Cirque de Gavarnie © P. Meyer
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An exceptional natural site
Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Cirque de Gavarnie is a sight to behold thanks to its extraordinary scale. Dizzying cliffs, waterfalls, majestic peaks… here, the mountains reveal their full power. Accessible from the village of Gavarnie via a pleasant walk, this iconic site in the Pyrenees offers a spectacle that changes with the seasons and invites you to slow down and take it all in.
From the village, a relatively easy path leads up to the cirque, winding its way through the meadows and alongside the mountain stream. As you walk, the landscape gradually opens up until it reveals the immense natural amphitheatre dominated by the Grande Cascade, one of the highest waterfalls in Europe. Whether on foot, on the back of a donkey or simply stopping for a moment to take in the view of the peaks, everyone can discover Gavarnie at their own pace.
Gavarnie, Chemin du Cirque
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Atvg Gavarnie 3
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Atvg Gavarnie 12
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Atvg Gavarnie 2
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Roland’s Gap above Gavarnie
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About an hour’s drive from Lourdes, the Cirque de Gavarnie is one of the most beautiful day trips in the Pyrenees. This break in the heart of the countryside offers the chance to explore an exceptional site, whilst enjoying an unspoilt setting where natural heritage, spectacular landscapes and the mountain way of life come together.
It’s the perfect way to round off a stay in Lourdes.
The Cirque de Gavarnie is the most famous glacial cirque in the Pyrenees. Shaped by glaciers several thousand years ago, it has a circumference of nearly 6.5 kilometres and its cliffs rise to a height of up to 1,500 metres. This exceptional landscape has earned it a place on the UNESCO World Heritage List, as part of the Pyrenees – Mont Perdu site.
