Allées d'Etigny is the central artery of Bagnères-de-Luchon, a wide avenue leading to the Chambert Thermal Spas. At number 18 of this very same avenue, we find a curious chateau Town Name Telephone Luchon Bureau des guides 05.61.79.69.38 Luchon Agence de loisirs Pyrénées Aventure05.61.79.20.59 MoustajonPassion Montagne 05.61.79.11.97 built in 1773 which houses Luchon’s Regional Museum. Since the twenties the museum has been devoted to the conservation of local traditions and customs, including sections on archaeology, zoology, cartography, and, of course, alpinism, as we are in the traditional starting point for climbing the great peaks of the Pyrenees. The last Sunday in August, during the "Flower Festival", a caravan of floats decorated with thousands of flowers parades along Allées d'Etigny, while locals and tourists look on, in delight.

A few metres from the Allées d'Etigny avenue, is the cable car, which, in under 10 minutes takes us up to the ski slopes of Superbagnères, the other great local attraction. Located 17 km. from the town centre, the resort is one of the oldest in Europe. At 1,800 m above sea-level, in an unusually sunny spot, it has 24 slopes which are divided into three areas: Techous, Lac and Céciré. At the summit of Superbagnères, a couple of hotels and several restaurants offer us respite after a day of sport. Surrounding this resort, there is a leisure complex hat has developed over the years, having become a privileged look-out point to take in the breathtaking views of the peaks of the Central Pyrenees, such as the Venasque or the Céciré.

It is evident that Bagnères-de-Luchon is no longer only a spa town.

One would have to create a new name for a place like this, where sport, health care, rest, culture and adventure are all part of the same thing.

Notes on its History

The streets of Luchon hide a long, intense history where water has been the true protagonist. Since the Romans decided to build the first spa until today, Luchon has adapted to the passing of time while remaining faithful to its origins. Its most splendorous period coincided with the golden age of thermalism in Europe during which Luchon became a pilgrimage place for French high society. It was then when most of the majestic buildings that now stand out and grace the streets of Luchon were built. A policy of significant infrastructure investment has turned Luchon into a destination which is adapted to the needs of even the most demanding visitors while still offering the chance to relive the history that made her become the Queen of the Pyrenees. Discover it at leisure walking through its small streets linking avenues that are full of examples of what in the past, and still today, is a charming tourism centre in the heart of the Pyrenees.

Every year in Luchon this event is organised and is attended by many famous French film stars, and prizes are awarded to the best films in the festival. 

A race on foot, which starts in the centre of Luchon and goes up the old cog railway which was once used to access the Superbagnères slopes. The race is very hard, as it goes from the 630m of altitude of the town, to 1,800m of altitude at the finish line, with a spectacular slope of up to 28%!!!

This fun festival takes place every year at the aerodrome, attracting many people from all over the country. The day is fixed depending on the wind forecast, and each festival is a sight for sore eyes, as it is worth coming here only to see the landscape. This event is full of demonstrations, quick courses for beginners and spontaneous advice for anyone who’s interested, creating a perfect setting for all lovers of this hobby.

This festival, with over 100 years of history, started a long time ago as a simple “battle of flowers” between some tourists visiting the town. Since then, this celebration has become one of the highlights in the annual event calendar at Bagnères de Luchon. For the flower festival, the inhabitants of Luchon use about 400,000 natural flowers with which they decorate their spectacular floats to win over the jury and all those who have come to watch the renowned Luchon Flower Festival.

The Museum of the Region of Luchon is dedicated to the conservation of local customs and traditions, from alpinism to zoology, through archaeology, cartography and the famous flower festival.

Come to Luchon’s Grand Casino, located in the centre of the town, in a building dating back to 1880 which was declared a Historical Monument in 1999.

Inside the Casino

• www.luchon.com