Nearest Train
: Lourdes
at 25
Kilometres
Nearest Motorway
: A64 - Tarbes
at 35
Kilometres
Nearest Barpub
: Arrens
at 1
Kilometres
Nearest Ski
: Cauterets and Bareges/La Mongie
at 30
Kilometres
Nearest Golf
: Lourdes
at 25
Kilometres
Nearest Restaurant
: Arrens
at 1
Kilometres
Car: necessary
The picturesque village of Arrens is at an altitude of 860m in the Val d'Azun in the French Pyrenees, surrounded by peaks rising to over 2000m. The amenities in the village include a small supermarket, two bakeries, a butcher, a shop selling regional produce, a newsagent and a pharmacy. There are also tennis courts, mini-golf and an open air heated swimming pool (open in July and August). There are several restaurants in the village and others in the surrounding villages. The spa town of Argeles-Gazost, which is 15 minutes drive away has a wider selection of shops and restaurants and has an excellent market every Tuesday as well as thermal baths and a casino. A further 15 minutes away is Lourdes with its famous shrine and a wider choice of shops and restaurants. Arrens is one of the entrance points for the Pyrenees National Park which has been created to protect the local flora and fauna and which is a great environment to see vultures, eagles and other birds of prey.
Ski: The largest cross-country skiing area in the Pyrenees at the Col du Soulor is just 10 minutes by car from Les Artigaux. This area links to the neighbouring Col du Couraduque and in all has about 110 km of prepared marked pistes. There is also an area set aside for children's tobogganing.
The nearest downhill skiing is at Hautacam, above Argeles-Gazost, about 30 minutes' drive away. This is a day station and has fairly limited skiing, but is a perfect opportunity to try the sport for a very modest cost. Within an hour's drive are the larger resorts of Cauterets, Luz-Ardiden and Bareges. Bareges links with La Mongie to form the largest downhill skiing area in the Pyrenees and has a total of 100km of pistes.
Equipment for both downhill and cross-country skiing can be hired locally and tuition is available at all the resorts. The cost of a day's cross-country skiing at the Col du Soulor is just 7€ and generally the cost of ski passes at the downhill resorts is cheaper than the Alps.
