Do you know Pays de Nay? This destination is located in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques and Hautes-Pyrénées départements, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Occitanie regions. If you choose to spend your holidays here, you'll have the chance to discover many of the tourist sites in the Pyrenees. That's right! The Pays de Nay has a lot to offer, and it's also an ideal gateway for visiting the tourist sites of the Pyrenees!
Before exploring the tourist sites in the Pyrenees, it's worth remembering where Pays de Nay is located. It is ideally situated between the Ossau Valley and the Gavarnie valleys, between the towns of Lourdes and Pau, and more specifically from Assat to the Col du Soulor and from Bruges-Capbis-Mifaget to Labatmale. It's a perfect location for exploring the region.
It has to be said that there's plenty to visit! The local heritage is particularly diverse, from monuments and culture to gastronomy and crafts.
When you stay in the Pays de Nay, you'll be close to all the not-to-be-missed tourist sites in the Pyrenees.
If you'd like to discover the region's heritage, the first place to start is Lourdes, world-famous for its pilgrimage and shrine, as well as the Massabielle grotto and its fortified castle. If you're a lover of châteaux, be sure to visit the village of Coarraze, which is listed as a Private Historic Monument and where Henri IV (King of Béarn) spent his childhood until he was 8.
The region is home to 5 of the 15 bastides (fortified towns) in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, including Nay, which was built in 1302 and features traditional architecture with a central square lined with arcades, a market hall, fortifications, ramparts and a surrounding wall. You can also visit the bastide town of Lestelle-Bétharram, founded in 1335.
Another not-to-be-missed site in the Pyrenees: the Betharram caves. During this extraordinary visit, you'll be plunged into an underground world with 5 superimposed levels, as well as an underground lake that you'll cross in a boat and finish with a ride on a small train.
The Pays de Nay, and the Pyrenees in general, is a land of know-how and craftsmanship. To find out more, don't miss a visit to the Musée du Béret in Nay, the only one of its kind in the world! It's a great opportunity to learn more about this famous headgear.
The Maison Daban in Bourdettes is another must-see. It is one of the last remaining workshops in France for the manufacture of sonnailles, or bells for mountain cattle. This workshop, which has kept its ancestral know-how alive, has also been awarded the ‘Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant’ (Living Heritage Company) label.
While there are plenty of tourist attractions in the Pyrenees, you should also sample the local produce for which this tasty, gourmet region is famous! You can go to markets or farms to meet local producers, who will be delighted to let you sample some of their specialities.
The gastronomy of the Pays de Nay is fortunate to have quality products that have been recognised in a number of ways, such as :
The Pays de Nay is set in exceptional natural surroundings. You can take advantage of this unspoilt and authentic environment during your stay.
The region has a wide variety of rivers (such as the Gave de Pau, the Béez, the Ouzom, etc.) and lakes (Baudreix, Baliros, Coarraze). There areplenty of activities on offer, including water-based leisure activities ranging from simple swimming and fishing to more sensational activities such as rafting, canyoning and canoeing...
The Asson zoo should also appeal to you: over 5 hectares, more than 500 species of wild animals await you. Maned wolves, snow leopards, tigers, kangaroos, lemurs, tropical birds... You can also take part in a wide range of activities, including the chance to slip into the shoes of an animal keeper!
There's no shortage of tourist attractions in the Pyrenees! If you stay in the Pays de Nay, you'll be ideally placed to visit them. To find out more and organise your visit, the advisors at the Pays de Nay Tourist Office are on hand to guide you and recommend the sites you shouldn't miss !