In 2013, Robert and I traveled to the French Pyrenees to research a book. We stayed in Gavarnie-Gèdre, a charming village near the Spanish border, and rented a house in a mountain hamlet that looked as though it had been lifted from the pages of Heidi. Rolling green pastures, weathered barns, sheep and goats, bubbling rivulets, and winding hiking trails surrounded us. Many of the old homes had been beautifully renovated and converted into vacation rentals. The only less-than-idyllic feature was the narrow road leading to our rental—much of it was only one lane wide. A few times, we stopped at a tiny turnout to let a car traveling in the opposite direction pass.
Staying in the rental gave us a glimpse into local life. Throughout the day, we could hear the distant tinkling of goat bells from a neighboring pasture. I even had an unfortunate encounter with a wild monkshood plant growing near the clothesline and ended up with a painful sting. Each day, we drove past preserved grain mills that reminded me of Hobbiton. Tiny grain huts perched on steep bank above rushing rivulet, with old stone bridges allowing us to pass. Although a hiking trail crossed there, we never made time to explore it.
Because this was our first visit to France, we weren’t sure what to expect from the culture or the people. We anticipated croissants, cafés, and other French staples, but what we discovered went far beyond the clichés. Along the way, we encountered a number of delightful surprises that made the trip even more memorable.
Here’s my list of the top ten surprises (in no particular order).
1. The friendliness of the Gascon people!
They usually greeted us with “Bonjour,” even on hikes. We quickly got accustomed to saying “Bonjour” as we passed people on the trails. On our way to the Gavarnie Cirque, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, we sat on a large boulder and ate lunch. As people passed, many greeted us with “Bon appétit!” On a hike toward the Spanish border, an elderly man pointed out an animal in the Pouey Aspé Valley (perhaps a marmot), but we couldn’t understand him since he only spoke French.
When our GPS led us to the wrong place, we asked an elderly farmer for directions to our rental house. Unfortunately, he couldn’t speak English, and I barely spoke French. But the owner of our rental had referred us to a female neighbor. Once I mentioned her name, the farmer immediately called her. After he got off the phone, he pointed to a car on the road below us. The neighbor’s sons were in the car and would guide us to the house. It was a tremendous relief, especially since dusk was settling over the mountains.
The preserved grain mill near our rental. Close to where we asked for help to find our rental.
2. Lourdes is one of the top tourist destinations in France.
Lourdes, a nearby city, has only about 6,000 residents but attracts millions of visitors, most of them Catholic pilgrims. Why?
The answer lies with Bernadette Soubirous, an impoverished teenager who reported experiencing eighteen apparitions at a local grotto. The first occurred when she was fifteen years old. She said a holy woman appeared to her, delivering messages and, at times, specific instructions. As a result, the grotto became a renowned pilgrimage site, especially for Catholics seeking healing.
We saw crowds of people using wheelchairs and walkers strolling through Lourdes. We also spotted a large British tour bus for people with disabilities in Gavarnie. I assumed they were on pilgrimage to Lourdes while also visiting nearby attractions.
City of Lourdes. The sanctuary in the background is a The Basilica of the Immaculate Conception drawing about 3.5 to 4 million visitors a year!
3. Dogs are beloved pets.
We often saw people bring their dogs inside restaurants. At one pizzeria, a dog lounged comfortably on a pillow near the cashier’s counter. The French clearly adore their dogs.
By HeartSpoon – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=107028338
4. Italian food—especially pizza—is popular in France.
In both Gavarnie-Gèdre and Gavarnie, we ate at pizzerias. In fact, we saw pizzerias in nearly every city we visited.
The Lakota pizzeria restaurant across the street is where we ate dinner on our first night in Gavarnie-Gèdre.
5. Rustic comfort food defines Pyrenean cuisine.
Hearty stews such as cassoulet and garbure are local staples. Both dishes often feature the famous white bean known as the Haricot Tarbais. We tried garbure on a food tour and found it rustic and delicious. Ours contained duck thighs, haricots, carrots, and cabbage. Of course, every meal on our food tour was accompanied by regional wine.
Robert eating Garbure. When you only have broth left, you pour wine into the soup and sip it from the bowl.
6. Duck is a star delicacy.
The Gascons are famous for their duck cuisine. Think foie gras, duck confit, and duck breast (magret de canard). They cook with duck fat and use nearly every part of the bird. On our food tour, we even tried duck hearts.
Yuck! They were too chewy and fatty for my taste.
On the right side of the pic is the brown crock containing duck hearts. We also tried smoked pyrenean trout, guacamole on toast, and cheese at a Spanish tapas restaurant on our Lourdes food tour.
7. The Tour de France often passes through this region.
Cycling is a popular activity in southwestern France. Despite the narrow mountain roads and numerous switchbacks, we frequently shared the road with cyclists. Thank goodness Robert was driving!
The Tour de France on the Pyrenean route. Credit: Hugo LUC – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=170351897.
8. Gascon culture still influences the region.
Southwestern France was once part of the historic province of Gascony, and that heritage remains deeply woven into Pyrenean culture. Some older locals still speak the Gascon dialect. Famous Gascons in literature include the musketeer d’Artagnan and the soldier Cyrano de Bergerac. The region is also associated with King Henry IV of France, who spent his childhood there.
Gascon coat of arms. Photo credit: ©Peter Potrowl at https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4286336.
9. Hotels and refuges sit high in the mountains.
It’s surprising to hike for over an hour on dirt trails and then suddenly come upon a patio restaurant or even a four-star hotel. Venture farther into the mountains, and you can stay in a refuge. Because these locations are inaccessible by road, helicopters deliver food and supplies. The French apparently want their food and wine wherever they go!
The Hôtel du Cirque high in the mountains near the Cirque de Gavarnie.
10. Many grocery stores close in the afternoon.
We often shopped at Au Petit Marché in Gavarnie-Gèdre, but it closed from 12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The store was closed on Mondays and open only from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Sundays. (The Carrefour Market stayed open all day.)
Many restaurants also shut down their kitchens in the late afternoon. If you want a hot lunch, eat before 2:30! We learned this the hard way. One afternoon, we stopped around 2:30 for lunch and found that only cold sandwiches were available. I ended up with a baguette, butter, and cheese since I didn’t want any cold cuts.
The small grocery store in Gavarnie-Gèdre that we frequented.
Did any of the items on my list surprise you, too?