way to get from point A to point B. Driving through these mountain roads was exhilarating, but also terrifying. 

The roads we travelled

Bob did a terrific job managing the serpentine roads that twisted through the Pynénées. Near Sers, we were able to pull over at a lookout where I took the photo that begins this post and the video above. I was also able to look back at where we had been. What a sight!!

Ski country

Llamas

After a time, we found ourselves in ski country. We passed under chair lifts, and spotted some chalets below us. This was the off-season, of course, so there was no sign of life. Our only companions on this part of our journey, besides the occasional fellow driver, were a pair of llamas. Was this the Pynénées or the Andes?

Streetscape in Bagnères-de-Bigorre

Our restaurant is on the right.

The final leg of this drive was full of hairpin turns, so I took no photos. Rather, I held my breath, as Bob expertly navigated the roads. After about an hour in the mountains, we were relieved to arrive at Bagnères-de-Bigorre, our first planned stop of the day. It was now after two, so we hurried to find an open restaurant for a light lunch, but we had no luck; instead, we shared a grilled panini and fries at a fast food shop in the centre of the town. 

South portal of Église Saint-Vincent

Interior of Église Saint-Vincent

Afterwards we crossed the road to visit Église Saint-Vincent. Because it was built over five centuries, it features diverse styles: the west façade is Gothic, while the south portal is Renaissance. The interior contains some Baroque furniture from the Escaladieu Abbey, north of Bagnères-de-Bigorre. 

The casino

Orange zinnias

From here, we walked towards one of the rivers that runs through the town, the Anou. This is the main tourist area, with grand buildings and a park. We arrived first at the Casino Tranchant Bagnères-de-Bigorre, a handsome building where, if one is so inclined, one can lose lots of money here. 

Another part of le Jardin des Thermes

We were more interested in les Jardins-des-Thermes beside the casino. This garden, built on the slope of the foothills of Mount Bedât, was created in the early 19th century for the enjoyment of visitors to the town. Walking along a promenade, we passed by beautifully tended fall flowers.

Classical figure

Jeanne d'Albret

Interspersed among the flowers are Carrara marble statues, depicting images of classical goddesses and women who made an impact on the town. Among these was Jeanne d'Albret, the queen of Navarre from 1555 to 1572. As a Huguenot, she was the political and spiritual leader of Protestantism in France. 

François Soubies

The bandstand in le Jardin des Thermes

Local politician, François Soubies, is honoured in a monument nearby. He represented the Hautes-Pyrénées in the national Assembly. We climbed along the path until we reached the bandstand, once the performance venue for opera and choral singing. 

Unusual library

La Maison d'Uzer

We spotted some interesting buildings below us as we walked this path. The first of these, above, is a library. It has a very unusual  design. The other, a historic monument, la Maison d'Uzer, was the home of the first mayor of Bagères-de-Bigorre who had it built for him in 1688. 

Reflections in the window of the bath house

Bob captured me taking a photo of the Grands Thermes building.

In due course, we arrived at the town's claim to fame, and the source of its name. Since Roman times, when it was called Vicus Aquensis, Bagnères-de-Bigorre has long been famous for its hot springs. (Bagnères is Fench for baths.) Today, people come here to enjoy the Grand Thermal Baths. This large building, constructed in the latter part of the 19th century, offers treatments for rheumatology, psychosomatic disorders, and respiratory problems.

Street scene in Bagnères-de-Bigorre

A modern sculpture

Before we took our leave of Bagnères-de-Bigorre, we walked more in the garden and along the main street. Here we enjoyed a lovely yellow and orange building lit up by afternoon sun, and encountered more statues, like the modern one above. 

Dramatic sky near Cieutat

Grazing cows

By 4:30, we were back on the road, enjoying the road to le Château de Mauvezin, about twenty minutes away. Most of this drive was in a valley, so Bob did not have to negotiate mountain passes for most of the journey. We were again fortunate to have a blue sky and sunshine when we arrived at our destination.

We arrive at le Château de Mauvezin

A strong fortress

There has been some sort of fortress on this spot since the 12th century, but the current castle was not completed until two centuries later. Standing tall on a rocky outcrop, it provided its inhabitants with a bird's eye view over the trade route between Bayonne and Toulouse. 

The view over the valley

The castle

Time was short so we opted not to enter the building, but rather, to explore its grounds. We walked first towards the palisade that stands at the verge of the outcrop and looked over the scene below us. Here there is a pair of picnic tables and a small lookout tower. Then we turned around and captured the castle in its entirety. 

Close up of part of the palisade

Bob between a double lookout post

Two days earlier, when we visited Orthez' Pont Vieux, we learned that Gaston Febus was responsible for its signature tower. This same man is closely associated with le Château de Mauvezin. He was a fierce warrior, having fought in the crusades as well as battles in this region, but he was also a builder and a scholar, overseeing a magnificent court which drew visitors from near and far. 

Bob wandering the perimeter of the castle

I pose in front of an outbuilding.

This restored castle fed our imaginations as we looked at it from several angles. Built in tumultuous times, it is now a haven of peace and tranquility. We were happy to have had this brief visit in the late afternoon, but all too soon it was time to continue on our way. 

Cattle near Saint-Paul

Greeted by these beauties

This next leg of our day's journey provided us with  a beautiful drive in the sunshine. The foothills of the Pyrénées is gorgeous country, and this was a perfect day to see it. Local farm animals seemed to be enjoying the weather as much as we were. In fact, when we pulled over to the side of the road to take a picture of some horses, they moved towards us to say hello. 

Our first peek at the Cathedral

There was perfect light when we were there.

After about half an hour, we arrived at Saint–Bertrand-de-Comminges, a municipality and former bishopric in the Haute-Garonne department, and  one of the many "plus beaux villages de France" One of the reasons for this designation is its position in the Pyrénean foothiils, with its magnificent Cathédrale Sainte-Marie the centrepiece.  

Les Olivétains building and Cathédrale Sainte-Marie

The Adoration of the Magi sculpted on the portal of the cathedral

We ascended to the central part of the village where we were eager to see the large church there before it closed. We were able to spot it easily from below as it towers over the rest of the town. Next to it is a former monastery, home to the Olivétains monks from Mount Olivet in Italy. Today, it houses the local tourist information office.

The Renaissance rood screen

Detail of the rood screen, right side

Our focus, however, was the UNESCO World Heritage site next door–le Cathédrale Sainte-Marie which is positioned along one of the Santiago de Compostela routes. It contains features of three distinctive architectural styles: Romanesque, Gothic, and Renaissance. Upon entering the building, we first noticed the opulent Renaissance rood screen which separates the clergy from the congregation. It contains intricate wooden carvings of saints, some painted, some not. 

Detail from the rood screen, left side

Tomb of Saint-Bertrand

From here we walked along the outer aisle of the nave, where we encountered the tomb of Saint-Bertrand, with images depicting scenes from the saint's life. Constructed in the 15th century to house the relics of the Bishop of Comminges, it is a small shrine which includes a small window inside the structure to view these holy remains. 

Worshippers in front of the relics of Saint-Bertrand

The Renaissance organ

Like the rood screen, the organ is from the Renaissance period. It stands in the far right corner of the nave, an unusual place for an organ. Its 3 000 pipes are perched atop columns. In the summer music festival, it is played loudly and beautifully, or so I have read. 

Geometric pattern on the ceiling

Romanesque capital

More intricate woodwork could be seen on the ceiling; in contrast to this was the Romanesque capital atop one of the columns. There were other marvels in Cathédrale Sainte-Marie, but unfortunately, this late in the day, the choir and the cloister were closed to visitors.

Trio of pigeons

The cathedral from below

So we ventured back outside where we took a few more photos of the cathedral and some of its visitors, a trio of pigeons perching on a ledge. Before we left the village, we found a spot below the church to look up at it. Our last shot does not quite capture the majesty of this massive cathedral that so dominates this tiny village, so I borrowed an image from the Internet to better illustrate its position. 

Bird's eye view of Cathédrale Sainte-Marie

Less than a half hour later, we arrived in Saint-Gaudens, our destination for the night. We had booked a room at Hotel Pedussaut, an old-fashioned place with a very charming older fellow at reception. We settled into our room, then opted to eat the set menu in the hotel dining room. There was only one other guest in there. It had been another busy day of touring–and walking–11 000 steps, so we were happy to have a quiet evening.