Escape! This Summer With Pyrenees Mountain Adventure

During August this year Escape! with Pyrenees Mountain Adventure. 
Pyrenees Mountain Adventure offers you the chance to follow in the footsteps of allied airmen escaping from Nazi occupied territory during World War 2 by trekking the Freedom Trail (le Chemin de la Liberté in French.) 
This is a tough trek in the beautiful, wild mountains of the Pyrenees.

There are 3 itineraries on offer to match the time you have available.

Price includes:

All guiding with qualified, British trek leader (International Mountain Leader - IML) with very good experience of leading groups on the trek.

Private transfer back to Hotel Eychenne, St Girons from the end of the trek in Spain.

Full board (hot evening meal, breakfast and packed lunch) in mountain refuge and/or gite (depending on the length of trek chosen.)

Hot showers and dormitory style accommodation. For 4 and 5 day trek - one night in shelter without warden. Minimal facilities. No food.

Price does not include accommodation before and after the trek.

2 Day Freedom Trail 250 euros per person.

18th and 19th July

8th and 9th August

22nd and 23rd August

12th and 13th September

4 Day Freedom Trail 390 euros per person

2nd August – 5th August

28 th – 31st August

5 Day Freedom Trail 500 euros per person.

15th – 19th August

The trek is strenuous (6 to 8 hours of trekking per day) over sometimes rough terrain. You will enjoy it more if you have had some previous experience of mountain walking.

Meeting point: 8.30 am Hotel Eychenne, St Girons. 
Dispersal point: 8 pm Hotel Eychenne, St Girons.

For more information or to suggest other dates that work for you, contact Paul 06 52 06 12 50 pyreneesmountainadventure@hotmail.com

Looking Ahead - What Does This Summer Have in Store?

Spring has arrived and with the rising temperatures, the snow on the summits and high cols in the Pyrenees has begun to melt. With the first bookings of the year being taken for summer treks I find myself looking forward in anticipation. What does this summer have in store? If it is like any other summer in the Pyrenees with Pyrenees Mountain Adventure........

Chemin de la Liberté/Freedom Trail -Top 10 Magic Mountain Moments (Summer 2013)

Yesterday it was grey and overcast and the rain did not stop. I found myself thinking back to the Pyrenees Mountain Adventure treks this summer along the Chemin de la Liberté/Freedom Trail. Four groups attempted to cross the Pyrenees mountains and everyone who started made it into Spain.

Here are my top 10 favourite magic mountain moments from the four treks. They are in no particular order:

1. The Border Crossing. Starting from St Girons, the border is crossed on day 4. After much effort, hardship and determination we are at the border and can pass from France into Spain. A great moment for everyone who made the crossing.

2. Polly Bagging. Sliding down a safe snow slope using a large plastic bag as a tobogan. This was great fun and an ideal way to release the tension that had built up descending the steep snow slope directly below the border.

3. Louis Barrau Memorial. Killed by the Nazis aged 18, a memorial has been erected by the barn where he was shot. Someone picked wild flowers from the meadow next to the barn and placed them on the memorial. They had a son of similar age. A beautiful gesture in a beautiful setting.

4. The Scenery. It is not just the spectacular scenery of which there is plenty.......

.........it is the group finding the time to stop, look up and enjoy the views. To soak up the scenery they were immersed in.

5. The Silence. Ten minutes silence at the border. No wind, no words. Time too reflect. 'Find beauty; be still.' We had. We were.

6. The Shadows. Griffon vultures flying above us, close enough to cast shadows that raced across the ground where we were.


7. The Summit. Only one group chose the optional extra day at Refuge Estagnous to ascend Mont Valier which dominates day 3 and 4 of the trek. The weather was grey and overcast. Visibility was poor and it was cold. Having reached the summit, the clouds parted and for a short time we were rewarded with tremendous views.

A similar thing happened with the same group the day before. Starting out in poor weather, we eventually find ourselves above the cloud and out of trouble.

8. The Support. The Chemin de la Liberté/Freedom Trail  is tough. It was great to see the shared hardship brings people together. I saw new friendships form and old friendships strengthened. I saw kindness and care. People helping each other through difficult times - whether a difficult section of path, a drop in morale or fatigue.

9. The Storm. At Refruge Estagnous, which is spectacularly located in the high mountains, the sunsets can be unforgettable. What was more memorable for me happened after most people had returned inside after the sun had set. In the fading light, far in the distance, dark storm clouds were being illuminated from inside by lightning but because of the distance the thunder could not be heard.

10. The Omelette. At the Gite de Rouze I had an omelette with wild, girolle mushrooms picked from the local forest. I know that at the end of a hard days walking any food tastes good but the best omelette ever!

Thanks to everyone who trekked with Pyrenees Mountain Adventure along the Chemin de la Liberté/Freedom Trail in 2013. It was a pleasure to share the journey with you.

Does mountain accommodation get any better than this?

Looking for holiday accommodation in the Eastern Pyrenees? Chalet Ana in Les Angles would appear to have all that you could possibly want.

Chalet Ana is run by Nathalie and Laurent a friendly, happy French/German couple. They named  it after their daughter. A lot of love and care has gone into creating the place that feels more like a stylish home than a hotel.  In the winter you can spend the day on the Les Angles ski slopes or snowshoe into the backcountry. In the summer, the beautiful mountains that surround the chalet are waiting to be explored. At the end of the day whether in summer or winter, there is always the sauna or roof top jacuzzi to help you unwind and relax. 
 

Summer Walking

Winter Snowshoeing

Located in a natural setting with views over the old village of Les Angles towards Pic Madres, natural materials like wood and slate are in abundance. There are 8 prestige apartments, all finished to a very high standard and as well as the roof top spa and sauna there is a garden that is available for guests. 

Chalet Ana is beautiful, luxurious and peaceful but also respectful of the environment. It is the first accommodation in the Pyrenees to gain the prestigious European Ecolabel.

Not only have natural materials been used in its construction, but the building has been designed and is managed so that energy used is  from renewable sources and  water consumption and waste production are minimised. The owners commitment to reducing the environmental footprint  of Chalet Ana is such that hair dryers are not supplied in rooms but can be requested.