The Ossau Valley, located in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department of the Nouvelle‑Aquitaine region, is one of the three great Béarnese valleys that stretch into the Pyrenees.
It extends for approximately 50 km from the Pau plains to the Spanish border, following the course of the fast-flowing Ossau River, which originates high in the Pyrénées National Park, among glacial cirques, waterfalls, and alpine meadows.

As soon as you enter the valley, the landscape shifts dramatically.
Gentle hills give way to rugged terrain: peaks draw closer, forests thicken, and the air fills with cool, woody scents.
The road winds through a series of typically Béarnese villages with slate-roofed stone houses, carved lintels, and façades where Basque pelota games can sometimes be heard.

The valley is dominated by the imposing Pic du Midi d’Ossau, rising to 2,884 m.
Also known as “Jean‑Pierre” by locals, this emblematic peak—an extinct volcano—proudly stands at the valley’s head, visible from many vantage points.
Its jagged silhouette, recognizable a mile away, serves as a constant landmark and a source of wonder for hikers, climbers, and contemplative visitors.

Throughout the valley, nature reigns supreme.
Beech and fir forests cloak the shaded slopes, while verdant alpine pastures host herds of sheep, cattle, and horses each summer.
Pastoralism is a living tradition here: in summer, shepherds move their flocks to high pastures and produce a typical raw‑milk cheese, Ossau‑Iraty, often aged in wooden huts.
It’s not uncommon to hear bells clinking through the morning mist, while marmots whistle and griffon vultures circle overhead.

The valley is also defined by water.
The Ossau River, fed by numerous streams and springs, winds through meadows across the valley.
Its cold, clear waters host trout and salmon, attracting anglers and wilderness lovers.
Higher up, magnificent alpine lakes—like Lac de Bious‑Artigues, a mirror-like lake fringed with black pine—serve as starting points for hikes toward cols, mountain huts, and peaks.
At Castet, a lower lake framed for recreation reflects serene mountain silhouettes and invites relaxation, strolls, and birdwatching.

The villages of the Ossau Valley have strong identities.
Larreule, Louvie-Juzon, Aste-Béon, Gère-Bélesten, Béost, Bielle, Bilhères, Castet, and of course Laruns—the main town of the upper valley—all retain rooted traditions.
In Laruns, traditional festivals punctuate the year: pastorales, transhumance, Béarnese folk songs and dances, and convivial meals centered on garbure soup or local cheese.
Occasionally the Béarnese dialect is still spoken, and the hospitality is warm and sincere—reflective of this rugged yet generous mountain.

The valley offers immense hiking possibilities.
From family-friendly paths to grand traverses toward border peaks, everyone can find their perfect hike.
The trail to the Ayous Pass and its famous lakes offers spectacular views of Pic du Midi d’Ossau.
Other routes reach the Pourtalet Pass at the Spanish border or alpine shepherds' huts where you can sometimes spend the night surrounded by flocks.

In winter, the valley transforms into a snowy realm.
The Artouste resort offers skiing and snowshoeing in a grand backdrop with views of border peaks.
It’s also the departure point for the famous Artouste train—one of the highest in Europe—which winds along the mountainside, offering a unique summer experience at nearly 2,000 m elevation.

Finally, the Ossau Valley is a preserved territory, largely within the Pyrénées National Park.
Wildlife is rich and varied: Pyrenean chamois (isards), marmots, bearded vultures, golden eagles, ocellated lizards, and sometimes even bears in the most remote areas.
The flora is equally remarkable, with an impressive diversity of orchids, medicinal plants, and endemic species.

Both wild and welcoming, proud yet discreet, the Ossau Valley is a land of memory, beauty, and harmony.
A rare place where time seems suspended—between pure skies, ancient rocks, living traditions, and profound silences.
It offers those who traverse it an authentic experience, far from noise, closer to true mountain spirit.