Pic du Midi de Bigorre

• Altitude2,877 m
• Cable car~15 min
• From Lourdes~1 h 15 to La Mongie
• TimeHalf day

Perched on its summit at 2,877 metres, the Pic du Midi observatory has studied the sky since the late 19th century. Today it's also one of the most spectacular viewpoints in the Pyrenees, reached by cable car from La Mongie.

The visit

• The cable car rises in two stages in about 15 minutes.
• Panoramic terraces look along the chain of the Pyrenees, and on clear days far over the plains of Gascony.
• A museum explains astronomy and the observatory's history, and a glass-floored 'Ponton dans le ciel' juts out over the void.

Night sky

The Pic du Midi is at the heart of an International Dark Sky Reserve. Sunset and night programmes, with dinner and stargazing, run on selected dates, and a few rooms let you sleep at the summit.

Tips

• Book ahead online; tickets are timed and weather can close the cable car.
• Take warm clothes even in summer, and go easy if you're sensitive to altitude.
• In winter, experts can ski the freeride descents with a guide.

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