Situated in the Aure valley in the Hautes-Pyrénées region of southern France, only two and a half hours from Biarritz and slightly less from Pau, Saint Lary Soulan is a genuine all year round destination (writes Suzie Larcombe).  Its charm, climate and people (not to mention its stunning mountain backdrop) have visitors coming back for more year after year.

In true Pyrenean fashion, the dominant building style is of exposed mountain stone, wood and cobbling. In winter you can take the cable car to the uncrowded pistes to swoosh your way through the snow, and in summer take that same cable car to the chair lifts, which are ingeniously modified to carry your mountain bike – genial! Lakes and walks abound, so no matter the season, you’ll never be lost for something to do.

My overriding memory of Saint Lary Soulan is of the midsummer sun being slightly (and thankfully) diluted by a light breeze, whilst walking by the rock pools in the river that tumbles from the Val Louron side of the valley, bright, turquoise and inviting. Upon taking the road from the village towards Spain (which is about ten miles away) and turning left out of the village, you’ll wind your way up to the ancient hospice where good-humoured walkers abound. 

Pack yourself a deli picnic then bike, walk or drive to your start point and lose yourself in this wonder of nature. For all year round outdoor-types there is downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, dog sledding in the pine forests, snow scooters (after the the pistes have closed), snow paragliding and fishing…. The list just goes on. For those not wanting to venture out into this wonderland alone, the village boasts a host of qualified guides for every eventuality. During summer in particular, there’s nothing more exciting than heading well off the beaten track with your own guide to hit the rock pools, or trying your hand at rafting, canyoning, or off-piste scootering. 

Accommodation-wise, we managed to bag ourselves a real bargain with a self-catering apartment at the relatively newly-built Cami Real, offering a pool, jacuzzi, hammam, sauna and stylish interiors. Believe it or not, we paid only €230 for a week for four of us at the end of August. True, it was booked relatively late, but by looking at these French-dominated resorts, you really can bag yourself a bargain. 

The year before we’d been at the slightly older (and less stylish) Pierre et Vacances apartments for a similar price. Although older in style, where Pierre et Vacances scores over Cami Real is its proximity to the river. The River Aure is a fast-flowing river situated quite literally a stones throw from the apartments. If you’re booking, insist on a river view, then sleep with your window open and you’ll swear you’ve died and gone to heaven! Even in my most penny-pinching mindset, and although there’s a great selection of camp sites in the town, at these prices I think you’d be mad to “pitch-up” unless you are truly passionate about canvas!

Food, as ever, is a huge feature on such a holiday, and just wandering up the main street of Saint Lary Soulan, you’ll be offered tastings of saussison (cured sausages) of all varieties, many of which feature the local speciality which is a mild chilli spice (its pretty unusual in France, to find food with a “kick”). At three saussisons for a tenner, we struggle to walk away without a chevre, figue and piment (goats cheese, fig and chilli) for aperos. The mountain cheese here is also divine: served with the sweetest black cherry or onion jam, you’ll be forgiven for forgetting that dinner should ideally follow aperos!

If you venture out for aperos, there’s a host of bar choices ranging from the ever-so-slightly trendy “Cave à vin”, where the wine master will serve you up a couple of glasses of his finest together with a little plate of tapas for €5 a head, to the very local Bar L’igloo, where you should really enjoy a Ricard with the locals. 

Self catering is definitely the preference in Saint Lary Soulan, but this doesn’t necessarily mean cooking! With the street-front deli L’etable Ramoun and the Boucherie Centrale serving up THE most delicious ready-to-eat nosh, the only thing you’ll need to venture to the local supermarket for is toilet rolls and maybe some milk. For bread and patisseries that will make your belt tighten a notch or two, try Boulangerie l’epi d’aure, just next to the town hall. 

And if all else fails, head to Pizzeria la Main à la Pate, ask for Lilianne, and say the Scottish lady from Riscle recommended you visit! You’ll be more than taken by her good nature, not to mention her husband’s delicious food (pizza with magret de canard, foie gras and cepes to mention but a few of the treats in store).

When it comes to water-based relaxation, the municipal pool (owned by the village) is cheap as chips, incredibly clean and open all hours. The local thermal spa Sensoria is for the whole family, and is open all year round. With prices from €12 for an adult, you can marvel at the natural surroundings and the variety of water jets and swimming experiences. 

Taking a night away?  Then you should head for Le Neouvielle on the La Mongie side of the valley, which is probably one of the most stunning pieces of nature you’ll ever see. Book yourself into the refuge for the night, cycle there, walk there, or take the car, but either way be ready for the ear-popping ascent alongside lakes that’ll leave you swearing you’d crossed the Atlantic to Canada!

About the author

Suzie Larcombe is author of “The missing link?” and joint director of LimeGray (www.LimeGray.com) - the small rural business development agency with the big city feel.