Lourdes / Lannemezan

A 110-hectare hillside reservoir designed to keep low water levels in the Arros valley, Lac de l'Arrêt-Darré is an ideal place to take a break along the Vélosud cycle route. As well as a panoramic view of the Pyrenees and a tavern to quench stomachs and thirsts, the site has also recently been converted into a stopping-off point for touring cyclists.

A veritable oasis of greenery in the heart of Tarbes, the Jardin Massey, classified as a ‘Remarkable Garden’, was created by the Tarbes-born Placide Massey (1777-1853), steward of Queen Hortense's gardens, then director of the King's kitchen garden at the Château de Versailles. In 1829, he began buying up land in his home town, planting ornamental trees and a number of rare species, and had a Moorish-style building erected with an observation tower overlooking the Pyrenees...

Between the valleys of the Adour and Baïse rivers, the route passes through the rolling countryside of the former county of Bigorre. As well as putting a strain on cyclists' thighs, all these climbs offer panoramic views of the Pyrenees, from the Comminges mountains to Bigorre.