The Local Area

The Spa  - Bagnères-de-Bigorre is a spa town and a visit to the thermal spa with roof top jacuzzis and sun deck is highly recommended. Find out about it (in French, but click on the Union Jack for a translation into English) at http://www.aquensis.fr

Shopping - As well as supermarkets, there are all sorts of speciality shops in town. Or you can go further afield. Pau (60 kilometres away) and Tarbes (17 kilometres away) are both excellent places to visit and to shop. And if you're in Bagnères-de-Bigorre on a Saturday you must meander down to the marvellous market.

Eating and Drinking - Well what can we say? This is France and Bagnères-de-Bigorre abounds with restaurants, great cafés and bars. There's an excellent pizzeria with a very friendly owner just across the road from the apartment.

Skiing - La Mongie (Tourmalet), the largest downhill ski resort in the French Pyrénées is less than 30 minutes drive away from Bagnères-de-Bigorre.  You will find fantastic skiing here, suitable for all levels. There are 69 pistes (one is floodlit) totalling 100 km of runs. There are also snow cannons to ensure good snow and a snow park for 'boarders'. And if you've been an Alpine skier you will find the prices very attractive. During weekends and holidays in the ski season there is a bus service between Bagnères-de-Bigorre and the ski resort. Click here to look at the Tourmalet website. ( http://www.n-py.com/en/grand-tourmalet).

Other downhill ski resorts such as Cauterets, St Lary, Luz-St-Saveur and Peyragudes, are also not too far away.

Cross Country Skiing - can be found in the area as well. The closest resort is Payolle, where snow-shoe walking is also available. Their website is http://www.epyrenees.com/guide/resort.php?resort=326. There are many other resorts such as Val d'Azun ( http://www.valdazun.com/) about 50 minutes drive away; these are also places worth visiting at any time of the year.

Cycling and Mountain Biking - The Tour de France often passes through the town and two of its most famous climbs are nearby: the Col de Tourmalet and the Col d'Aspen. Bring your bike or rent one and you, too, can try these out. There’s more gentle cycling for the less fanatical and mountain biking as well. Bagneres Sports in the town rents bikes. You can find them at 28 Route De Toulouse. Their phone number is 05 62 92 19 61 28 or 0033 (0) 5 62 92 19 61 28 from the UK. The email address is bagneresport@outlook.com. They don't speak English but are very helpful.

Golf - Not far from the town centre is an 18 hole golf course with panoramic mountain views. It has its own website (in French): http://www.golf-bigorre.fr/ There is also mini-golf located in the town itself.

So much more... Other sporting activities available in the area include paraponting, fishing, horse riding, rock climbing, tennis, white water rafting, canoing, kayaking, walking and hiking.

For local information...Visit http://www.ville-bagneresdebigorre.fr/ to see more pictures of the town and, if you speak French, to find out a little more about it. Or go to http://www.epyrenees.com/guide/resort.php?resort=335 for stuff in English.

And finally here's a list of links to websites featuring both local attractions and those within driving distance.

http://www.museesbagneres.fr/salies_museum__1133.htm
http://www.museesbagneres.fr/marble_museum_1143.htm
http://www.grottes-medous.com/fr/
http://mauvezin.ostau-bigordan.com/ http://www.tourisme-stgaudens.com/web/en/62-history-and-heritage.php
http://www.abbaye-escaladieu.com/en
http://gouffre-esparros.fr/
http://www.tourisme-stgaudens.com/web/en/87-the-gargas-caves.php