Cycling

Whether you are experienced or not, you will find what you are looking for around Oloron, with about fifteen signposted circuits, classified according to 4 levels of difficulty.

We provide you with maps of mountain bike and road bike routes published by the Haut-Béarn Tourist Office - the routes can also be downloaded from https://www.pyrenees-bearnaises.com/.

We provide a car wash and secure bike shelters, equipped with bike racks for road bikes as well as mountain bikes.

Rather mountain bikes? The loop of the Tour de Saint-Pée, perfect for families, can be done from L'escargot bleu. To get started with downhill mountain biking, in summer, the Arlas chairlift at the Pierre Saint-Martin resort (40 minutes away) offers to take the bike down the slopes and start to have good sensations, in 360° open landscapes.

Rather road bike? Several passes of the Tour de France will be accessible to you, such as the emblematic passes of Marie-Blanque or La Pierre St Martin.

Each year, between June and September, some passes are closed to cars for one day to allow cyclists to ride freely on the road. This operation, called "On s'y col", brings together hundreds of enthusiasts united by the pleasure of cycling.

July is the month of the race of La Pierre-Jacques en Barétous, which starts in Aramits, only ten kilometres from our gîtes : https://www.lapierrejacquesenbaretous.com/

Just one kilometre away, our partner Pyrénées Cycles can take care of the maintenance and repair of all your bicycles and offers the rental of electrically assisted bicycles (road, mountain bike or VTC) at preferential rates for our customers: https://www.pyreneescycles.com/.

You can also call on his services if you are looking for a professional cycling instructor: https://www.pyreneescycles.com/moniteur-cycliste.
 

Hiking

Oloron is at the crossroads of Béarn and the Basque Country on the Way of St. James (Arles Way).

The landscapes are varied. Starting from L'escargot bleu you can choose to stay in the foothills to admire the Pyrenees from afar, walk in the hills of Jurançon, walk the "soums" (small rounded peaks) of the Valley of Barétous or Soule, and in the mountains, choose hikes with no great difference in altitude (Lhers, Sanchèse or Benou plateaus, Kakuetta gorges, Ayous lakes) or on the contrary, choose committed itineraries with panoramic views at the top of the mountain that are worthy of your efforts (Pic d'Anie, Pic d'Orhy, Aiguilles d'Ansabère, Montagnon d'Iseye lake,...)...). Those who like to scare themselves will find their happiness on the Mâture path or at the footbridge of Holzarte !

In this authentic region marked by pastoralism, you will often come across flocks of sheep and your steps will inevitably lead you to sheepfolds and artisanal cheese dairies; it would be a shame not to stop there!

As far as wild animals are concerned, birds of prey are present everywhere - what an emotion to see a kite or a vulture up close! Then come the marmots, which are fairly easy to observe at La Pierre St Martin and Artouste. More difficult to observe: isards (cousins of chamois, endemic to the Pyrenees) and ibexes. Finally, the bears, which we hear a lot about but which few have really seen !

Your hikes may finally give you the opportunity to discover amazing geological phenomena (karstic path in Oloron, lapiaz de La Pierre St Martin, organs of Camblong in Lescun, ...) and some megaliths (dolmens and cromlechs).

We have a wide range of maps and topo-fiches at your disposal.

If you prefer to be accompanied, the choice is vast, but we particularly recommend Vincent Fontan for the Barétous Valley (https://www.vincentfontan.com) and Gilles Bergeras for the Aspe Valley (https://www.rando-bike.fr).
 

White water sports

More than 200 km of navigable rivers invite you for rafting, hydrospeed, hot-dog canoeing or canoeing.

In Oloron: http://www.soeix.com/ or https://www.gaiaaventure.com/

In Béarn des gaves : https://www.rafting64.com/

In Pau: https://www.paupyrenees-stadeeauxvives.fr/

A unique concept, the free'ze canyon (canyoning in winter), in Laruns : https://www.kathaayatraa.fr/
 

Climbing

Artificial climbing structure

5 minutes away, the Mur d'Oloron is one of the highest walls in France, with a height of almost 21m for the slopes and 15m in the slab and vertical sectors. Located in the former hall behind the town hall, the structure has undergone numerous evolutions, extensions and transformations to achieve the current result: more than 2000m² of climbing, about forty relays and nearly 130 routes ranging from 4b to 8c+ for the wall of difficulty.

Schedules and fares: https://www.lemuroloron.com/

Every year, in October, it hosts a renowned international master's degree in climbing, the 24h du Mur: https://24hdumur.com/
 

Climbing in natural environment

15 minutes away, the Falaise d'Arguibelle offers a superb panorama of the Barétous Valley and the Soule.

Discovery sector equipped. More than 200 routes, from 3c to 8c. Max height : 95m.
Access: at the exit of Lanne-en-Barétous, take direction Issarbe. After about 7 km, on the right, follow the sign "Rocher escalade". In Montory, you pass on the D759 in the direction of Haux (Hauze). Turn at the small bridge 2 km from Montory and continue for another 2 km until you reach the car park.

For more information: https://escalade64.fr/?p=221
 

Caving

The Grotte de la Verna is a must for speleologists; it is also an ideal place to learn this activity. Different formulas are proposed to you according to your sporting level.

See the "Adventure visits" on the website https://www.laverna.fr/.
 

Fishing

While the Lourdios and the Vert will seduce lovers of small rivers, especially children, who will appreciate the young course on the Vert, 5 minutes walk from our gîtes, those who prefer medium-sized rivers will rather turn to the Aspe Gave. Oloron offers on this one, 5 minutes drive from our gîtes, a no-kill course among the most famous in France. As far as the practice in big rivers is concerned, the Gave d'Oloron, between Oloron and Navarrenx, is known worldwide for salmon fishing. Of course, the region also has many mountain lakes.

Would you like to discover fly fishing? Take advantage of the fishing guides and fishing shops nearby :

Lionel Armand, fishing guide in Oloron : https://www.stagepechetruite.com/

Aspe Angler Flyshop & Guiding Services in Féas: https://aspe-angler.com/

Fishing shop in Oloron : Lou Pescadou - https://www.loupescadou.com/