dossier
The Meridian Way
Outline Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive
Day 2: From the hotel it is a short walk across to the lower station of the funicular railway that takes us up almost to the summit of the Pic de Jer (890 m) from where there are excellent views looking back over the town. From the summit we follow a network of paths and tracks above the East side of the main river, the Gave du Pau. After passing through a number of typically Pyrenean villages we drop down to the attractive spa town of
Day 3: From the hotel it is a short walk to the edge of the town from where a path climbs through the mixed deciduous forest to reach the grazing land above. A combination of easy tracks and quiet roads take us through to the cobbled main street of St Savin where it is possible to visit the impressive 12th Century abbey church and perhaps enjoy a drink at the café opposite the Post Office. The route continues past the
Day 4: With two nights at
Day 5: Within half an hour of leaving the hotel at Luz the route following the GR10 takes us over the impressive Pont Napoleon, which in one graceful arch spans the gorge and river 66 metres below. After climbing through the forest and past a series of waterfalls the route reaches the
Day 6: A quiet road, which become a dirt track leads us away from Gèdre back to the GR10. The route then climbs through a beech & fir forest to reach high summer pasture land with stunning views in all directions. The route crosses the Plateau de Saugé with views ahead of the Cirque de Gavarnie growing larger by the minute. The final descent into the
Day 7: Two nights at
Day 8: Depart
Please Note: That the holiday price does not include the cost of public transport to the first hotel in Lourdes on Day 1, the funicular train on Day 2 (7€/approx US$11), the bus to Luz on Day 3 (4€/US$6), the bus to Barèges on Day 4 (2€/US$3), the taxi on Day 7 (9€/US$14 to 30€/$45 depending on numbers) and transport from Gavarnie to departure points on Day 8.
Accommodation & Meals
Accommodation is on a half board basis in 2* or 3* hotels. Bed and breakfast and 7 evening meals are included. Picnic lunches are not included in the tour cost but are available from hotels or can easily be obtained from local shops. We indicate in the route notes where there are suitable restaurants or cafes for lunch stops, or recommend you carry food if there are none convenient to the trail.
Most frequently used hotels are described below but alternatives of a comparable standard are used on occasion when room availability is limited.
Night 1: Our first night is spent in
Night 2: At Argelès-Gazost the 2* hotel has a pleasant garden area and a large and popular restaurant. Half board
Night 3 & 4: The two nights at Luz St. Sauveur are spent at a traditional family run 2* hotel. Half board
Night 5: At Gèdre the 2* hotel has been in the same family for three generations and enjoys excellent views from most of the bedrooms. Half board
Nights 6 and 7: At
Level of Difficulty
Fitness: The walking on this tour is varies between moderate and quite challenging. A reasonable level of fitness, a reasonable head for heights and an ability to cope on rocky paths is required on some days. You need good boots throughout the tour: The trails are generally good, but on occasion there are steep or winding sections of loose limestone shingle. Carry plenty of drinking water and adequate protection against the sun, including a sun hat. There are steep ascents / descents sometimes in hot weather. You will need to take care walking on this tour.
Day stages: In the region of 12km/7mi to 20km/12mi per day with average altitude gains of 500m (maximum 800 m). 5 to 6 hours walking per day for most people. Slow walkers will take a little longer.
Waymarks: The trail follows in the main well-established paths, much of the way being waymarked with the distinctive white/red/white GR (
Escorted departures 2008
EJMW31 Sat 31 May – Sat 7 June
EJMW28 Sat 28 June – Sat 5 July
EJMW13 Sat 13 September – Sat 20 September
Travel Information
Season: Mid-May to the end of July and September to the end of October. August is best avoided as it can be hot and busy. The alpine flowers in the Spring and early Summer are wonderful while the air clarity and autumn colors are appreciated by both locals and visitors alike. Both spring and autumn can bring rain spells and high summer can also produce electrical storms, usually late in the afternoon.
Arrival: After 5 p.m. at the first hotel in
Via Air: Fly to Toulouse Bus or taxi to railway station then train to
Or fly: to
Getting to the railway station at
From Toulouse Airport: Shuttle bus from the airport to the SNCF railway station (Matabiau) in
Train from
From the railway station at
The easiest way is to take a taxi from the taxi rank outside the station, which should cost less than 10 €/US$15. There is also a bus service – le citybus. Line 1 leaves from outside the railway station and there is a stop at the junction of the
Arriving by car
The hotel does not have any private parking available, as is the case with many hotels in
End of Tour - Getting back to the railway station at
By taxi direct: From Gavarnie to the railway station at
By bus all the way: There is a regular bus service from Gavarnie to
Gavarnie to Luz:
During school periods – Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday
Leave Gavarnie 07h45 or 17h45
Arrive Luz 08h15 or 18h45
During school periods – Wednesday
Leave Gavarnie 07h45 or 13h30
Arrive Luz 08h15 or 14h00
During July & August
Leave Gavarnie 10h00 or 18h30
Arrive Luz 10h35 or 19h05
The bus fare is 6 € single
Luz to Lourdes
20 minutes after leaving Luz St. Sauveur the bus stops at Pierrefitte-Nestalas where it is necessary to change to a connecting bus that uses the same bus stop. The total journey time from
Departure times from
Every day: 09h50, 12h55 & 15h50
Sundays & public holidays: 07h20 & 17h30
Monday to Saturday (except public holidays): 19h30
The bus fare is about 7 €/US$11 single
By taxi to Luz and then bus to Lourdes: It is also possible to get a taxi to Luz St. Sauveur and then the bus to
General information
Baths: it is not normal for your room to have a bath, the main reason being that it takes up a lot of space, some hotels/guesthouses may have a separate room in the house where a bath is available to guests, but in the main en suite bathrooms have showers rather than baths.
Breakfast: in countries such as
Single Supplements: are payable on most of our tours.
1) The single supplement guarantees the privacy of your own room, however, rooms can at times be small and in some places may not enjoy the same facilities as double/twin rooms.
2) You are not just paying a supplement on the room but the luggage transfer costs you are paying in full. The cost of moving 1 bag or 2 bags etc remains the same. On some of our trips it is possible to reduce the cost of the single supplement if you happen to be a 3rd person travelling, or have chosen a date when other clients are booked.
Late bookings: Please note that if our normal hotels do not have availability or are closed on the day you wish to stay, we will use other hotels , which offer a similar standard of accommodation and cuisine.
Language: Note that you will not necessarily come across people speaking English. Remember you have left home to experience a different culture: bring a phrase book, try to learn a bit of the local language.
Luggage: When staying in hotels, sometimes your luggage will have been taken to your room awaiting your arrival. However don’t be surprised if your luggage is waiting for you to take it up to your room please politely ask someone if you need assistance.