Top choice in Lourdes
Ex-TV chef Jean-Pierre St-Martin has established his own gastronomic hideaway in St-Savin, 16km south of Lourdes. Known for blending Basque, Breton and Pyrenean cuisine, as well as his unshakeable passion for foie gras, he’s now assisted by his son Alexis. Expect very rich, very traditional fine-dining food.
If you over-indulge, there are country-styled rooms upstairs (€111 to €152).
12.23 MILES
If the Pyrenees has a mustn’t-miss view, it’s the one from the Pic du Midi de Bigorre (2877m). Once accessible only to mountaineers, since 1878 the Pic du…
2.38 MILES
Around 12km south of Lourdes, off the D821 near Argelès-Gazost, this fantastic animal park is home to many species that were once commonly sighted across…
Sanctuaires Notre Dame de Lourdes
8.32 MILES
The spiritual centre of Lourdes is the subterranean grotto where Bernadette Soubirous is believed to have experienced her visions in 1858. From the Porte…
26 MILES
Originally the residence of the monarchs of Navarre, Pau’s castle was transformed into a Renaissance château amid lavish gardens by Marguerite…
Estación Internacional de Canfranc
26.62 MILES
The magnificent, 250m-long, Modernista structure of Canfranc station stands as a monument to a trans-Pyrenean railway that has lain idle for half a…
26.07 MILES
This townhouse is the birthplace of one of Napoléon’s favourite generals, Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte (nicknamed ‘Sergent belle-jambe’, on account of his…
8.35 MILES
Lourdes’ imposing castle stands on a sheer hill just behind the town. There’s been a stronghold here since Roman times, but the present building combines…
17.09 MILES
The griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) was once a familiar sight over the Pyrenees, but habitat loss and hunting have taken their toll on these strange,…
1.77 MILES
Some 15km south of Lourdes, in the spectacular surroundings of the 11th-century Château de Beaucens, you can see one of the world’s largest collections of…
2. Parc Animalier des Pyrénées
2.38 MILES
Around 12km south of Lourdes, off the D821 near Argelès-Gazost, this fantastic animal park is home to many species that were once commonly sighted across…
7.55 MILES
Panoramic views of Lourdes and the central Pyrenees are on offer from this rocky outcrop just outside town. There are two routes to the top: a punishing…
8.26 MILES
By evening or early morning (when the Porte St-Michel is closed), this is the most convenient access to the sanctuary.
8.27 MILES
Connects the Basilique Supérieure with the Chemin de Croix (Way of the Cross).
8.27 MILES
This gate into the sanctuary is the first you'll reach when approaching from across the river (where you'll find the majority of lodging and dining…
8. Basilique Notre-Dame-du-Rosaire
8.29 MILES
The lower of Lourdes' two basilicas has magnificent gilded mosaics.