I took the ultimate feel good break in the French Pyrenees and it was amazing. I relaxed in natural mountain springs, ate the finest regional food, had massages, yoga sessions and healthy picnics in the alpine forests. Lush!
I flew from London Gatwick to Toulouse where I stayed overnight before journeying for two hours to the Ariege mountains.
Before long I was enjoying a shiatsu foot massage while laying in a natural hot spring quite a way up the famous mountain range. Without cliché I thought to myself, 'this is the life'.
I couldn't believe that somewhere a few hours away people would be toiling at their desks and stressing in their cars. This was a kind of bliss no amount of chocolate cake or cheeky glass of wine could achieve.
It was the first day of discovering the well being aspects of holidaying in this region of France and I liked it.
For a start Midi-Pyrenees is the fourth region in France for balneology. The mountains, which separate France and Spain, have an abundance of sulphur rich springs dotted over them. The springs attract many visitors in the summer time and are well known for their healing properties. Like I mentioned, they are sulphur so you d have to get used to the slight egg odour but that didn’t stop me loving it.
While I was bathing in the mountain spring I noticed that someone had left candle wax remnants on the rocks - obviously a romantic evening had been had here. Note to self: Next time take the man.
It’s easy to find these wonderful little spots in Ariege. There are cable cars, roads, cycling routes and walking paths up into the mountains, which dominate the landscape.
I took a hike up to the springs with well being specialist Vincianne Olingers and Olivier de Robert, a local history guide and story teller. As we walked up the mountain side - taking in deep breaths of fresh air - Vincianne spoke about, and pointed out the natural bounty of flora and fauna in the area. Farmers here work with traditional methods.
We saw ancient looking storage houses for crops and drinking troughs for horses. Less use of insecticides is noticeable from the thriving wildlife. Vincianne said bears and wolves roamed deeper in the forest. Luckily all I came across were various colourful species of butterfly and majestic birds flying overhead. Along the way we stopped for a picnic of breads, meats and cheeses. You can look at the scenery while sipping champagne or put together a healthy replenishing snack if you please.
Since I chose to fill up on carbs I was glad when Vincianne found a clearing where she guided us through a tai chi session. The sloping landscape; dark green foliage against a brilliant blue sky backdrop; seemed to intensify the experience.
Feeling full of vitality after the trek, I needed to chill out so we headed to Ax-Les-Thermes. This town is well known for it spa attributes. It has 60 or so hot sulphurous springs.
Like in the mountains the waters are 38 degrees C and the townspeople and visitors soak their feet in the warm waters of the fountains and water pools dotted about. We walked through the ‘smoking alleyways’ - so-called because of the hot waters running below the streets - into the town square to Les Bains du Couloubret..
The first sight when you walk into the ground floor of the bath is a huge pool surrounded by columns and filled with jacuzzis, hydro-massage nozzles, water jets and there’s also a variety of hot and cold water baths and a steam room.
Upstairs I found sauna rooms, including an oriental area with a seductive hamman. There were four treatment rooms for massages and scrubs. I spent a lot of time on the roof spinning lazily around the whirlpool in the open air basin and taking in the sights of the mountains. I had become quite attached to them by this time.
That night I stayed at a small independently run hotel Le Chalet, which sits on the river bank in Ax Les-Thermes.
It’s a small scale operation with 19 rooms. The same man who booked me in, brought my wine and served my food. Chef and patron Frederic Debeves concentrates on what he does best - the food. He has had a Bib Gourmand, from the Michelin Guide, at Le Chalet for the past four years now. His food was exquisite.
When my guide showed me the itinerary for the day I merely glanced at it with the knowledge that whatever had been chosen, going by past experience, it was going to suit me well, so I didn’t read the word 'canyoning' properly. My eyes saw 'canoeing' and I had imagined drifting along a river somewhere.
You can imagine my shock when I found out that I was going to be scrabbling over rocky rapids, abseiling down cliff edges, sliding down waterfalls and jumping off high ledges into deep pools for the rest of the afternoon. What happened to mind body and soul pampering?
I was anxious at first and I had to have a word with myself.
The wet suit I was wearing was buoyant, so the fact that I can only really swim on my back (I doggy paddle like Mr Bean on my front) didn’t matter. All I needed to do was follow the instructions of Montcalm Aventure guide Jean-Marc Gibelin, a tough no-mess French adventurer, who didn’t suffer wimps gladly, and I would be fine..... I would be just fine. ...And I was!
I rose to the challenge and even coped with a few terrifying moments. There was the time when I ended up hanging upside down from a rope tied to a cliff edge, after I let out too much abseil rope. There was also the moment when I lost my nerve while climbing - without a harness - up a huge slimy slippery rock. I found myself frozen to the spot, gripping onto the rock face for dear life and holding back the tears before I pulled myself together. I also nearly cried (well one tear fell) when I had to jump a good eight metres into a pool. Jean-Marc and the rest of the group egged me on. We cheered when I finally jumped, and then Jean-Marc came and rescued me when I started to hyperventilate in the water.
Yes I loved the hot springs, but I assure you, I am no water baby. I canyoned in a group of four brave men and four gutsy women - well three, one chickened out after the first jump and went back to the centre for a cuppa. I didn’t want to wimp out. It was a mind over matter exercise getting through the ordeal and I tell you something I’d do it again. The exhilaration of completing the course, going beyond my boundaries and succeeding was immense. I suddenly understood what the benefit was. It was about testing myself and pushing my limits.
Now can we go to the spa please?
My guide shouted that we were going to have dinner and have an early night. I shouted back in agreement - everyone shouts after canyoning because the adrenalin makes you act like a drunk person in a nightclub.
That evening I had a long soak in a bubble bath at the B&B Les Villas d’Onost and threw on a camisole top, silk scarf and jeans for dinner at La Table D-Arconac, a tiny mountain village restaurant that served local cuisine. It had round wooden tables and stony walls and the waiter rushed around serving home cooked dishes and bottles of home-made wine for us to try. After a succession of rustic dishes and dessert, he planked a bottle of l'eau de vie (a strong spirit) in front of us.
I woke up the next morning with a fuzzy head.
The B&B was made up of two large contemporary farmhouse-style houses - marble floors in the tiled bathroom and pretty cushions dotted about.
I knew breakfast was being served in the main house so I popped over. With a knowing look, owner Christian Brissard, placed a cereal bowl filled with strong black coffee in front of me and smiled.
I left for Cauterets in south west Lourdes where I was to visit the beautiful Gaube Lake near the Vignemal summit, which is the highest peak of the Pyrenees.
As well as being a popular spa destination, it is also a major ski place so there were plenty of cable cars to take people up into the mountains.
In the spring and summer time the area is awash with wild flowers. June is when it is at its most gorgeous and people travel from Japan and America just to see the amazing sights. A hike around here cleared my head. The surrounding peaks, pines, waterfalls and meadows, carpeted with edelweiss and buttercups, gave me the urge to break into song. Cattle grazed on the flat areas and people stopped in the hot sun to take photographs or laze on the rocks.
We ate local fish at the mountain inn on the edge of the Gaube. I could see a glacier cutting through the moutain peak in the distance. Apparently you can walk to Spain from here in less than a day.
We took a slow walk back down. It was very rocky and required careful footing but after my previous experience canyoning it was no problem.
The Cauteret Thermes in the town is more of a clinical style spa. I went there for a few hours break. Among other things it has individual hydro massage baths and jet showers as well as Jacuzzi pools and treatment rooms for massages and beauty treatments. There were rooms lined with sinus clearing contraptions. The therme looked like a hospital and the therapists wore white coats.
I sat in the hydro bath and quickly noticed it had the sulphuric benefits of the mountain springs.
I was staying nearby at the Lion d’Or Hotel, which is the prettiest place I have ever stayed in my life. If you want character, this place has bags of it.
The Lassarre family, who have had it in their family for four generations, have carefully decorated it in 19th century style. A large chiming grandfather clock overlooks the reception. The dining room has small tables laid with quaint patterned cloths, brass pans hang on the walls and there were even frilly prams dotted about the landings.
It was everything I've ever imagined of old style France. There were even cross stitch signs on the doors in my room and an antique phone by the bed.
The following day we found the time to drive to Argeles-Gazost for one more flirtation with the Pyrenees waters. During the summer a hair raising white water rafting experience can be had here but I joined a group for a gentle mini raft down he Gave de Lourdes.
It was a peaceful end to a life changing trip. The sights, sounds and physical experiences certainly gave my mind body and soul the revamp it needed.
The websites you need to book this experience
www.tourism-midi-pyrenees.co.ukVisit website
www.ariegepyrenees.com
www.tourisme-hautes-pyrenees.com
