Gourette
Encyclopedia
Gourette is a winter sports resort
in the French Pyrenees
. It is located in the commune of Eaux-Bonnes
in the département of Pyrénées-Atlantiques
, on the D918 road which passes through the Col d'Aubisque
mountain pass. The closest air access is Pau Pyrénées Airport
.
In winter, the resort offers one of the largest skiable areas in the Pyrenean chain with 30 marked pistes, and extending between 1,400 and 2,400 meters in altitude, covering about 90 hectares of mostly north-facing slopes. The area also hosts snowboard
ing and snowshoe
trails. In 2005 the region spent over 50 million euro
s to improve its winter resort facilities, including trails, lifts, accommodation and other infrastructure.
In summer, tourists visit the valley of the Gave d'Ossau
and its lakes for sightseeing, hiking
, biking, rock climbing
, and mountaineering
, including the ascent of Pic du Midi d'Ossau
(2,884 metres/9,462 ft). The French GR 10 hiking trail, which covers over 800 km from one end of the Pyrenees to the other, passes through the village.
The 2007 Tour de France
passed through Gourette. The road through the Col d'Aubisque
pass, cresting at an altitude of 1,710 metres (5,610 feet), has slopes from 7.5 to 10% and is considered a Hors Categorie
climb in Union Cycliste Internationale race classifications
.
Resort
A resort is a place used for relaxation or recreation, attracting visitors for holidays or vacations. Resorts are places, towns or sometimes commercial establishment operated by a single company....
in the French Pyrenees
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
. It is located in the commune of Eaux-Bonnes
Eaux-Bonnes
Eaux-Bonnes is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.Nearby is the impressive villa Cockade, the construction of which is detailed in Dornford Yates's novel The House That Berry Built....
in the département of Pyrénées-Atlantiques
Pyrénées-Atlantiques
Pyrénées-Atlantiques is a department in the southwest of France which takes its name from the Pyrenees mountains and the Atlantic Ocean.- History :...
, on the D918 road which passes through the Col d'Aubisque
Col d'Aubisque
The Col d'Aubisque is a mountain pass in the Pyrenees 30 km south of Tarbes and Pau in the department of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques , in the Aquitaine region of France....
mountain pass. The closest air access is Pau Pyrénées Airport
Pau Pyrénées Airport
-Military usage:Apart from the civilian terminal, there are military installations on the south side of the airfield. These host the 4th Special Forces Helicopter Regiment, the 5th Combat Helicopter Regiment and the French Army's paratrooper's training....
.
In winter, the resort offers one of the largest skiable areas in the Pyrenean chain with 30 marked pistes, and extending between 1,400 and 2,400 meters in altitude, covering about 90 hectares of mostly north-facing slopes. The area also hosts snowboard
Snowboard
Snowboards are boards, usually with a width the length of one's foot, with the ability to glide on snow. Snowboards are differentiated from monoskis by the stance of the user...
ing and snowshoe
Snowshoe
A snowshoe is footwear for walking over the snow. Snowshoes work by distributing the weight of the person over a larger area so that the person's foot does not sink completely into the snow, a quality called "flotation"....
trails. In 2005 the region spent over 50 million euro
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
s to improve its winter resort facilities, including trails, lifts, accommodation and other infrastructure.
In summer, tourists visit the valley of the Gave d'Ossau
Gave d'Ossau
The Gave d'Ossau is the torrential river flowing through the Ossau Valley, one of the three main valleys of the High-Béarn , in the Southwest of France....
and its lakes for sightseeing, hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
, biking, rock climbing
Rock climbing
Rock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...
, and mountaineering
Mountaineering
Mountaineering or mountain climbing is the sport, hobby or profession of hiking, skiing, and climbing mountains. While mountaineering began as attempts to reach the highest point of unclimbed mountains it has branched into specialisations that address different aspects of the mountain and consists...
, including the ascent of Pic du Midi d'Ossau
Pic du Midi d'Ossau
The Pic du Midi d'Ossau is a mountain rising above the Ossau Valley in the French Pyrenees. Despite possessing neither a glacier nor, in the context of the range, a particularly high summit, its distinctive shape makes it a symbol of the French side of the Pyrenees...
(2,884 metres/9,462 ft). The French GR 10 hiking trail, which covers over 800 km from one end of the Pyrenees to the other, passes through the village.
The 2007 Tour de France
2007 Tour de France
The 2007 Tour de France, the 94th running of the race, took place from 7 July to 29 July 2007. The Tour began with a prologue in London, and ended with the traditional finish in Paris. Along the way, the route also passed through Belgium and Spain...
passed through Gourette. The road through the Col d'Aubisque
Col d'Aubisque
The Col d'Aubisque is a mountain pass in the Pyrenees 30 km south of Tarbes and Pau in the department of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques , in the Aquitaine region of France....
pass, cresting at an altitude of 1,710 metres (5,610 feet), has slopes from 7.5 to 10% and is considered a Hors Categorie
Hors Categorie
Hors catégorie is a French term used in cycle races to designate a climb that is "beyond categorization", an incredibly tough climb. Most climbs in cycling are designated from Category 1 to Category 4 , based on both steepness and length...
climb in Union Cycliste Internationale race classifications
UCI race classifications
The Union Cycliste Internationale , the world's governing body in the sport of bicycle racing, classifies races according to a rating scale....
.