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Pyrenees National Park -

Located along the border with France and Spain, the Pyrenees National Park is a picturesque canvas of jaw-dropping mountainous landscape, the eastern portion of which forms part of the French section of the Pyrenees-Mont Perdu UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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Spectacular natural beauty -

The site also borders two other national parks: the entire Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park in Spain, and the eastern part of the Pyrenees Occidentales National Park in France. Pictured is the Pic du Midi d'Ossau, reflected in the mirror-like Lake Gentau. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 3.0)

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Posets-Maladeta Natural Park -

Of spectacular natural beauty, this park is located in the northern Province of Huesca, Aragón, in northeastern Spain.

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Baretous Valley -

Baretous Valley, in the French western Pyrenees, is a popular hiking and mountain biking destination. Pictured is a snow-clad Barétous Valley seen from the summit of Issarbe, itself a preferred departure point for hang gliding enthusiasts. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 3.0)

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Aneto -

Peaking at 3,404 m (11,163 ft), Aneto is the highest mountain in the Pyrenees. It stands in the Posets-Maladeta National Park, in the Spanish province of Huesca. Besides Aneto, other important peaks lying within the park's boundaries include Posets Peak and Mount Maladeta.

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Climbing Aneto -

Of great interest to climbers, Aneto’s summit is defended by a short rocky passage called the Bridge of Mohammed. Pictured is a mountaineer negotiating the bridge on his way to the top. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 4.0)

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Cirque de Gavarnie -

Described by Victor Hugo (1802-1885) as "the Colosseum of nature," the imposing Cirque de Gavarnie was so named by the French poet and novelist for its enormous size and horseshoe shape resembling an ancient amphitheater. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 2.0)

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Gavarnie Falls -

Major features of the colossal Cirque de Gavarnie include the Gavarnie Falls. Formed by spring and summer meltwater, this is the second-highest waterfall in Europe, descending 422 m (1,385 ft) over a series of steps before reaching the floor of the cirque.

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Roland's Breach -

Situated close to the steep cliffs of Cirque de Gavarnie is Roland’s Breach. This natural gap in an otherwise solid sheet of rock is 40 m (131 ft) across and 100 m (328 ft) high. It's situated in the Ordesa y Monte Perdido Natural Park, on the Franco-Spanish border, and seen here from the Spanish side. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY 2.0)

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The legend of Roland -

According to a local legend, Roland's Breach was carved out by Count Roland, an eighth-century military leader under Charlemagne, using his sword, Durendal, during heavy fighting at the Battle of Roncesvalles in 778, in which Roland was ultimately killed. The gap is pictured here from the French side. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 3.0)

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Pedraforca -

Located in the Pre-Pyrenees, a mountainous system that runs parallel to the main Pyrenees range, mighty Pedraforca is one of the most famous and emblematic mountains in Catalonia, the northernmost region of Spain. Its peculiar form is composed of two ridges joined by a neck. The name Pedraforca alludes to its forked shape. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 3.0)

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Pic du Midi Observatory -

This astronomical observatory is perched 2,877 m (9,438 ft) on top of the Pic du Midi de Bigorre, in the French Pyrenees. A telescope installed at the facility in 1963 and funded by NASA was used to take detailed photographs of the surface of the Moon in preparation for the Apollo missions. The observatory, which is reached by cable car, falls within the Pic du Midi International Dark Sky Reserve. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 3.0)

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Andorra la Vella -

A sovereign landlocked microstate set in the eastern Pyrenees, bordered by France to the north and Spain to the south, tiny Andorra is the sixth-smallest nation in Europe. The official language is Catalan, but Castilian Spanish, Portuguese, and French are commonly spoken. Incidentally, Andorra la Vella is the highest capital city in Europe.

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Health and well-being -

An international ski vacation destination, Andorra is also known for its spa resort attractions. Pictured is the Caldea thermal spa resort in the capital's Escaldes-Engordany district. Known for its sulphide and mineral-rich waters, Caldea is the biggest thermoludic center in Southern Europe.

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Village life -

Hiking the valleys and foothills of the Pyrenees rewards visitors with scenes such as this, stone-clad villages of immense charm and character.

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Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park -

Established in 1918 and one of the region’s principal nature reserves and national parks, the stark and beautiful Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park is home to the Pyrenean chamois, alpine marmot, and diminutive Pyrenean desman or water-mole, among other local wildlife species. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 4.0)

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Flora -

The park is textured with extensive forests of beech, birch, ash, and willow. At higher elevations up to 1,700 m (5,577 ft), the mountain pine dominates.

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Ordesa Valley -

Believe it or not, the breathtaking Ordesa Valley wasn't discovered until 1820. The valley is 11 km (7 mi) long and has one of Europe's largest populations of the Pyrenean chamois.

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Pyrenean chamois -

The Pyrenean chamois is a goat-antelope that lives in the Pyrenees, Cantabrian Mountains, and Apennine Mountains. These agile and sturdy animals were almost hunted to extinction, especially in the 1940s, for their soft leather hide. Fortunately, the population has since recovered. Sadly, the same can't be said for the Pyrenean ibex, which in 2000 became extinct.

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Monte Perdido -

Monte Perdido, at 3,355 m (11,007 ft), is the third highest mountain in the Pyrenees. The peak stands in the Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park. (Photo: Flickr/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

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Mountaineering destination -

The Pyrenees attracts mountaineers from around the world drawn to its challenging peaks and mountain faces. Here, a climber in the eastern Spanish Pyrenees hits the summit of a snow-clad range.

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Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park -

This park has an elevation range from 1,600 to 3,000 m (5,249 to 9,842 ft), and has a great variety of alpine vegetation owing to the large range of altitudes. Pictured is a carpet of wildflowers blanketing the slopes of Lake Sant Maurici. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 3.0)

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Bearded vulture -

The Pyrenees is one of the few places in Europe where the magnificent bearded vulture can be observed. The bird is also known as the as the lammergeier or ossifrage.

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Vignemale -

At 3,298 m (10,820 ft), Vignemale is the highest of the French Pyrenean summits. The peak presents a considerable challenge to mountaineers, its dramatic North Face featuring a number of serious ascent routes requiring skill and commitment.

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Lake Gaube -

The approach from the north towards Vignemale affords hikers with a delightful walk up to and around shimmering Lake Gaube (pictured) and an increasingly dramatic perspective of the Vignemale massif.

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Pont d'Espagne -

Lake Gaube can be reached by ski lift from a station located near the historic Pont d'Espagne. Built at an altitude of approximately 1,500 m (4,921 ft), the "Spanish Bridge" used to join Spain and France through the mountains.

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Blonde d'Aquitaine -

Look out for herds of Blonde d'Aquitaine roaming on summer pasture. A French breed of domestic beef cattle, these wheat- or cream-colored animals with big eye lashes roam the land munching on fresh grass and lapping up water from mountain streams.

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Pyrenean cuisine -

Make sure you try a bowl of garbure, a  traditional thick soup consisting of meat, cheese, stale bread, and vegetables such as cabbage, peas, onions, or carrots. This is an ideal broth for chilly winter days.

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Tomme des Pyrenees -

Also typical of the Pyrenees region is Tomme des Pyrenees, a French rustic cheese usually served in a thin black skin. The locals have been enjoying this delicacy since the 12th century.

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Aligot -

Another favorite dish symbolic of Pyrenean cuisine is aligot. This French dish incorporates mashed potatoes, melted cheese, cream, and crushed garlic. The delicious combination results in a creamy, elastic, and velvety mixture that is similar to fondue.

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Odeillo solar furnace -

Greeting visitors to the town of Font-Romeu-Odeillo-Via in Pyrenees-Orientales is the world's largest solar furnace. Looking rather incongruous among the meadows and mountains, the site was chosen for the length and quality of sunshine enjoyed in the region, plus the purity of the atmosphere.

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Haute Randonnée Pyrénéenne -

Fancy walking the length of the Pyrenees? It's possible by hiking the Haute Randonnée Pyrénéenne (HRP), a high-level long-distance trail joining the Atlantic and Mediterranean. The HRP begins in Hendaye (pictured) on the Atlantic coast and follows the French and Spanish border and passes through Andorra.

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Banyuls-sur-Mer -

The HRP ends at Banyuls-sur-Mer (pictured) on the Mediterranean. The foothills of the Pyrenees run into the sea near this pleasant resort town.

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Cap de Creus -

Cap de Creus is a peninsula and a headland located at the far northeast of Catalonia, some 25 km (16 mi) south from the French border. Effectively the easternmost point of Catalonia and therefore of mainland Spain and the Iberian Peninsula, the cape marks the very end of the Pyrenees Mountain range in the east. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 2.5)

See also: Discover the most attractive peninsulas on the planet.

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