Parc National des Pyrénées Occidentales
France > Pyrénées > Central > Parc National
The Parc National des Pyrénées Occidentales was created in 1967 to protect at least part of the high Pyrenees from the development engendered by modern tourism – ski resorts, roads, mountain-top restaurants, car parks and other amenities. It runs for more than 100km along the Spanish border: from Pic de Laraille (2147m), south of Lescun, in the west, to beyond Pic de la Munia (3133m), east of Gavarnie. Varying in altitude between 1070m and 3298m at the Pic de Vignemale, south of Cauterets, the park takes in the spectacular cirques of Gavarnie and Troumouse, as well as over two hundred lakes, more than a dozen valleys and about 400km of marked walking routes.Through the banning of hunting – apart from the traditional mountain peasants' pursuit of poaching or braconnage – and all dogs, the park has also provided sanctuary for many rare and endangered species of birds and mammals. Among them are chamois, marmots, genets, griffon vultures, golden eagles, eagle owls and capercaillies, to say nothing of the rich and varied flora. The most celebrated animal – and the most depleted by hunting – is the Pyrenean brown bear, whose prewar numbers ran to as many as two hundred, but now amount to barely half a dozen individuals. Although largely herbivorous, bears will take sheep or cows when given the opportunity, and the mountain shepherds are their remorseless enemies. To appease them, the park pays prompt and generous compensation for any losses, but this is not always enough to overcome the atavistic fear of the bear – there's a farmers' lobby to cancel the programme and at least one animal has been illegally shot. Park authorities have been criticized for not doing enough to protect the bears – an accusation which Angers the hard-pressed rangers, who complain that distant armchair ecologists have no conception of what it's like trying to reconcile legitimate local economic needs with the protection of wild species and unsullied landscapes, to say nothing of coping with the litter, wear and tear on footpaths, illicit camping and other problems caused by visitors. The GR10 runs through the entire park on its 700-kilometre journey from coast to coast, starting at Argelès-sur-Mer on the Mediterranean and ending up at Hendaye-Plage on the Atlantic shore; the tougher trail of the Haute Randonnée Pyrénéenne (HRP) also finishes its course in Hendaye-Plage and runs roughly parallel to the GR10, but takes in much more rugged, alpine terrain. Hikers following either route are strongly advised to wear appropriate clothing and carry detailed maps and equipment. Though the Pyrenees have a modest maximum altitude by world-mountain standards, their climate can be as extreme as ranges twice their height – in short, not the place for a casual stroll. There are Maisons du Parc (park information centres) in Etsaut, Cauterets, Luz-St-Sauveur, Gavarnie, Gabas and Arrens-Marsous, giving information about the park's wildlife and vegetation, lists of accommodation options and the best walks to do. There are over a dozen wardened refuges and plenty of hotels, campsites and gîtes throughout the park. For an update on weather conditions in the département of Hautes-Pyrénées, tel 08.36.68.02.65.
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