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BAGNÈRES-de-BIGORRE :
Regional curiosities, sports and leisure.

Regional curiosities, sports and leisure

Bagnères is a little town at the foot of the Pic du Midi. In Occitan, Bagnères means "bath". Water cures have been a tradition for over centuries, in the Pyrénées. First went the Romans, next King Henri the 4^th and the French aristocraty, next French celebrities like Montaigne, Froidour, le Duc de Maine, King Louis the 14^th's son, with his nurse, Madame de Maintenon. In the 19^th century, Georges Sand, Lamartine, Flaubert, Rossini...

gardens & fountains.	In the old time, the most of the fountains you can see, have been used like curative waters in medical treatments. To days some are closed because medical knowledge have changed.
	In Bagnères the houses are little building, as you can see on this photo. They have a wide variety of design because people loved to be fashionable. Here, French architecture history can be read on the facade.	our architecture
	Le Conservatoire Botanique National, (botanical museeum). The botanical researchers made a list of all the Pyrenean flora ; here, they keep the seeds of the most rare and they can say you where everyone grows in the mountains.	nature, our heritage See mountain flowers (Sorry, no translation)
baroque trails See photos (Sorry, no translation)	From 18^th to 19^th century, a sculptors family lived and worked in Asté, (5mins drive away from Bagnères). They had apprentices and the most part of baroque art pieces have been made in their work shop.
	The Pic du midi is an observatory accessible by cable car from the ski resort of La Mongie with a spectacular scenery overlooking the whole of the Pyrenees. On the site, museum space, cafeteria, gastronomic restaurant and gift shop.	le Pic du Midi See photos (Sorry, no translation)
in winter, the snow	It snows on the mountains from october to march. The ski resort opens in december. We can ski on the Tourmalet pass from La Mongie to Barèges and it's possible too throught the Pic du Midi slopes. If you like snowshoes, you'll find a lot of trails

Your sports leisure, to visit and to go out

	You heard about Tour de France. The most famous passes, the Tourmalet, the Aspin are at the top of the hill ; here, no introduction.	cycle track See photos (Sorry, no translation)
mountain bike See photos (sorry, no translation)	A new way to discover our country. You'll find, here, a wide variety of roads and tracks for mountain bike, going through forests or sloping meadows.
	You prefere cool air, lakes, waterfalls : we have too. You can fish in a lake or in the tumultuous waters of a river. You can go down a river in a raft or in a kayak.	lakes, rivers and streams
walking, hiking, rock climbing.	The Pyrenean National Park for walkers and nature lovers ; rock climbing for everyone in the adventure parks of the valley, alpinism, paragliding... there are so many ways to experience the mountains in Bagneres.
	Sports facilities in Bagneres : swimming pool, tennis, golf with a very beautiful sight on the Pyrenees, horse riding.	all the sports you like

Leisure in Bagneres, sports and regional curiosities

going out	Bagneres has a casino,(boule, slot machines, black-jack and roulette, cabaret), a cinema and theatre with shows, dance, concerts...
	In our valley genuine pastoral life is alive and well. Don't be surprise if you cross sheperd with sheeps or cows, on a little road. Some farms can be visited. You'll find informations in the flats.	enjoy the Pyrénées
local fairs	Throughout the year, we have local fairs. It's a good oportunity to meet Pyrenean people and to know about our customs.
	We have a wide variety of gastronomic specialities in the Pyrenees, you must taste one of them. Here farming is still traditionnal, food keep healthy.	genuine pyrenean foods
other places of interest nearby	Bagneres is situated in the heart of the most famous pyrenean places of interest : Lourdes (the pilgrinage sanstuary), Gavarnie (natural mountain waterfall), and a lot of spectacular mountain scenery. And if you wish, you can offer you a day trip to Spain via the Aragnouet Bielsa tunnel, (Spanish border is approximately 1h30mins).