The Pyrénées mountain chain fringes the border between France and Spain. According to the Pyrénées National Park website, the park, created in 1967, is a natural heritage without barriers or fences where animals are totally free. Devoted to preserving biodiversity and landscapes, studying wildlife and plant species, the park is home to 70 different species of animals.
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The 900km of footpath, lane and track-way which link the Atlantic coast with the Mediterranean have created one of the finest long-distance routes in France. GR10, the so-called Sentier des Pyrénées, is a walk of epic proportions, routed as it is along the north flank of a magical range of mountains. Unlike its counterpart on the Spanish slope, the GR10 actively seeks out a number of villages that lie snug at the foot of the mountains, so the long distance-walker can enjoy both the rugged heartland of the range and the more hospitable landscapes tended by a pastoral community.
