Family Holidays: French Pyrenees family holidays and breaks

Take the Family holiday rating 4 stars out of 5

Why

The mountain chain of the Pyrenees runs all the way from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea, and forms the border between Spain and France. In addition to spanning three countries (Andorra being the third), the Pyrenees is subdivided into many smaller regions which each have their own distinct culture, traditions and even language.

The French Pyrenees are easily accessible from the UK – just a short plane hop or a day on a train, and offer spectacular mountain scenery, friendly villages, world-famous caves with pre-historic cave-paintings, fabulous walking and other outdoor activities, rich wildlife, castles, monasteries and Romanesque churches, and great food! Traditional lifestyles are still much in evidence, with the mountain meadows grazed by cows and sheep, which in turn make the delicious local cheeses, and it is possible to visit a “cheese museum”!

The region is a wonderful natural playground for families, with endless opportunities for walks, picnics, messing about in the river, wildlife spotting, exploring ruined castles, visiting pre-historic caves, horse-riding and mountain biking, and practising a few words of French!

When

May to October. In the mountains the winter lingers on until March/April. May and June are beautiful months, with snow lingering picturesquely on the peaks, and the meadows lush and sprinkled with wild-flowers. July and August usually offer settled summer weather – warm enough to paddle in mountain streams and lakes, and in the autumn the wooded slopes are a riot of colour, with many fabulous clear days of sunshine.

How

Take a train leaving London St Pancras at breakfast time, hop across Paris at lunchtime, and arrive in Toulouse in time for supper. Alternatively there are daily flights from a variety of UK airports to Toulouse, Pau, Carcassonne, Bordeaux or Perpignan. Check deals with Expedia and British Airways.

Do

There are masses of wonderful walks in the spectacular mountain regions, strolling through meadows, picnicking by crystal-clear streams, waterfalls and mountain lakes, or even scaling high peaks.

The region is rich in wildlife - on the highest slopes you may spot a herd of goat-like Pyrenean chamois, or isard, with small pointed horns. There are also deer, wild boar, foxes, marmots and even a small number of very shy bears! Look up and you may see the impressive Griffon vulture circling overhead.

There are fascinating prehistoric caves to explore, great castles, and beautiful Romanesque churches and monasteries. Discover pretty towns and villages, with wonderful markets of local produce. If you are feeling adventurous, try a day of mountain biking, horse-riding, caving, or even paragliding!

In the summer you may be lucky to catch a festival day, with processions and street parties, or even a glimpse of the world’s most famous bicycle race, the Tour de France!

Eat

Enjoy great mugs of hot chocolate with your croissants for breakfast, and crepes (filled pancakes) or croque-monsieurs (grilled-cheese-sandwiches) for lunch. Street markets, local bakers and grocers will supply mouthwatering ingredients for your picnic lunches: fresh white French bread, delicious fresh cheeses, cured meats, and just-picked tomatoes. In the evenings tuck into traditional mountain dishes using the freshest seasonal ingredients: fish caught in the mountain rivers, game, wild mushrooms, local sausages, confit de canard (duck), tender lamb, fresh vegetables and local cheeses, as well as flaky pastry croustades made with fruit and berries. Restaurants warmly welcome children.

Cost

The Pyrenees is a relatively inexpensive region of France. Accommodation and meals are reasonably priced, and bargain flights can be picked up from Easyjet, Ryanair and Jet2, especially during mid-week and if booking well in advance. Check deals with Expedia.

Travel reading

Backpacks, Boots and Baguettes – Walking in the Pyrenees

by Simon Calder and Mick Webb

Buy from Amazon.co.uk - Save 25%

Calder and Webb narrate an eventful and humerous travelogue. With their backpacks, boots and baguettes, they explore the region: meeting the people, savouring the views and the wines - and arguing about how best to cope with the constant surprises and challenges of magnificent mountains.