Neouvielle Lakes Trek

This week saw our Discoverer level guests do a three-day mini trek into the Neouvielle Lake District, guided by MountainBug Director Rob.

We were also delighted that our Explorer level guests were up for a challenge and joined the others on their second night in a refuge. Our chalet hosts, Vic and Geoff, and MountainBug Director, Martin, went along too. Martin is training for his International Mountain Leader, so the group benefited from having an experienced qualified guide (Rob) and a trainee.

The snow is also receding, allowing everyone to climb up high in the Cirque du Troumouse yesterday, where the trumpet gentians are now very much in bloom.

Today our Explorer level guests did a relaxing 5 hour walk through the villages in our valley (most of it is downhill - easy!) while our Discoverer level group went up the Pic du Viscos.

All in all, an adventure filled week with most of the MountainBug team getting out there too.

Pic du Midi - Taster trip

The clear blue skies and low winds meant that today's Taster-Valleys and Views trip to the Pic du Midi observatory, at 2877 metres, was exceptional.

We went via the Col du Tourmalet, stopping for a look at the Col, made famous by the Tour de France, and being awed at the twisty route up to it the cyclists take.

We then headed down to La Mongie (Bareges-La Mongie form the Grand Tourmalet ski resort, the largest in the Pyrenees) to get the breath-taking cable car up to the Observatory.

 View towards Gavarnie and Spain

MountainBug Director Kara missing her desk job

We like to give our guests coffee with a view...

The Observatory was slowly constructed over 120 years. It has been used as an observatory for the last 60 years. In the 1960s, it was observations from the Pic du Midi that helped NASA formulate its moon landings. Today it still plays an integral role in world-wide space observation, with parallel observations taking place; the sun and the solar system. It especially focuses on the moon, the celestial objects, Venus, Mars, Saturn, and Jupiter. 

The Pic du Midi observatory

Part of one of the original telescopes

View towards the Col du Tourmalet and Valle de Bareges

Cable car up to the Pic du Midi

Locals to the Col du Tourmalet

14 June, Explorer Guided walking, Cirque du Gavarnie

The Pyrenees rewarded us with a beautiful day today at the Cirque du Gavarnie. The meadows are also starting to fill with flowers. Here are a selection of today's photos.

Approach to the Cirque

The Cirque du Gavarnie as seen across the meadows

Gentian

The sun glinting off the European Troll flower

Purple orchid showing off its spotted leaves

geranium

Butterfly orchid

Pyrenean Hyacinth

the way back, over the meadows

The Silver Cyclist comes to the Col du Tourmalet

Summer has officially begun out here in the High French Pyrenees when the Silver Cyclist is returned to his post on top of the Col du Tourmalet. On the 2 June at 8.30am he left Pierrefitte and accompanied by a band and lots of road cyclists, he made his way to the top, passing through Bareges at about 11 and reaching the Col du Tourmalet by midday.

About 2000 cyclists have climbed up the Col today, enjoying the sunny weather with a hint of a breeze. 

View from the Col du Tourmalet, cyclists coming...

Cyclists at the top of the Col du Tourmalet

We don't think he rode up

The silver cyclist arrives!

Some of the MountainBug team were a bit underwhelmed.