In the foothills of the Pyrenees, on the edge of Hautes-Pyrénées and Haute-Garonne and around a 20-minute drive from the Spanish border, Château Des Frontieres and its parkland is set in a small village with beautiful mountain landscapes all around you.
On the first Sunday morning of every month the village market takes place at the gates of the château whilst the Tour de France whizzes by in July. Indeed, this region offers some of the best road cycling in France straight from the village whilst mountain biking, climbing, hiking, horse-riding, 9 and 18-hole golf courses, rafting and even winter skiing can all be found in the area.
Head to local villages and towns for some wonderful restaurants from bistros to Michelin starred establishments – start off in Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges (11km), one of France’s ‘Plus Beaux Villages’ with an incredible cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Aspet (27km) is also very charming with a number of cafes and restaurants as well as a twice-weekly market. You can also cross the Spanish border and drive to Bossòst (30km) for fine-dining and great shopping in picturesque Catalan surroundings on the Garonne river surrounded by black pine forests and mountains.
Back in France, the spa town of Bagnères-de-Luchon (24km) offers fishing, canoeing, mountain biking, hiking and all sorts of other mountain activities alongside its thermal baths. Balnéa Spa in Loudenvielle, around 50km away, is another fantastic option for thermal baths and treatments whilst there is also a lake in the mountain village with pedalos, canoes and supervised swimming in a summer lido.
Further afield, there are some magnificent day trips across southern France. Visit the pilgrimage town of Lourdes, around a 90-minute drive away, perhaps stopping off at one of the elegant gardens in Tarbes en route. Pau (115km) has such a beautiful old quarter as well as tree-lined boulevards, pretty cafes, restaurants and many shops. You could even drive as far as the Atlantic shores of Biarritz (226km), an elegant seaside resort much-loved by surfers from across the world.
Heading north to the Gers, Auch (94km) and its impressive Cathedrale Saint-Marie is a very attractive town close to picturesque Armagnac vineyards. The grand university city of Toulouse (123km), also known as ‘La Ville Rose’, is another brilliant trip whilst famous and historic Carcassonne (206km) could also be visited within a day.
The Region
A relatively new addition to France, the Midi-Pyrénées was created to surround the cultural capital of Toulouse in the late 1970s. You might think that its relative youth would mean the Midi-Pyrénées is short on character or identity, but remember, this is France we’re talking about – the whole country is steeped in history and tradition.
Encompassing parts of Gascony, Languedoc, the Gers and several others, you’ll get a varied slice of the whole French experience here, not least if you stay at one of our beautiful chateaux in the Midi-Pyrénées!