FRANCE - Walking in the western PyreneesOur 2008 and 2009 Pyrenees walking tours will be based in our renovated Basque farmhouse set in the foothills of the Western Pyrenees. This is the area known as the Pays Basque - the country of the Basques, a quiet corner of France on the Spanish border, and within an hour's drive of the Atlantic Ocean. Combine unbeatable walks, superb cuisine and Dave's unrivalled knowledge of the Basque region of France, and you've got a holiday to remember. The region is sparsely populated and is a bastion of the ancient and unique Basque culture, which maintains its own language and customs. Beautiful farmland, rich valleys with fast flowing streams, beech forests and ancient villages and cultural sites are the destinations of our walks. We will discover all these as we walk sections of the GR10, the famous long distance footpath that follows the Pyrenees from Atlantic to Mediterranean. Pilgrims have crossed this area for over 1000 years, travelling from all over Europe, over the Pyrenees on their way to the magnificent church and shrine at Santiago de Compostela in north-western Spain. We follow parts of this ancient but still used path, the GR 65, on our walks, visiting ancient chapels and the lovely old town of St-Jean-Pied-de-Port. A mid-week rest day provides an opportunity to travel to nearby sites; an ancient abbey, the elegant spa town of Salies de Béarn, the pilgrims' meeting point at Ostabat or the medieval town of Sauveterre perhaps. One evening is free to dine out at the nearby town of St. Palais. We will take you to the restaurant and collect you afterwards. France: Walking in the western Pyrenees 26 September – 10 October 2009 Best Travels, 82 Bellevue Street, CAMMERAY, NSW
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