Pyrénées Towns  The Pyrénées is full of delightful mountain villages with spectacular settings and you could spend days wandering between them soaking up the atmosphere in street side cafes.  However there are a few towns that stand out from the pack - the pilgrimage town of Lourdes is visited by millions of people each year, whilst the Cathar city of Foix has both a spectacular château and a fascinating history.

Location: 10km SW of Castillon on the D4.
General Info: Biros Office du Tourisme tel no: 05 61 96 10 90.  Website of the Office du Tourisme of Sentein.

Description: Sentein is a small fortified mountain village, beautifully situated in the Biros valley.

Our recommendations:  For those loving the outdoors, this is a delightful area offering many possibilities for short or long walks in the Pyrénées.
For the children: In Audressein (D618 SW of St-Girons) there is a fascinating visit to “Pascal Jusot” to see Ariège clogs being made.  Admission is free each afternoon in peak season.

             - Foix
             - Lourdes
             - Sentein

The purpose built ski resort towns such as La Mongie are best avoided unless you are travelling there to take the cable car to the Pic du Midi de Bigorre.  The drive there is dramatic, but these purpose built resorts tend to be more of a blot on the landscape in the summer months!